DevSecOps developer
Career outlook for devsecops developer
UK Salary Ranges
Entry-level
£24,000
£24,000
Experienced
£70,000
£70,000
Currently employed in Scotland
32,600
Salary information is provided by the "National Careers Service". "Oxford Economics" supplies job forecasts and employment figures. Due to COVID-19 the jobs market is constantly changing. Some of the information may not reflect the current situation.
What's it like?
DevSecOps is short for development, security and operations. The difference between this and other types of development is a focus on security from the start of a project. By including security planning and testing in your initial development process, you avoid having to make major changes to resolve security flaws later.
You’ll generate ideas, bring them to life with your development skills, and then test the results in a secure environment to make sure there are no defects or bugs that could be exploited. This is a fast-paced role that will continually challenge your technical skills and push you to find creative new approaches to development.
What you’ll do
- Write secure code – usually in short, highly focused phases known as 'sprints'
- Forensically analyse short segments of code to try and find weak points
- Check code using cybersecurity tools such as Codacy, GitLab or Aqua
- Update code to remove any vulnerabilities
- Design automated security functions to flag up any security concerns
- Quickly react to feedback and data to make sure any changes don’t derail the wider development schedule
- Contribute to creating the technical specification
- Follow news of emerging cybersecurity threats so you know what to protect your code against
Working conditions
Hours
Environment
UK employment status
Full-time
87%
Part-time
4%
Self employed
9%
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- Adaptability
- Building relationships
- Working with technology
- Written communication
- Problem solving
- Questioning
- Researching
- Attention to detail
- Developing a plan
- Taking responsibility
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Entry requirements for courses can change. Always contact the college, university or training provider to check exactly what you'll need.
Foundation Apprenticeships
Choosing a Foundation Apprenticeship as one of your subjects in S5 and S6 can help you get a head start with this type of job.
You'll get an SCQF level 6 qualification (the same level as a Higher) plus valuable work placement experience and skills you can't learn in a classroom.
Interested? Find out what's on offer at your school on Apprenticeships.scot.
Qualifications
You can develop the necessary skills for this role through a variety of routes.
Many DevSecOps developers will have studied at degree level in a technical subject, such as:
- Software development
- Software engineering
- Computer science
- Information systems
Others will have qualifications in a scientific or numerical subject such as maths or physics.
Employers may consider graduates from non-computing subjects if they can demonstrate essential technical knowledge. There are also postgraduate IT conversion courses available to graduates with a non IT background, who need to strengthen their technical skills.
Apprenticeships
You can gain skills and qualifications in the workplace through options such as:
Foundation Apprenticeships (FAs) are chosen as one of your subjects in S5 and S6 but include hands-on learning at a local employer or college. They are the same level as a Higher.
You might want to consider an FA in areas such as:
- Software development
- IT: Hardware and system support
Modern Apprenticeships (MAs) mean you learn on the job. You get paid and work towards a qualification at the same time.
You might want to consider an MA in areas such as:
- IT and telecoms - technical
- Information security - technical
- Digital applications
Graduate Apprenticeships (GAs) are designed for industry and you'll spend most of your time learning on the job but you'll also go to uni or college. You'll get a job, get paid and work towards a qualification at the same time.
You might want to consider a GA in areas such as:
- Cyber security
Useful subjects
Many colleges and universities will have required subjects that you must have for entry. They might also highlight additional subjects that they would value. Look at individual institution websites for specific entry information.
Useful subjects for this job would be:
- Maths focused subjects
- ICT subjects
- Physics
Helpful to have
Not all employers list specific qualification requirements but they might ask for relevant experience, usually work based, that shows a range of transferable skills.
You'd usually be expected to demonstrate up to date in-depth knowledge of software design, coding and programming developments as well as an understanding of testing and auditing software in order to anticipate potential security threats.
There are a variety of certifications and training courses available to gain further knowledge in cyber security, including Systems Security Certified Practitioner (SSCP), Certified Professional (CCP) scheme and Certified Information System Security Professional (CISSP), depending on your level of experience.