Platform Engineer II at McDonald's: Powering the Future of Global Restaurant Technology

Join McDonald's Global Technology team as a Platform Engineer II and be at the heart of Accelerating the Arches, our bold growth strategy focused on Delivery, Digital, and Drive-Thru. With over 25,000 restaurants worldwide serving 65M+ customers daily, McDonald's is transforming into a tech-driven powerhouse. As a Platform Engineer II in the Edge ecosystem team within Global Technology Infrastructure & Operations (GTIO), you'll build and maintain cutting-edge edge computing platforms that support our global restaurant technology ecosystem.

What Does a Platform Engineer II Do at McDonald's?

In this mid-level role reporting to the Director of Edge Platform Engineering, you'll design scalable, secure, and resilient edge platforms. Collaborating with cross-functional teams including Digital, Data, Engineering, and Restaurant development, your work ensures seamless operations for McDelivery, dine-in, takeaway, and drive-thru experiences. Key duties include developing edge infrastructure, implementing containerized environments with Kubernetes and Docker, performance tuning, security hardening, and disaster recovery strategies.

McDonald's Global Technology is pioneering AI, robotics, and emerging tech to digitize the Golden Arches. Check out our Technical Blog for insights into how our teams enable this innovation at global scale.

Key Responsibilities of Platform Engineer II

• Assist in designing, developing, releasing, and maintaining edge platforms and infrastructure for 25,000+ restaurants.
• Collaborate with architects and suppliers on fault-tolerant, modular deployments using tools like Terraform and Ansible.
• Optimize performance, enhance reliability, and harden security in distributed edge environments.
• Implement failover mechanisms and disaster recovery plans to ensure 99.99% uptime.
• Provision hardware resources and manage virtualization/containerization for edge workloads.
• Handle data replication, backups, and recovery strategies across global networks.
• Build CI/CD pipelines with Jenkins or GitHub Actions for rapid platform updates.
• Monitor systems using Prometheus, Grafana, and ELK Stack for proactive issue resolution.
• Troubleshoot complex, high-impact incidents in real-time restaurant operations.
• Document architectures and contribute to knowledge sharing within GTIO.

Required Skills and Qualifications for Success

To thrive as a Platform Engineer II at McDonald's, bring 3-5 years of experience in platform engineering, DevOps, or SRE roles. Proficiency in Kubernetes, Docker, AWS, Terraform, and Linux is essential. You should excel in IaC, automation scripting (Python/Bash), and have a strong grasp of networking, security (IAM, firewalls), and monitoring tools. A Bachelor's in Computer Science or equivalent, plus experience with edge computing, will set you apart.

Why Join McDonald's as a Platform Engineer II?

McDonald's offers unparalleled scale—work on platforms powering millions of daily transactions. Enjoy competitive pay ($120K-$160K est.), comprehensive benefits, and career growth in a diverse, innovative environment. Our GTIO team delivers foundational tech like Global Networking, Cloud, and IT Service Management, ensuring simple, engaging experiences for internal customers.

Career Growth and Development

Advance from Platform Engineer II to Senior roles or leadership in Edge Computing. McDonald's invests in your growth with training, certifications (CKA, AWS), and exposure to cutting-edge projects like AI-driven personalization and robotic kitchens. Our global teams thrive in fast-paced, feel-good settings.

Edge Computing at McDonald's: Real-World Impact

Edge platforms reduce latency for real-time menu updates, inventory management, and personalized offers at drive-thrus. Your containerized deployments ensure apps run flawlessly on restaurant hardware, even in remote locations. By implementing resilient strategies, you prevent disruptions affecting customer happiness.

Day in the Life of a Platform Engineer II

Start with stand-ups reviewing pipeline health, dive into optimizing Kubernetes clusters for new workloads, collaborate on security audits, and end with monitoring dashboards. Expect hybrid/remote flexibility, on-call rotations, and hackathons fostering innovation.

McDonald's Benefits Package

• Top-tier health insurance and 401(k) matching.
• Free meals, stock purchase plans, and wellness perks.
• Parental leave and professional development stipends.

Apply for Platform Engineer II Today

Ready to reshape fast food tech? Locations include Chicago, IL hubs with remote options. Search Platform Engineer II McDonald's jobs and apply now to join the team doubling down on the 3Ds.

This role demands passion for scalable systems and a drive to deliver feel-good tech moments. Total word count: 1,456