Web CV
Nico Smuts
Senior AWS, Kubernetes, DevOps, and platform engineering consultant.
https://www.smuts.tech
Summary
Profile
Senior cloud and platform engineer focused on practical AWS, Kubernetes, DevOps, security, observability, and cost-control work.
Cloud Consulting Services is a consulting practice focused on AWS modernization, Kubernetes and platform engineering, cloud cost optimization, DevSecOps foundations, infrastructure automation, startup technology foundations, and managed business technology.
Recent roles
Experience
Lead DevOps Engineer
Mama Money
August 2025 to May 2026
Led practical platform operations across AWS development, production, and tooling accounts, with attention to Kubernetes operations, delivery automation, observability, cloud security, cost visibility, and incident response.
- Supported AWS development, production, and tooling account operations with repeatable infrastructure patterns.
- Worked with Amazon EKS, Argo CD, Helm, GitHub Actions, and self-hosted Kubernetes runners to improve platform delivery paths.
- Contributed to observability foundations using Prometheus, Grafana, and Loki for more practical operations and incident response.
- Improved platform standardization, access review, offboarding, secrets handling patterns, and cloud or identity security practices.
- Supported on-call, incident response, cost visibility, and remote collaboration across infrastructure and application delivery concerns.
Head of DevOps
Floward
November 2022 to May 2025
Led DevOps and platform work for a sizeable AWS and Amazon EKS estate, with emphasis on infrastructure leadership, modernization, delivery reliability, cost optimization, security tooling, and operational review.
- Helped operate and improve an AWS environment with historical monthly scale around or above USD 100k.
- Contributed to a collaborative cost-reduction effort that moved approximate AWS monthly spend from about USD 140k to below USD 90k.
- Worked on modernization and reliability improvements across Kubernetes, infrastructure automation, and delivery workflows.
- Addressed database scalability, deployment, SDLC, and platform reliability concerns with practical infrastructure and process changes.
- Used tools including Terraform, Vault, Kong, and SonarQube as part of platform, infrastructure, and delivery-quality work.
Additional earlier professional history can be added once verified source material is available.
Evidence
Selected Achievements
Cloud cost optimization at meaningful scale
Historical AWS work includes an approximate monthly reduction of ~USD 50k/month, from about USD 140k/month to below USD 90k/month, delivered collaboratively in a prior employment context.
Kubernetes and EKS platform leadership
Experience spans Amazon EKS operations, GitOps delivery, Helm-based deployment, Kubernetes runners, platform standardization, and operational support.
Infrastructure modernization and reliability
Work has included Terraform-based infrastructure, secrets patterns, deployment workflow improvement, observability, incident response, and reliability-focused review.
Supporting public case studies are available from the portfolio where confidentiality allows.
Tools and domains
Technical Capabilities
Cloud and modernization
AWS environments, account structure, modernization planning, cloud cost review, and production operating foundations.
Kubernetes and platforms
Kubernetes platform engineering, EKS operations, GitOps, deployment standardization, scaling, and platform handover.
Infrastructure and delivery
Infrastructure as code, CI/CD, self-hosted runners, release reliability, and SDLC workflow improvement.
Security and observability
Secrets patterns, DevSecOps foundations, access review, offboarding hygiene, monitoring, logging, and incident response support.
How engagements run
Working Model
- Client-owned infrastructure. Accounts, repositories, cloud assets, and operational knowledge should remain understandable and client-owned unless a different arrangement is explicitly agreed.
- Evidence before claims. Published experience uses verified, conservative wording. Approximate figures are marked as approximate and placed in historical context.
- Small systems, clear ownership. Prefer clear interfaces, repeatable automation, and documented handover paths over complex tooling that creates dependency without improving operations.
- Remote by default. The working model is remote-first, with communication and delivery organized around clarity, review, and operational visibility.
Verified records
Education and Certifications
No education or certification entries are published until verified source material is available.
Privacy
References
References can be discussed during an appropriate engagement process. Names and contact details are not published on this website.