Principal Engineer & Technology Leader

Building secure, scalable systems and leading high-performing engineering teams. Specialising in Security Governance, Cloud Architecture, and AI.

About

I'm an accomplished Principal Engineer and Technology Leader based in Kent, United Kingdom, with over a decade of executive-level experience spanning the full software development lifecycle, information security, cloud architecture, and emerging technologies. I specialise in building secure, scalable systems whilst establishing governance frameworks and best practices that drive organisational excellence. My passion lies in bridging technical innovation with business strategy through:

  • Driving end-to-end SDLC excellence from architecture and development through deployment, implementing Agile methodologies and engineering best practices
  • Establishing security governance and compliance frameworks including ISO 27001, NIST, and zero-trust architectures across enterprise environments
  • Leveraging AI and data technologies to enhance decision-making, automate processes, and drive digital transformation initiatives
  • Leading cross-functional teams and fostering a culture of continuous learning, innovation, and technical mentorship

Areas of Expertise

Security & Governance

ISO 27001NISTZero TrustCompliance

Cloud Architecture

AWSAzureMulti-CloudIaC

DevSecOps

CI/CDShift-LeftAutomationSAST/DAST

Platform Engineering

KubernetesIDPBackstageSRE

AI & Emerging Tech

GenAIMLOpsLLMOpsRAG

Technical Leadership

MentoringStrategySDLCAgile

Experience

Current

Principal Engineer

Solirius Reply · November 2023 – Present

  • Leading technology strategy and governance at the Home Office, establishing security frameworks and compliance standards that achieved 100% audit compliance
  • Architecting end-to-end solutions spanning infrastructure, security, and application layers, implementing best practices across the full software development lifecycle
  • Driving adoption of AI and automation technologies to enhance operational efficiency, including intelligent monitoring and predictive analytics
  • Establishing security governance aligned with government standards, implementing zero-trust architecture and comprehensive access control policies
  • Spearheading DevSecOps transformation, integrating security into CI/CD pipelines and achieving 90% reduction in vulnerabilities through shift-left practices
  • Mentoring engineering teams on software architecture, security best practices, and emerging technologies whilst fostering a culture of continuous learning

Senior DevSecOps Engineer

Vault Platform · July 2022 – December 2023

  • Designed secure cloud architectures on AWS with focus on data protection and compliance, achieving SOC 2 readiness
  • Implemented comprehensive security policies and governance frameworks, including IAM strategies and least-privilege access controls
  • Led SDLC improvements including code review processes, testing strategies, and documentation standards
  • Established data pipeline architectures for analytics and reporting, enabling data-driven decision making
  • Architected Kubernetes-based platforms with security-first approach, achieving 99.9% uptime and 100% compliance
  • Championed technology innovation by evaluating and adopting emerging tools and methodologies
  • Mentored junior engineers on security practices, cloud architecture, and software engineering principles
Ongoing

Senior DevOps Consultant

ContainerCode Club · July 2019 – Present

  • Providing strategic technology consultancy covering cloud architecture, security, governance, and digital transformation
  • Advising clients on security frameworks, compliance requirements, and risk management strategies
  • Designing and implementing end-to-end solutions from architecture through deployment, following SDLC best practices
  • Establishing engineering standards, documentation practices, and governance frameworks for client organisations
  • Implementing data platforms and analytics solutions to enable business intelligence and informed decision-making
  • Staying current with technology trends and advising clients on AI, automation, and emerging technologies
  • Conducting training and workshops on security, cloud technologies, and software engineering practices

Lead DevOps Engineer

eConsult Health · October 2021 – June 2022

  • Led Linux-based AWS application hosting, improving system performance by 20%
  • Automated cloud resource management using Python scripts, reducing errors by 25%
  • Implemented automated testing pipelines with Jenkins, ensuring 100% code coverage
  • Set up ECS using CDK and CloudFormation, managed PaaS and serverless functions
  • Handled S3 lifecycle management, logging, and monitoring setup
  • Integrated health solutions with third-party systems using Direct Connect
  • Collaborated with cross-functional teams to solve complex problems and drive innovation

Senior DevOps Engineer

Doctor Care Anywhere · March 2021 – December 2021

  • Managed and optimised Azure Kubernetes platforms, implementing security best practices to achieve a 99.95% compliance rate
  • Orchestrated a major platform rollout on Azure Cloud using CI/CD pipelines, boosting user engagement by 40%
  • Developed and maintained CI/CD pipelines for Azure and AWS, reducing deployment time by 30% and improving operational reliability
  • Set up Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) with VNET integration and managed Azure DevOps pipelines
  • Utilised Helm, Flux, and ArgoCD for deployment management
  • Documented and managed release lifecycles using Jira and Confluence
  • Provided strategic input to C-level executives on technology and process improvements

Site Reliability Engineer

Rank Group · March 2020 – March 2021

  • Implemented CI/CD pipelines and automated testing, boosting deployment frequency and reliability
  • Collaborated closely with product teams to maintain platform stability and updates, contributing to a seamless user experience
  • Set up Dynatrace for logging and monitoring
  • Managed Jenkins pipeline deployments into Docker Swarm clusters within a secure AWS deployment environment
  • Handled pricing and negotiations with suppliers

DevOps Engineer

Adjoint Inc. · August 2019 – March 2020

  • Orchestrated CI/CD processes using GKE, Docker, and GitOps, streamlining deployment workflows
  • Containerised platforms to enhance scalability and maintainability
  • Participated in cross-functional team meetings to align development and operational goals

Customer Support Engineer

OpenAsset · January 2018 – August 2019

  • Resolved complex IT and digital asset management issues, providing high-quality customer support
  • Created technical documentation and proof of concepts, driving product improvements

System Analyst

Indivior PLC · March 2016 – January 2018

  • Managed Windows applications, MDM, and OS deployment, ensuring seamless operation and user support
  • Assisted in software installations, updates, and troubleshooting
  • Provided user training and support for IT systems
  • Collaborated with other IT teams to ensure infrastructure stability

IT Analyst

SC Johnson Ltd. · August 2015 – February 2016

  • Managed Windows applications, Mobile Device Management (MDM), and OS deployment, ensuring seamless operation and user support
  • Provided IT support for hardware and software issues, including troubleshooting, installations, and updates
  • Assisted in the implementation of new IT projects and system upgrades
  • Worked with internal teams to improve IT service quality and efficiency

Skills

Cloud Platforms & Infrastructure

AWSAzureGCPKubernetesDockerECSEKSAKSLambdaAzure Functions

Leadership & Strategy

Technical Team LeadershipAgile/Scrum ImplementationEngineering Culture DevelopmentStakeholder ManagementStrategic PlanningProcess OptimisationCross-functional CollaborationTechnical MentorshipTeam BuildingChange Management

Information Security & Governance

ISO 27001NIST FrameworkSOC 2 ComplianceGDPRRisk ManagementSecurity PoliciesThreat ModellingVulnerability ManagementSecurity AuditsData ProtectionAccess ControlSecurity ArchitectureIncident ResponseBusiness ContinuityDisaster RecoveryRegulatory Compliance

Software Development Lifecycle

Agile MethodologiesScrumKanbanSAFeSoftware ArchitectureSystem DesignCode ReviewTest-Driven DevelopmentBehaviour-Driven DevelopmentTechnical DocumentationAPI DesignDomain-Driven DesignClean Code PrinciplesSOLID PrinciplesDesign PatternsTechnical Debt Management

DevOps & DevSecOps Methodologies

DevOps ImplementationDevSecOps FrameworksContinuous Integration/DeliveryInfrastructure as CodeGitOps Methodology12-Factor App PrinciplesMicroservices ArchitectureContainer OrchestrationSecurity by DesignShift-Left SecurityZero Trust ArchitectureConfiguration ManagementImmutable InfrastructureBlue-Green DeploymentsCanary ReleasesFeature Flags

Platform Engineering & SRE

Internal Developer PlatformsPlatform as a ProductDeveloper Experience (DX)Self-Service InfrastructureGolden PathsService CataloguesBackstageSite Reliability EngineeringObservabilityIncident ManagementOn-Call Best PracticesPost-Incident Reviews

Data & Analytics

Data EngineeringData PipelinesETL/ELT ProcessesData GovernanceData QualityData WarehousingBusiness IntelligenceData VisualisationSQLNoSQL DatabasesData LakesApache SparkStreaming DataData Strategy

AI & Emerging Technologies

Generative AILarge Language ModelsPrompt EngineeringAI GovernanceResponsible AIAIOps ImplementationMLOps PipelinesModel DeploymentAI/ML InfrastructureMachine LearningNatural Language ProcessingComputer VisionAI EthicsTechnology TrendsInnovation StrategyDigital Transformation

DORA Metrics & Performance Management

DORA Metrics ImplementationDeployment Frequency OptimisationLead Time ReductionMean Time to RecoveryChange Failure Rate AnalysisPerformance EngineeringReliability EngineeringChaos EngineeringLoad Testing & BenchmarkingCapacity PlanningService Level IndicatorsError Budget Management

DevOps Tools & Automation

JenkinsGitLab CI/CDAzure DevOpsGitHub ActionsArgoCDTerraformAnsibleCircleCIVagrantPackerHelmFluxPulumiCDKCloudFormation

Security & Monitoring

IAMZero TrustCloudWatchPrometheusGrafanaELK StackDatadogSplunkDynatraceOWASPTFSecSnykTrivySonarQubeDependabot

Programming & Scripting Languages

PythonJavaScriptTypeScriptBashPowerShellGoYAMLHCL

Development Frameworks

ReactNext.jsNode.jsExpress.jsMongoDBPostgreSQLRedisGraphQLREST APIs

Certifications

Azure Solutions Architect Expert

Microsoft · 2024

Microsoft Certified: DevOps Engineer Expert

Microsoft · 2024

Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate

Microsoft · 2024

AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate

Amazon Web Services · 2023

HashiCorp Certified: Terraform Associate

HashiCorp · 2022

Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Fundamentals

Microsoft · 2022

Education

Cybersecurity: Managing Risk in the Information Age

Harvard University

November 2017 – July 2018