Kubernetes Engineer

Apex Systems; North Charleston (SC); Hybrid; USD 125,000 - 175,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

ESPP

401K

HSA

EAP

Certification prep

Discount programs

Job summary

Everforth Apex Systems seeks a Kubernetes SME to design, implement, manage, and optimize enterprise Kubernetes environments. You will lead multi-cloud clusters, automate with GitOps, and ensure secure, scalable operations across programs.

Ideal candidates have deep Kubernetes expertise, experience with service mesh, and strong DevOps and security tooling knowledge, with DoD clearance eligibility.

Qualifications

• Must be eligible to obtain DoD Secret clearance.
• 1
• Deep hands-on Kubernetes experience with cluster architecture and operations.
• 2
• Experience provisioning, administering, and troubleshooting production Kubernetes environments.
• 3
• Familiar with AKS, EKS, or GKE.
• 2
• Solid knowledge of containers and build processes (Docker/Podman/Buildah).
• 2
• Experience with service mesh (Istio/Linkerd) and ingress controllers (NGINX/HAProxy/Traefik).
• 2
• Hands-on with Helm, Kustomize, and Kubernetes Operators.
• 2
• Knowledge of Kubernetes security tooling (OPA/Gatekeeper, Kyverno, Falco).
• 2
• Strong automation with Ansible or Terraform.
• 2
• Proficiency in Git, Jenkins, YAML, CI/CD, GitOps, and DevOps workflows.
• 2
• Familiarity with DoD compliance frameworks (DISA STIGs, SCAP, RMF).
• 2
• Strong communication and documentation skills.

Responsibilities

• Serve as SME for Kubernetes architecture, orchestration, and operations.
• Architect, deploy, manage, and optimize clusters across multi-cloud environments.
• Leverage GitOps pipelines to automate state and deployments.
• Configure and troubleshoot cluster networking (CNIs, ingress, service mesh).
• Build monitoring, logging, and tracing for reliability and visibility.
• Troubleshoot complex Kubernetes issues (networking, scheduling, storage, nodes).
• Collaborate with app teams to onboard workloads and optimize resources.
• Develop docs and reusable automation templates for consistency.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to junior engineers.

Skills

Kubernetes SME

DevOps practices

GitOps

CI/CD pipelines

Communication

Mentorship

Education

BS Degree in a technical field

Tools

Argo CD

Flux

AKS

EKS

GKE

Docker

Podman

Buildah

Helm

Kustomize

Kubectl

Istio/Linkerd

NGINX/Traefik/HAProxy

OPA/Gatekeeper

Kyverno/Falco

Ansible

Terraform

Jenkins

Job description

Kubernetes Engineer / SME – Cloud Native Infrastructure & Automation

Job No: 3057234

Department: Operations

Location: Charleston, SC

Workplace: Hybrid / Onsite based on customer and program needs

Salary: $125,000–$175,000, depending on experience and qualifications

Travel: Up to 10% (on rare occasions)

Candidates must be U.S. citizens able to obtain and/or maintain a Department of Defense security clearance as a condition and continuation of employment.

We are seeking a high-level Kubernetes Subject Matter Expert (SME) with deep hands-on experience in Kubernetes orchestration, cloud-native infrastructure, cluster operations, and automation. This individual will serve as a senior technical resource responsible for designing, implementing, managing, and optimizing enterprise‑grade Kubernetes environments.

The ideal candidate will bring strong experience with container orchestration and Kubernetes architecture, including multi‑cluster environments, automation frameworks, networking, workload deployment, and modern DevOps practices. Experience with service mesh technologies and cloud‑provider Kubernetes platforms is highly valuable.

This position operates on a sliding hybrid scale, with the level of onsite versus remote work determined by customer, program, and operational requirements.

You Will:

• Serve as a senior technical authority and SME for Kubernetes architecture, orchestration, operations, and best practices.
• Architect, deploy, manage, and optimize Kubernetes clusters across bare‑metal, virtualized, and multi‑cloud environments.
• Leverage GitOps delivery pipelines using Argo CD or Flux to automate infrastructure state, cluster add‑ons, and workload deployments across multi‑cluster environments.
• Configure, tune, and troubleshoot cluster networking, including Container Network Interfaces (CNIs), ingress controllers, and service mesh architectures.
• Build and optimize monitoring, logging, and tracing frameworks to support cluster reliability and workload visibility.
• Troubleshoot complex Kubernetes issues involving networking, scheduling, storage, performance, control plane components, and node health.
• Collaborate with application teams to onboard workloads, establish deployment patterns, and optimize resource utilization.
• Develop documentation, standards, and reusable automation templates to create consistency and repeatability across environments.
• Provide technical leadership, knowledge transfer, training, and mentorship to junior engineers and cross‑functional teams.

You Have:

• Must be eligible to obtain and/or maintain a Department of Defense (DoD) Secret security clearance.
• Deep, hands‑on Kubernetes experience with a strong emphasis on container orchestration, including cluster architecture/operations, workload deployment, and infrastructure components.
• Experience designing, provisioning, administering, and troubleshooting production Kubernetes environments.
• Familiarity with managed Kubernetes platforms such as AKS, EKS, or GKE.
• Solid understanding of containers and container build processes using technologies such as Docker, Podman, or Buildah.
• Strong troubleshooting skills involving Kubernetes networking, storage, scheduling, node health, and control plane issues.
• Experience with service mesh technologies such as Istio or Linkerd and/or ingress controllers such as NGINX, HAProxy, or Traefik.
• Experience with Helm charts, Kustomize, and Kubernetes Operators.
• Knowledge of Kubernetes security tooling such as OPA/Gatekeeper, Kyverno, or Falco.
• Strong experience with automation and Infrastructure as Code tooling such as Ansible or Terraform.
• Proficiency with Git, Jenkins, YAML, CI/CD pipelines, GitOps, and modern DevOps workflows.
• Familiarity with DoD compliance and security frameworks, including DISA STIGs, SCAP, and RMF.
• Strong communication and documentation skills, with the ability to explain complex Kubernetes concepts to both technical and cross‑functional teams.

We'd Be Impressed if You Had:

• Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA)
• Certified Kubernetes Security Specialist (CKS)
• Certified Kubernetes Application Developer (CKAD)

Education/Experience

• BS Degree in a relevant technical field or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Ability to obtain the following certifications within 3 months of start date:
  • CompTIA Security+ CE
  • Professional Scrum Developer or Certified Scrum Developer
• 5+ years of hands‑on experience working with Kubernetes, containerized environments, DevOps, cloud infrastructure, or related technologies, including significant experience designing, provisioning, and administering production Kubernetes environments.
• Demonstrated experience independently troubleshooting and supporting enterprise Kubernetes environments.

Benefits Overview

• medical, dental, vision, life, disability, and other insurance plans that offer an optional layer of financial protection.
• ESPP (employee stock purchase program) and a 401K program which allows you to contribute typically within 30 days of starting, with a company match after 12 months of tenure.
• HSA (Health Savings Account on the HDHP plan).
• SupportLinc Employee Assistance Program (EAP) with up to 8 free counseling sessions.
• Corporate discount savings program and other discounts.
• On-demand training program, access to certification prep and a library of technical and leadership courses/books/seminars once you have 6+ months of tenure, and certification discounts and other perks to associations that include CompTIA and IIBA.
• Dedicated customer service team for our Consultants that can address questions around benefits and other resources.
• Certified Career Coach.
• Full list of our benefits, programs, support teams and resources within our ‘Welcome Packet’ as well, which an Everforth Apex team member can provide.

Everforth Apex Systems is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate or allow discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, genetic information, registered domestic partner status, marital status, disability, status as a crime victim, protected veteran status, political affiliation, union membership, or any other characteristic protected by law. Everforth Apex will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable law.

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Everforth Apex Systems is part of the Commercial Segment of Everforth, Inc.

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