Sr Kubernetes Engineer

Sr Kubernetes Engineer (Contract, Remote)

Rate: $70.00–$85.00/hr (final rate depends on qualifications/experience and location). Work authorization: Client cannot sponsor or transfer visas; applicants authorized to work in the US without sponsorship are encouraged.

Role Overview

Lead Kubernetes platform operations for secure, scalable, multi-cluster environments with deep expertise in Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE). You will design, deploy, enforce policy, automate delivery with GitOps/CI/CD, and ensure reliability, security, and performance.

Responsibilities

• Design/Operate GKE clusters, including private clusters with:
  • Shielded Nodes
  • Workload Identity
  • CMEK encryption
  • Custom node service accounts
• Implement and enforce policy controls using Policy Controller (Gatekeeper) (e.g., no-public-IP, require-CMEK, enforced labeling/private networking)
• Build and enforce Kubernetes RBAC aligned with enterprise IAM strategies
• Create GitOps workflows across clusters using Config Sync
• Maintain consistent configuration delivery using Helm charts and Kustomize overlays
• Partner with platform/security/application teams to enable reliable workloads
• Integrate Kubernetes with GCP services (e.g., IAM, Secret Manager, KMS, Artifact Registry)
• Manage Config Connector (KCC) (namespace isolation and project-level resource management)
• Operate Config Sync with RootSync/RepoSync for multi-cluster management
• Use External Secrets Operator (ESO) for secure secret integration
• Optimize node pools (machine types, autoscaling, taints/tolerations, upgrade strategies)
• Configure networking policies using Calico/Cilium and GKE Dataplane V2
• Monitor and troubleshoot using Prometheus, Grafana, Cloud Monitoring
• Perform zero-downtime cluster upgrades (control plane and node pools)
• Manage GKE Fleet membership, Binary Authorization, and security bulletin responses
• Ensure adherence to enterprise SLAs

Mentorship & Enablement

• Mentor junior engineers on Kubernetes best practices and troubleshooting
• Provide guidance on GitOps, Helm, and Kustomize
• Create documentation, operational playbooks, and knowledge-sharing

Innovation

• Evaluate emerging Kubernetes and GCP capabilities
• Drive adoption of advanced security features (e.g., Binary Authorization and image signing)
• Improve scheduling, autoscaling, and cluster efficiency

Requirements

• Deep Kubernetes expertise including Kubernetes internals and cloud-native principles
• Hands-on experience with GKE and enterprise-grade platform operations
• Practical experience with GitOps, policy enforcement, and CI/CD automation

Nice to Have (from responsibilities)

• Experience with Config Sync, Policy Controller (Gatekeeper), and GKE security features
• Knowledge of Kubernetes security patterns and integration with GCP services
• Experience mentoring/training engineers