Note: The job is a remote job and is open to candidates in USA. Hays is seeking a Sr. Platform Devops Engineer for a remote opportunity. The role involves designing and operating GKE clusters, enforcing policies, collaborating with teams, and providing mentorship on Kubernetes best practices.
Responsibilities
- Design, deploy, and operate GKE clusters, including private clusters with Shielded Nodes, Workload Identity, CMEK encryption, and custom node service accounts
- Implement and enforce Policy Controller (Gatekeeper) constraints (e.g., no-public-IP, require-CMEK, enforce labeling and private networking)
- Build and maintain Kubernetes RBAC frameworks aligned with enterprise IAM strategies
- Develop and enforce GitOps workflows using Config Sync across clusters
- Create and manage Helm charts and Kustomize overlays for consistent configuration delivery
- Partner with platform, security, and application teams to enable reliable Kubernetes workloads
- Provide subject matter expertise on Kubernetes, GKE, and cloud-native architectures
- Collaborate with DevOps and CI/CD teams on GitHub Actions and ARC runner implementations
- Work cross-functionally to integrate Kubernetes with GCP services (IAM, Secret Manager, KMS, Artifact Registry)
- Configure and manage Config Connector (KCC), including namespace isolation and project-level resource management
- Operate Config Sync with RootSync/RepoSync configurations across multiple clusters
- Implement External Secrets Operator (ESO) for secure secret management integration
- Optimize node pools through machine type selection, autoscaling, taints/tolerations, and upgrade strategies
- Monitor cluster health using Prometheus, Grafana, and Cloud Monitoring
- Troubleshoot Kubernetes issues including pod failures, scheduling conflicts, networking, DNS, and storage
- Perform cluster upgrades (control plane and node pools) with zero-downtime strategies
- Manage GKE Fleet membership, Binary Authorization policies, and security bulletin responses
- Ensure platform reliability, performance, and adherence to enterprise SLAs
- Mentor junior engineers on Kubernetes best practices and troubleshooting techniques
- Provide guidance on GitOps, Helm, and Kustomize usage
- Develop documentation, operational playbooks, and knowledge-sharing sessions
- Support teams in adopting secure and scalable Kubernetes patterns
- Evaluate emerging Kubernetes tools, features, and GCP capabilities
- Explore improvements in workload scheduling, autoscaling, and cluster efficiency
- Drive adoption of advanced capabilities such as Binary Authorization and image signing
- Stay current with Kubernetes ecosystem advancements and industry best practices
- Contribute to long-term platform architecture and multi-cluster strategy
- Assess GKE Autopilot vs. Standard trade-offs for different workloads
- Define roadmap improvements for scalability, cost optimization, and security posture
- Align Kubernetes platform initiatives with broader organizational technology goals
Skills
- 5-7 years of experience in Kubernetes engineering
- 3+ years of hands-on experience with Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE)
- Deep expertise in GKE features including private clusters, Workload Identity, Config Sync, Policy Controller, and Fleet management
- Strong understanding of Kubernetes internals (API server, etcd, scheduler, kubelet, kube-proxy, CNI)
- Experience with Config Connector (KCC) or Kubernetes-native GCP resource management
- Hands-on experience with Actions Runner Controller (ARC) in Kubernetes
- Proficiency in External Secrets Operator (ESO) configuration and operation
- Experience with Helm, Kustomize, and GitOps workflows
- Strong knowledge of Kubernetes networking, security, and RBAC
- Experience with monitoring tools such as Prometheus, Grafana, and Cloud Monitoring
- Proven troubleshooting and operational excellence in production environments
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Technology, or a related field OR equivalent practical experience may be considered in lieu of formal education
- Advanced certifications in Kubernetes or cloud platforms (GCP) are highly desirable
- Experience with Binary Authorization and container image signing
- Familiarity with GKE Autopilot and Standard mode trade-offs
- Experience managing Windows or specialized node pools (e.g., Android/iOS runners)
- Kubernetes operator development experience (Go, controller-runtime)
- Relevant certifications such as CKA or CKAD
Benefits
- Opportunity to enroll in full medical benefits
- Dental benefits
- Vision benefits
- 401K
- Life Insurance ($20,000 benefit)
Company Overview