Kubernetes Platform Engineer

Kubernetes Platform EngineerLocation: Charleston, SC – Hybrid, 3 days per week onsiteClearance Level: Active DoD Secret Clearance or aboveU.S. Citizenship RequiredDirect-Hire & Full-TimeGreat BenefitsWe are seeking an experienced Kubernetes Platform Engineer to design, deploy, automate, and maintain secure, enterprise-level container infrastructure supporting Department of Defense (DoD) operations.This position focuses on Kubernetes cluster administration, infrastructure automation, GitOps, networking, security, and cloud-native technologies. The ideal candidate has strong hands-on experience managing production Kubernetes environments, resolving complex infrastructure issues, and implementing scalable, reliable solutions across multiple platforms.The role also involves providing technical leadership, establishing best practices, and collaborating with development and infrastructure teams to improve system performance and operational efficiency.Required Qualifications:5+ U.S. citizenship and an active DoD Secret security clearance.5+ years of experience working with IT systems, infrastructure, or related technologies.3+ years of hands-on experience designing, deploying, and administering production Kubernetes environments.Strong knowledge of Kubernetes architecture, cluster operations, container orchestration, and workload management.Experience with container technologies such as Docker, Podman, or Buildah.Familiarity with managed Kubernetes platforms, including AWS EKS, Azure AKS, or Google GKE.Experience with Helm, Kustomize, and Kubernetes Operators.Knowledge of service mesh technologies (Istio, Linkerd) or ingress controllers (NGINX, HAProxy, Traefik).Strong troubleshooting skills involving Kubernetes networking, storage, and control plane components.Experience with infrastructure automation tools such as Terraform, Ansible, or equivalent technologies.Proficiency with Git, Jenkins, YAML, CI/CD pipelines, and DevOps practices.Understanding of Kubernetes security tools such as OPA/Gatekeeper, Kyverno, or Falco.Familiarity with DoD security and compliance requirements, including DISA STIGs, SCAP, and RMF.Strong analytical, communication, documentation, and technical problem-solving skills.Required Certifications:Design, Must be able to obtain the following within three months of employment:CompTIA Security+ CEProfessional Scrum Developer or Certified Scrum Developer (CSD) certificationPreferred Certifications:Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA)Certified Kubernetes Security Specialist (CKS)Certified Kubernetes Application Developer (CKAD)Essential Duties:Design, deploy, configure, and administer Kubernetes clusters across bare-metal, virtualized, and multi-cloud environments.Implement GitOps workflows using Argo CD or Flux to automate infrastructure configurations, cluster components, and application deployments across multiple clusters.Troubleshoot Kubernetes issues involving networking, storage, workload scheduling, node health, control plane operations, and system performance.Configure and support Kubernetes networking technologies, including Container Network Interfaces (CNI), ingress controllers, and service mesh solutions.Develop and maintain infrastructure automation using tools such as Terraform, Ansible, and CI/CD pipelines.Implement monitoring, centralized logging, and distributed tracing solutions to improve cluster visibility and reliability.Collaborate with application teams to deploy containerized workloads, optimize resource utilization, and establish effective deployment strategies.Develop reusable configurations, automation templates, technical documentation, and operational standards.Evaluate and improve Kubernetes security, scalability, performance, and infrastructure reliability.Provide technical guidance, troubleshooting support, and knowledge transfer to engineering teams.Education:Bachelor's degree in a relevant technical field or an equivalent combination of education and experience.