In service of its world‐leading life sciences services, training, and research, the Applications team within ITS operates a substantial platform based on circa 120 Kubernetes clusters, combining a large VMware on‐premises estate with a growing presence in public cloud.
The Platform Coordinator will oversee the full spectrum of platform operations, spanning both on‐premises user application platforms and public cloud services. This role ensures the seamless delivery, support, and evolution of platforms used by developers, bioinformaticians, and learners across EMBL‐EBI, contributing directly to the success of EMBL‐EBI's training mission.
The role requires strong technical leadership, stakeholder management, and a holistic view of platform operations to ensure efficiency, cost control, and high service quality across all environments.
Main Duties and Responsibilities
Technical Leadership
* Translate strategic objectives into actionable technical plans for the platform team.
* Oversee the lifecycle of technical projects, ensuring timely delivery and adherence to best practices.
* Manage operational performance and ensure high availability of both on‐premises and cloud platforms.
* Maintain and develop strong collaborative relationships with IT teams and EMBL‐EBI service stakeholders.
* Lead platform administration including Kubernetes clusters, GitLab, web statistics, and web traffic management systems.
* Oversee management of public cloud estates (AWS and GCP), promoting FinOps practices for cost tracking, forecasting, and governance.
* Engage in architecture design and promote reusable blueprints and best practices across the platforms.
* Support EMBL‐EBI Training by implementing the technical components of course delivery.
* Drive continuous improvement, evaluating technologies, and prototyping solutions to meet evolving business needs.
Team Leadership and Management
* Lead and coordinate a combined team of 4 SREs and 3 DevOps as a single, cohesive unit.
* Manage performance, development, and career progression through regular 1:1s, objective setting, and coaching.
* Foster a culture of collaboration, continuous improvement, and knowledge sharing.
* Encourage Agile practices and coaching within the team.
* Promote accountability for platform stability, performance, and customer satisfaction.
Stakeholder and Service Management
* Act as the primary point of contact for platform‐related inquiries and escalations.
* Ensure high‐quality service delivery and proactive issue resolution.
* Collaborate with Training and Research teams to uphold standards of platform availability and learning experience.
Requirements
* Proven experience managing complex IT platforms, including on‐premises and cloud environments.
* Strong understanding of Kubernetes, GitLab, cloud services (AWS/GCP), and web infrastructure management.
* Experience leading combined teams of DevOps and SREs, with the ability to unify teams across different specialties.
* Strong stakeholder management and communication skills.
* Knowledge of FinOps principles and cost management in multi‐cloud environments.
* Agile and project management experience.
* Technical problem‐solving skills and hands‐on experience in platform administration is desirable.
Behaviors we value
* Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
* Commitment to high‐quality, reliable services; proactive monitoring and improvement of processes, systems and performance.
* Striving for service excellence.
* Ability to lead a team and drive forward a strategic goal of the Applications Team.
* Excellent attention to detail and problem‐solving skills.
Benefits and Contract Information
* Financial incentives: depending on circumstances, monthly family/marriage allowance of £278, monthly child allowance of £336 per child, non‐resident allowance up to £579 per month, annual salary review, pension scheme, death benefit, long‐term care, accident‐at‐work and unemployment insurances.
* Hybrid working arrangements.
* Private medical insurance for you and your immediate family (including all prescriptions and generous dental & optical cover).
* Generous time off: 30 days annual leave per year, plus eight bank holidays.
* Relocation package including installation grant (as applicable).
* Campus life: Free shuttle bus, on‐site library, subsidised on‐site gym and cafeteria, casual dress code, extensive sports and social club activities (on campus and remotely).
* Family benefits: On‐site nursery, child sick leave, generous parental leave, holiday clubs on campus and monthly family and child allowances.
* Contract duration: 3‐year contract renewable up to 9 years.
* Salary: Monthly salary starting at £4,825 after tax (excluding pension & insurances) + benefits (total package depends on family circumstances).
* International applicants: We recruit internationally and successful candidates are offered visa exemptions.
* Diversity and inclusion: At EMBL‐EBI, we strongly believe that inclusive and diverse teams benefit from higher levels of innovation and creative thought. We encourage applications from women, LGBTQ+ and individuals from all nationalities.
* Job location: Hinxton, near Cambridge, UK. Relocation assistance provided for overseas applicants.
Application closing date: 12 May 2026.
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