Senior Platform Kubernetes Engineer (Federal, US Citizen) - Edge Team

Job Description

About the Company

Armada is an edge computing startup that provides computing infrastructure to remote areas where connectivity and cloud infrastructure is limited, as well as areas where data needs to be processed locally for real-time analytics and AI at the edge. We're looking to bring on the most brilliant minds to help further our mission of bridging the digital divide with advanced technology infrastructure that can be rapidly deployed anywhere.

About the Role

We are looking for a highly experienced, collaborative, and detail-oriented Senior Platform Engineer to join our growing Federal Edge team. You will be responsible for the design, automation, optimization, and operation of our Kubernetes-based platform supporting our Galleon mobile data centers and Commander cloud integration. This is a critical role where you will leverage deep technical expertise in cloud infrastructure and Kubernetes while valuing mentorship, collaboration, and open communication. You will work on building and managing resilient, secure, and scalable Kubernetes environments across diverse edge locations and cloud infrastructure, ensuring the reliability of our distributed computing platform.

Location. This role is on-site in our Bellevue, Washington office.

What You'll Do (Key Responsibilities)

Architect, design, deploy, configure, and manage highly available Kubernetes clusters across edge (Galleon data centers) and cloud (AWS, Azure, GCP) environments. This includes designing the cluster layout, resource allocation, and storage configurations

Administer, maintain, and monitor the health, performance, and capacity of Kubernetes clusters and underlying infrastructure

Implement and manage Kubernetes networking solutions (CNI plugins, Ingress controllers) and storage solutions (PV/PVC, Storage Classes, CSI drivers)

Maintain and monitor containerized platform services running within the clusters and robust monitoring, logging, and alerting systems (e.g., Prometheus, Grafana, ELK stack)

Drive Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) initiatives using tools like Terraform, Ansible, Helm, and potentially Kubernetes Operators, promoting automation, repeatability, and reliability

Support and troubleshoot complex issues related to the Kubernetes platform, containerized services, networking, and infrastructure

Implement and enforce Kubernetes security best practices (RBAC, Network Policies, Secrets Management, Security Contexts, Image Scanning)

Automate cluster operations, deployment pipelines (CI/CD integration), and infrastructure provisioning using Infrastructure as Code (IaC) tools (e.g., Terraform, Ansible)

Optimize Kubernetes clusters for performance, scalability, and resource utilization, particularly in edge environments

Develop and maintain comprehensive documentation for cluster architecture, configurations, operational procedures, and runbooks

Work in collaboration with software engineering, DevOps, security teams, and product managers to ensure seamless integration, deployment, and secure operation of applications on Kubernetes

Evaluate and integrate new technologies from the Kubernetes ecosystem

Contribute to the operational excellence of the platform, including participating in on-call rotations, incident management, and building self-healing capabilities

Required Qualifications

U.S. Citizenship required; ability to obtain or currently hold a security clearance is a plus

At least 7+ years of professional experience in infrastructure engineering, systems administration, or software development, with a strong focus (4+ years preferred) on building and maintaining production Kubernetes environments

At least 3+ years of professional experience using and administering Linux operating systems

At least 2+ years of hands-on experience administering production Kubernetes clusters, including experience with both on-premises environments and clusters on at least one major cloud provider (AWS, Azure, GCP)

Deep understanding of Kubernetes architecture, core components, operational best practices, and lifecycle management

Strong experience with containerization technologies (Docker)

Strong understanding and proven experience with Infrastructure as Code (IaC) solutions, particularly Terraform and/or Ansible

Proficiency in scripting languages (e.g., Python, Bash) for automation

Experience configuring and managing monitoring/logging tools (e.g., Prometheus, Grafana, ELK Stack)

Solid understanding of Linux operating system, networking fundamentals (TCP/IP, DNS, Load Balancing, Firewalls, VPNs) and container networking (CNI)

Strong understanding of Kubernetes security concepts and implementation (RBAC, Network Policies, Secrets)

Ability to work independently and collaborate effectively with others to debug and solve problems

A bachelor's degree in computer science, Engineering, Information Technology, a related technical field, or equivalent practical experience

Preferred Qualifications

Experience with Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform (version 4+ is a plus)

Experience deploying and maintaining CI/CD solutions for DevSecOps, such as GitLab CI or Jenkins

Strong development experience using Docker, docker-compose, and/or Kubernetes

Experience developing Ansible playbooks for process automation

Kubernetes certifications (CKA, CKS)

Experience with Kubernetes operators and Custom Resource Definitions (CRDs)

Experience with service mesh technologies like Istio or Linkerd

Experience managing Kubernetes in edge computing or resource-constrained environments

Citizenship Requirements

For select roles, due to the nature of our clientele and the technologies involved, there may be specific nationality or citizenship indicated in the required qualifications section. These roles may involve access to sensitive information that is subject to export control regulations or other legal restrictions. In such cases, employment offers will be contingent upon your ability to comply with these requirements.

Compensation & Benefits

For U.S. Based candidates: To ensure fairness and transparency, the base salary range for this role for candidates in the U.S. are listed, varying based on location experience, skills, and qualifications. In addition to the salary, this role will also be offered equity and subsidized benefits (details available upon request).

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Compensation

$144,000—$180,000 USD

You're a Great Fit if You're

A go-getter with a growth mindset. You're intellectually curious, have strong business acumen, and actively seek opportunities to build relevant skills and knowledge

A detail-oriented problem-solver. You can independently gather information, solve problems efficiently, and deliver results with a "get-it-done" attitude

Thrive in a fast-paced environment. You're energized by an entrepreneurial spirit, capable of working quickly, and excited to contribute to a growing company

A collaborative team player. You focus on business success and are motivated by team accomplishment vs personal agenda

Highly organized and results-driven. Strong prioritization skills and a dedicated work ethic are essential for you

Equal Opportunity Statement

At Armada, we are committed to fostering a work environment where everyone is given equal opportunities to thrive. As an equal opportunity employer, we strictly prohibit discrimination or harassment based on race, color, gender, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other characteristic protected by law. This policy applies to all employment decisions, including hiring, promotions, and compensation. Our hiring is guided by qualifications, merit, and the business needs at the time.

Full-time