Senior Observability Engineer

A Senior Observability Engineer at Okta is responsible for building out observability programs, managing the security of critical Okta properties, and ensuring uptime and stability across our infrastructures. The role is pivotal in implementing tools and processes to enhance our incident management capabilities.

To qualify for the Senior Observability Engineer position at Okta, candidates should have proficiency in observability tools such as New Relic and Splunk, experience with automation via Terraform, and a strong understanding of web security practices. Strong communication skills are essential for collaborating across teams.

At Okta, we celebrate diverse perspectives and encourage a culture of continuous learning for Senior Observability Engineers. We provide opportunities for training, workshops, and project involvement to ensure our engineers can develop their skills while contributing to impactful projects.

Okta offers a dynamic work environment that empowers Senior Observability Engineers to thrive. With flexible work arrangements and access to the latest tools and technologies, our employees can work productively in a setting that suits their individual needs.

As a Senior Observability Engineer at Okta, you will be using a variety of tools including Splunk, New Relic, Cloudwatch, and monitoring services like Grafana. You'll also work with automation tools like Terraform, helping to build out observability and security protocols.

In the Senior Observability Engineer role at Okta, you will be involved in projects focusing on building observability capabilities for our online properties, improving incident management processes, and developing automation solutions to enhance system efficiency and security.

Absolutely! At Okta, the Senior Observability Engineer role offers significant opportunities for career advancement. Our emphasis on continuous learning and innovation allows engineers to take on new challenges and evolve their careers within the company.

Observability in SRE relates to the ability to understand the internal state of our systems from external outputs. It encompasses monitoring, logging, and tracing to provide insight into system behavior and performance, which allows for quicker problem diagnosis and resolution.

Building an observability program involves defining key performance indicators, selecting appropriate tools and technologies, creating a robust monitoring strategy, and ensuring that teams are trained in effective practices. Collaboration across departments is crucial to align objectives and gather requirements.

I've used tools like Splunk and New Relic for monitoring and logging. Implementation involved setting up data sources, configuring dashboards, and creating alerts based on specific thresholds. Regular reviews and updates were conducted to ensure they met business needs.

One challenging incident involved a sudden drop in service response times. By leveraging our observability tools, I quickly identified the bottleneck in our database and implemented the necessary optimizations. Post-incident, I enhanced our monitoring thresholds to prevent future occurrences.

Ensuring the security of observability data involves implementing strict access controls, using encryption for data in transit and at rest, and regularly auditing our monitoring tools for vulnerabilities. I also advocate for best practices and continuous education for the team.

Automation is crucial in observability as it allows repetitive tasks like monitoring, alerting, and anomaly detection to be managed efficiently. By automating these processes, we minimize human error, improve response times, and allow teams to focus on more strategic improvements.

I prioritize observability improvements by assessing the impact of current challenges, talking to stakeholders for feedback, and aligning improvements with business goals. Regular feedback loops help ensure the most critical needs are addressed timely.

I have extensive experience with incident management processes, including root cause analysis and reporting. I follow the principles of incident response frameworks, ensuring communication is clear among stakeholders and that post-incident reviews lead to actionable improvements.

A successful automation project involved streamlining our deployment pipelines using GitLab CI/CD. This reduced deployment times significantly and minimized the potential for human error during releases, thereby enhancing our operational efficiency.

To communicate complex concepts, I utilize clear language, visuals such as diagrams or flowcharts, and relatable examples. Tailoring my communication style based on the audience's level of technical understanding ensures effective and impactful dialogue.