We're Hiring an Infrastructure Operations Engineer, Come Work with Me!

Here at Chocolatey Software, we’re looking for an Infrastructure Operations Engineer to join our team. Are you on the fence about applying, or just curious what it’s like to work at Chocolatey? Let me tell you a little bit about the role and what a day in the life of a member of the Operations Team looks like.

Who is on the Operations Team?

Currently, that would be me, Josh King. I’ve been with Chocolatey since 2021, and I’m a Senior Infrastructure Operations Engineer.

With any luck, you’ll be joining me, and we’ll be working together to ensure that Chocolatey’s infrastructure is secure, reliable, and available for our community, customers, and the wider Chocolatey Team.

As a small team, we both have a lot of responsibility but also a lot of autonomy. We’re responsible for the day-to-day running of Chocolatey’s infrastructure, as well as planning and executing projects to improve it. We also work closely with the rest of the Chocolatey Team to ensure that our infrastructure meets the needs of the business.

What does a typical day look like for an Infrastructure Operations Engineer?

NOTE

Before getting too far into the weeds here, it’s worth pointing out that I am working remotely from New Zealand. Compared to the rest of the Chocolatey Team, I am a day ahead and in a “weird” time zone. This means that I’m regularly coming online in the middle of the night to meet with the rest of the team; this is a choice on my part that is made easier thanks to the support and understanding of my colleagues.

Everyone at Chocolatey works remotely, so the first thing is there’s no daily commute! At least not one that you’re allowed to complain about to your significant other!

My day starts with a coffee and getting logged in at my desk to check what happened overnight. When working remote, it is a big help to have a dedicated workspace so that you can separate work from home life. I’m lucky enough to have a dedicated home office that absolutely still looks as tidy as in the included photo.

In the Operations Team we aim to split our days in half. The first half is spent on “business as usual” tasks - monitoring the infrastructure, responding to alerts, and dealing with any issues that arise. If we’re able to automate away these sorts of tasks, then you bet we’ll pursue that. The second half is spent on project work - planning and executing projects to improve our infrastructure.

We’re also big on learning at Chocolatey, so you can expect to spend some time each week on your professional development. This could be anything from reading a textbook or taking an online course, to attending a conference or giving a presentation.

There are regular meetings that include both the Operations and Developments Teams, as well as company-wide meetings. These are a great way to keep in touch with the rest of the team and get a little bit of that social interaction that you might miss out on when working from home and that chat can’t fully emulate.

What are we looking for in an Infrastructure Operations Engineer?

Before anything else, make sure you check out the job listing for all the nitty-gritty details.

NOTE

Please do pay attention to the hours listed in the job listing. We’re a global team, and while you could work from anywhere, this role requires that a specific period of time is covered. If you’re not able to work the hours listed, then this role might not be for you.

First and foremost, we’re looking for someone who is passionate about automation. We’re a small team, so we need to be able to automate as much as possible to keep up with the demands of the business. You should be comfortable writing code in at least one programming or scripting language, PowerShell being a strong preference, and have experience with tools like Ansible, Terraform, Chef, or Puppet.

You should have experience working with both cloud and physical infrastructure, and be comfortable with both Windows and Linux (though you don’t need to be a Linux guru!).

Being a natural troubleshooter is a must. You should be able to quickly diagnose and resolve issues with our infrastructure, and be able to work under pressure when things go wrong.

Finally, you should be a good communicator. We’re a remote team, so you need to be able to communicate effectively in writing and over video calls. You should also be able to explain complex technical concepts to non-technical folk.

Ready to Make an Impact?

Does the above sounds like a good fit for you? Are you excited by the prospect of building and maintaining efficient infrastructure? Then we’d love to hear from you: check out the job listing for all the details, and apply today!

If you have any questions about the role, or what it’s like to work at Chocolatey, feel free to reach out to me on Bluesky or LinkedIn.

I can’t wait to welcome a new team member! Could it be you? 🍫