Cloud and AI Platform Engineer

Description & Requirements

Spark helps all of New Zealand win big in a digital world. As New Zealand's leading telecommunications company, we connect millions of New Zealanders and support thousands of businesses through our mobile, broadband, IT and cloud solutions. At the heart of our strategy, SPK-30, is our ambition: It’s better with Spark. Whether it’s our network performance, customer experiences, or the workplace culture we create with our people, we want it to be better with Spark. Our industry moves at pace, and so do we. Technology, customer expectations and business needs are constantly evolving. We embrace change, work together to solve problems that matter and focus on creating better outcomes for our customers, communities and Aotearoa. Our people are empowered to take ownership, keep learning and make a real impact. About the Role: We’re seeking a highly skilled Platform Engineer with a strong background in Azure, Infrastructure as Code, Kubernetes, and DevOps practices to join our Cloud and AI Platforms team. In this role, you will help design, build, and operate the core platform that powers AI and data workloads. You will work closely with architects, AI engineers and data scientists to provide a robust, scalable, and secure platform for both experimentation and production workloads. Day to day you will be involved in: - Design, deploy, and maintain infrastructure using Terraform on Microsoft Azure

• Manage and operate Kubernetes clusters (AKS) to support scalable AI workloads
• Build and maintain CI/CD pipelines and automation workflows using DevOps best practices
• Enable and support platform capabilities such as networking, observability, secrets management, identity integration, and cost optimisation
• Ensure compliance with security, governance, and operational standards
• Troubleshoot infrastructure issues and improve reliability, performance, and scalability of platform components
• Optimise cost and performance of compute resources
• Contribute to platform roadmap and documentation to improve developer experience for internal teams
• Partner with engineering and architecture teams to translate requirements into self-service platform capability

What experience you'll bring?- 5+ years of experience in a platform, DevOps, or cloud engineering role with at least 2 years in a role supporting data or AI workloads

• Strong expertise with Microsoft Azure, including services like AKS and API Management
• Proficiency with Terraform and Infrastructure as Code practices
• Deep understanding of Kubernetes including autoscaling strategies, workload identity and custom resource management
• Experience with CI/CD tools such as GitHub Actions, Azure Pipelines, or similar
• Strong scripting and automation skills (e.g., Bash, PowerShell, Python)
• Familiarity with monitoring and observability tools (e.g., Prometheus, Grafana, Azure Monitor)
• Solid understanding of network security, RBAC, identity integration (e.g., Entra ID)
• Experience with Azure Cognitive Services (e.g., AI Foundry, AI Search)
• Experience designing platforms with developer experience (DevEx) in mind (self-service, golden paths, documentation)

Preferred Qualifications:- Familiarity with data platforms (e.g., Snowflake)

• Experience supporting AI/ML platforms, model training pipelines, or MLOps tools (e.g., Azure Machine Learning)
• Exposure to container security and policy tools (e.g., OPA/Gatekeeper, Kyverno)
• Azure certifications (e.g., AZ-104, AZ-305, AZ-400)
• Familiarity with low-code/no-code AI tooling such as Microsoft Copilot, Copilot Studio and Power Platform for building and integrating AI agents and assistants
• Familiarity with AI-assisted ways of working across the SDLC, including AI code assistants (e.g. GitHub Copilot), automated testing and AI-supported code review

WHY CHOOSE US: Diversity and Inclusion: Te Kanorau me te Whakawhāiti mai - At Spark, diversity and inclusion are simply part of how we work here, built into our everyday decisions, behaviours and ways of working. We want everyone to feel totally comfortable bringing their whole self to work, no matter your gender, ethnicity, orientation, age or ability. Sustainability: Toitū- As Spark, how we do business is just as important as what we do. We believe technology has a critical role to play in helping Aotearoa transition to a high-productivity low-carbon future, where all New Zealanders can thrive in a digital world. Equity sits at the heart of how we work, and we're focused on partnering in ways that makes a real difference to digital equity across the country. We support our customers and communities by being sustainable ourselves, investing in our people, minimising our environmental impact, and operating a responsible, ethical business. Benefits: Awhina Our people matter and we make sure we look after them. At Spark, we've got our people covered with a great range of benefits, including: - Wellbeing - Medical insurance, life, income and trauma protection, wellbeing support and access to our leading Mahi Tahi Wellness program.

• Hybrid ways of working - For most teams at Spark this means being in the office for four days a week, and one day being flexible.
• Leave - Four weeks annual leave, plus purchased leave, leading parental leave support and study leave.
• Spark Credit - $150 monthly Spark account credit for permanent employees to enjoy our products and services.
• Spark Share scheme - Opportunities to share in Spark's success through our employee share scheme.
• Sustainable commuting - Salary sacrifice options to make public transport and cycling more affordable.
• Grow your career - Access learning, development and internal opportunities to build new skills and grow your career across Spark.

Due to the nature and urgency of this role, we are only considering applicants that are based in New Zealand with permanent residency, citizenship, or a valid work visa (with at least 18 months remaining). At Spark, we’re committed to living our values, with tūhono (connection) at the heart of our mahi. Welcoming whānau into the recruitment process helps create a real sense of belonging and support for each candidate. We just ask candidates to let us know in advance if whānau will be joining, so we can prepare the space and make sure everyone feels comfortable.

Description & Requirements

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