Top 5 Skills to Look for in a DevOps Engineer (2025)

At Jina Cloud Systems, we help companies find the right DevOps talent every day. Here are the top 5 skills you should look for in a DevOps engineer in 2025.

1. Experience with Cloud Platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP)

Cloud platforms like Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud (GCP) are the backbone of modern IT. A good DevOps engineer should know how to build and manage applications in the cloud.

They should also understand:

• How to deploy apps securely and efficiently

• How to scale services when traffic increases

• How to monitor costs and usage

Why it matters: Most companies now run their apps in the cloud. Without cloud knowledge, DevOps work is nearly impossible.

2. Knowledge of Infrastructure as Code (IaC)

Instead of setting up servers and services manually, DevOps engineers use code to do it. This is called Infrastructure as Code (IaC). Tools like Terraform and AWS CloudFormation make this possible.

Benefits of IaC:

• Faster setup

• Fewer human errors

• Easy to track changes

Why it matters: It saves time, reduces mistakes, and helps teams work faster.

3. Building and Managing CI/CD Pipelines

CI/CD stands for Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery. In simple terms, it’s a way to:

• Automatically test code

• Automatically deploy updates

DevOps engineers should know tools like:

• Jenkins

• GitHub Actions

• GitLab CI

Why it matters: CI/CD helps teams release updates faster and with fewer bugs.

4. Working with Containers and Kubernetes

Containers are a way to package software so it runs the same everywhere. Docker is the most popular tool for this.

Once containers are created, tools like Kubernetes help manage them:

• Run many containers at once

• Restart them if they crash

• Scale them when needed

Why it matters: Containers make apps portable. Kubernetes helps run them at scale.

5. Security and Monitoring (DevSecOps)

Modern DevOps includes security from the start. This is called DevSecOps — a mix of DevOps and security.

A skilled DevOps engineer should:

• Know how to scan for security issues

• Use tools to monitor systems (like Prometheus or Grafana)

• Make sure systems follow security rules

Why it matters: Security and visibility are critical, especially when handling customer data.

Bonus Skills to Look For

• Scripting (Python, Bash) to automate tasks

• Version control with Git

• Teamwork and communication skills

• Understanding of Agile and fast-paced environments

Final Thoughts

Hiring the right DevOps engineer means more than checking off a list of tools. Look for someone who can think ahead, work well in a team, and adapt to new technologies.

At Jina Cloud Systems, we specialize in helping startups and enterprises find skilled DevOps, Cloud, and IT professionals. Whether you're hiring or building a vendor network, we're here to support your growth.

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Introduction

In today’s fast-changing tech world, companies need systems that are fast, reliable, and easy to scale. That’s why DevOps Engineers are in high demand. But hiring the right one can be tough—especially if you're not sure what skills really matter.

At Jina Cloud Systems, we help companies find the right DevOps talent every day. Here are the top 5 skills you should look for in a DevOps engineer in 2025.