Technology & Data

DevOps / Site Reliability Engineer

Builds and maintains the infrastructure that keeps software running reliably.

Content last reviewed: August 2026

A DevOps or site reliability engineer focuses on the systems that let software get built, tested, deployed, and kept running smoothly, automating the process of shipping code, managing cloud infrastructure, and responding when something breaks. A typical day might include improving an automated deployment pipeline, monitoring system performance, or investigating why a service slowed down.

Because reliability is the core responsibility, being on call for outages or incidents is a common part of the role, along with writing up what happened afterward (a 'postmortem') so it doesn't happen again.

Core tasks

✓Building and maintaining CI/CD pipelines (automated build/deploy processes)
✓Managing cloud infrastructure and configuration
✓Monitoring system performance and setting up alerts
✓Responding to and resolving outages or incidents
✓Automating repetitive operational tasks
✓Writing incident reports and improving system resilience

Tools & skills used

Cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP)Infrastructure-as-code toolsContainerization (Docker, Kubernetes)Scripting languagesMonitoring and logging toolsNetworking and systems fundamentals

Typical entry paths

→Computer Science or Computer Engineering
→Information Technology, especially with cloud/networking coursework
→Many DevOps engineers move into the role after starting as software engineers or system administrators

Common misconceptions

It's not just 'IT support', it's closer to software engineering applied to infrastructure rather than end-user troubleshooting.
Being on call doesn't mean constant firefighting; a large share of the job is proactive automation meant to prevent incidents in the first place.

Frequently asked questions

What does a DevOps / Site Reliability Engineer do?

Builds and maintains the infrastructure that keeps software running reliably.

What are the core tasks of a DevOps / Site Reliability Engineer?

Day to day, this typically includes: Building and maintaining CI/CD pipelines (automated build/deploy processes); Managing cloud infrastructure and configuration; Monitoring system performance and setting up alerts.

What tools or skills does a DevOps / Site Reliability Engineer use?

Common tools and skills for this role include Cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP), Infrastructure-as-code tools, Containerization (Docker, Kubernetes), Scripting languages.

How do people typically become a DevOps / Site Reliability Engineer?

Computer Science or Computer Engineering. Information Technology, especially with cloud/networking coursework.

What's a common misconception about being a DevOps / Site Reliability Engineer?

It's not just 'IT support', it's closer to software engineering applied to infrastructure rather than end-user troubleshooting.

What college majors lead to becoming a DevOps / Site Reliability Engineer?

Majors that commonly lead here include Computer Science, Information Technology, Computer Engineering. A major shapes what you study, it isn't a guarantee of landing this specific role.

This describes what the role typically involves day to day. It's not a guarantee of hiring, salary, or advancement, actual responsibilities vary by employer, industry, and location. See our disclaimer.