Platform Engineer

Ncounter; England; Remote; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading technology service provider is looking for a Platform Engineer with deep Kubernetes expertise to join a significant cloud transformation program in the UK. This role involves maintaining highly available Kubernetes clusters, optimizing configurations, and ensuring compliance with Defence standards. Ideal candidates will have active DV clearance and strong knowledge of GCP services and CI/CD tooling. This is an opportunity to influence national resilience and security through technology.

Qualifications

• Experience with Kubernetes cluster design and scaling.
• Strong knowledge of Kubernetes RBAC and security policies.
• Background in Defence or National Security is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Build and maintain highly available Kubernetes clusters.
• Collaborate with architects and developers on optimization.
• Implement compliance and security controls in deployments.

Skills

Kubernetes expertise

GCP services knowledge

CI/CD tools proficiency

Collaboration skills

Education

Active DV clearance

Tools

Terraform

GitLab

ArgoCD

Job description

Ncounter are supporting a major Defence Cloud transformation programme delivered in partnership with a global technology provider. This multi-year initiative is driving the evolution of secure, scalable cloud infrastructure across several £100m+ workstreams.

We’re seeking a Platform Engineer with deep Kubernetes expertise to help design, deploy, and optimise containerised workloads on Google Cloud Platform (GCP). You’ll be joining a collaborative engineering environment where automation, resilience, and speed of delivery are key.

The Role

You’ll take ownership for building and maintaining highly available Kubernetes clusters to support mission-critical applications. Working closely with architects and developers, you’ll optimise cluster configuration, implement advanced security controls, and streamline CI/CD processes. Your remit will cover everything from designing Helm charts and managing service meshes to ensuring compliant, reproducible deployments in line with strict Defence standards.

Key Skills & Experience

• Active DV clearance (essential)
• Hands‑on expertise with Kubernetes (GKE preferred) – cluster design, scaling, RBAC, and security policy management
• Strong working knowledge of GCP services, infrastructure‑as‑code, and container orchestration
• Proficiency with CI/CD pipelines and DevOps tooling (Terraform, GitLab, ArgoCD or similar)
• Background in Defence, National Security, or other highly regulated environments
• Collaborative mindset, able to operate across architecture, security, and delivery teams

Why Apply?

This is one of the UK’s most ambitious cloud transformation programmes – modernising infrastructure that underpins national resilience and security. You’ll work alongside some of the most capable engineers in the sector, contributing directly to outcomes that matter.

If you’re a Platform Engineer who lives and breathes Kubernetes and wants to apply that expertise on a truly meaningful scale, we’d love to hear from you.

Apply now to learn more.