Senior Kubernetes Specialist

Role Overview As part of the Platform Operations team, you will: Own Kubernetes cluster operations in production environments Lead incident response and shift execution Ensure high availability, reliability, and operational excellence This is a hands-on + leadership role, combining deep technical expertise with shift ownership responsibilities. Key Responsibilities Kubernetes Platform Administration Manage and support production Kubernetes clusters (cloud/hybrid) Perform: Cluster installation, upgrades, patching, scaling Configure: Namespaces, RBAC, network policies, resource quotas Ensure: High availability, performance, and resilience Troubleshoot: Cluster, node, and application-level issues Containers & Runtime Technologies Work with: Docker, containerd, CRI-O Troubleshoot: Container lifecycle issues and runtime failures Enforce: Container security best practices CNCF Ecosystem & Service Mesh Hands-on with: Helm, operators, GitOps tools Monitoring, logging, and security tools Strong experience with Istio: Traffic management mTLS, observability, policy enforcement Implement service mesh architectures Programming & Automation Use Go (Golang) for: Automation Tooling Kubernetes component Build automation for: Operational workflows Repetitive tasks Troubleshoot Go-based services/controllers Monitoring, Observability & Reliability Implement observability solutions: Metrics, logs, traces Proactively detect and resolve issues Conduct Root Cause Analysis (RCA) Drive reliability and performance improvements Production Support & ITSM Provide L2/L3 support for Kubernetes platforms Operate within ITSM processes: Incident, Problem, Change Management Ensure: SLA and OLA adherence Maintain: SOPs, runbooks, documentation Shift Lead Responsibilities Lead UK shift operations (3 PM 1 AM IST) Coordinate team activities and workload Own: Major incident management Escalation and communication Ensure: Smooth shift handovers Operational discipline and compliance Act as primary escalation point during shift Required Skills & Expertise 5+ years of hands-on experience in: Kubernetes & container platforms Deep understanding of: Kubernetes architecture (control plane, etcd, scheduler, kubelet, networking Strong experience with: Docker and container runtimes CNCF tools and cloud-native patterns Hands-on expertise in: Istio and service mesh technologies Practical knowledge of: Go (Golang) Experience with: Monitoring, logging, observability tools Strong understanding of: ITSM processes and production support Prior experience as: Shift Lead / Senior Operations Engineer (preferred) Comfortable working in shift-based environments Certifications Mandatory Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) Preferred Certified Kubernetes Security Specialist (CKS) ITIL Foundation Cloud Certifications (AWS / Azure / GCP) CNCF certifications Ideal Candidate Profile Strong hands-on Kubernetes expert with operations mindset Proven ability to handle production incidents and lead shifts Calm, structured, and decisive under pressure Strong documentation and communication skills Comfortable working UK shift and global team environments Why Join Us Work on enterprise-scale Kubernetes and cloud-native platforms Exposure to advanced CNCF ecosystem & service mesh technologies Leadership opportunity through shift ownership Career growth into: Platform Engineering Site Reliability Engineering (SRE) Infrastructure Leadership