Developer Operations Level 4

How long: 2 years

Where: Hybrid working within this role enables a balance of 50 per cent of time split between the office and home over a 4 week period. Hybrid working arrangements can evolve subject to business requirements

Salary: £25,216

What you'll need

You should already hold or be working towards a minimum of 5 GCSE's Grade A* - C or Grade 4 and above or equivalent including Maths. A level Maths is desirable.

You are not eligible for this scheme if you currently hold or are working towards a qualification at the same or higher level in a related subject or have already studied content from the qualification for this scheme.

You must be 18 years of age before 9 September 2024 to be eligible for this scheme.

Job overview

Our Tech & Data teams focus on what's behind the millions of daily transactions on London's transport network. As a part of our fast-paced Technology & Data teams you'll learn the skills required to support the teams that keep London Moving, and work with cutting-edge technologies to deliver software that's used by millions of Londoners every day.

Our Technology Development and Technology Service Operations teamwork across a range of technologies from coding languages such as C#, Java, Microsoft Azure, SQL, python and lots of other exciting software. We use technology to improve the journeys of our customers, maximise the efficiency of our network and to extract insight from our data to enable us to make key business decisions.

What you'll be doing

As an apprentice, your 2-year development programme will be made up of 3 - 4 placement rotations. For example in Revenue DevOps, Corporate Development and Support, Online Development or Service Operations. Our aim is to give you the skills and breadth of experience you need for your successful career. We also understand that everyone's career is different, so every apprentice's journey is unique. Here's an idea of what yours may look like:

Year 1

Initial training - 1 month

You meet fellow apprentices who are starting their DevOps development scheme at the same time as you. Over four weeks you are introduced to the fundamentals of creating, maintaining and supporting applications with C# and Microsoft Azure technologies and learn how to test and monitor your code, while in a supportive and friendly group setting. This informal training is led by current developers and DevOps engineers from our teams, including recent apprentices, and equips with you the knowledge and confidence to start your first placement.

Placement 1 example - Revenue Systems DevOps Development

Using C# and Azure, your team supports a scalable platform for calculating the charges related to fares and/or road usage. With guidance from Microsoft engineers, you learn how to develop and support applications using the right technology from their ever-changing range of products. Extend your knowledge of testing and learn how to optimise the performance of components before they're released and then how to monitor and support the live systems for any issues.

Placement 2 example - Professional Services and Digital/Analytics

  • Supporting applications and O365 Suite (SharePoint, MS Dynamics and Livelink Document management)
  • Write and edit work instructions for tasks in technical area ensuring all work is completed to these standards
  • Respond to and resolve incidents across a range of Professional Services completing small developments and fixing incidents
  • Learn basic Database Admin activities
  • Rotate to work alongside the developers co coding new developments
  • Transition CI/CD into service live across different sprints

Placement 3 example - Full-stack DevOps Development

Working in a team, under the guidance of an experienced developer, you may create and support a responsive React web application, which allows London Underground staff to view train timetable information relevant to their station. You collaborate with end users to understand their issues and requirements and demonstrate your product, as it evolves, and get their feedback. Your team may also create and support a C# API, running in Microsoft's Azure Cloud, which feeds data to the web application. Using pair programming, within a Scrum team, you'll learn how to deliver and maintain high quality, clean code with extensive automated tests.

Placement 4 example - Asset Management

  • Support Asset Management Systems such as Maximo, Ellipse and Mobile applications
  • Responding to and resolving incidents across a range of LU, Surface and RFLI Asset Management Applications
  • Working alongside subject matter and leading industry experts

Other placement activities you may get the opportunity to experience

  • Operations Team for LU applications like Trackernet (Train Movement) & Electronic Incident Reporting & Railway Timetable Scheduling
  • Join project Development & Sprint teams to experience Agile Methodology and ways of working
  • Support the team creating TfL's mobile apps, with the opportunity to support Android or iOS apps or combine this with your increasing knowledge of C# to secure API services which push data to devices

There is flexibility for apprentices to tailor their scheme to their interests ensuring placements are taken within the Revenue DevOps, Online, Corporate and/or Service Operations - Professional Services and LU & Rail teams. We are aware that some apprentices start with, or develop during their placements, an interest to a technology area and we want to ensure you get the most from your apprenticeship with TfL.

Where can this career take me?

Upon successful completion of this scheme, you could roll-off into DevOps Junior Engineer roles, which could lead to further career development opportunities such as DevOps Engineer or Application Engineer roles to ultimately Senior DevOps Engineers or Application Engineers and beyond.