Distinguished Software Engineer - IaaS (Cluster Management) (REMOTE)

Position Summary

GEICO is seeking an experienced Distinguished Engineer with a passion for building high performance, low maintenance, zero-downtime platforms, and applications. You will help drive our insurance business transformation as we transition from a traditional IT model to a tech organization with engineering excellence as its mission, while co-creating the culture of psychological safety and continuous improvement.

Position Description

Our Distinguished Engineer works with our Sr. Staff/Staff and Sr. Engineers to innovate and build new systems, improve, and enhance existing systems as well as identify new opportunities to apply your knowledge to solve critical problems. You will lead the strategy and execution of a technical roadmap that will increase the velocity of delivering products and unlock new engineering capabilities. The mission of the Cluster Management team is to actualize the next-generation container cluster management and orchestration platform on Kubernetes. The platform prioritizes security, reliability, scalability, and high efficiency. We are seeking an ideal candidate with profound technical expertise, capable of leading, designing, building, and maintaining highly secure Kubernetes-based cluster management platforms at scale on OpenStack based IaaS cloud platform. This includes operational proficiency on physical hardware or in public cloud environments.

Position Responsibilities

As a Distinguished Engineer, you will:

• Provide comprehensive technical and thought leadership across diverse areas within the enterprise.

• Develop and execute technical software development strategies spanning various domains.

• Ensure accountability for the quality, usability, and performance of delivered solutions.

• Influence and educate leadership at all organizational levels.

• Consistently share best practices, driving process improvements within and across teams.

• Analyze costs, forecast, and integrate them into strategic business plans.

• Determine and support resource requirements, evaluate operational processes, and measure outcomes to guarantee desired results. Demonstrate adaptability and sponsor continuous learning.

• Develop, lead, and work with the team to execute a strategic platform development plan for IaaS, encompassing containers, cluster management, Kubernetes, and OpenStack. Prioritize compliance, policy, risk security, governance, optimization for performance and efficiency across the entire development lifecycle.

• Provide meaningful abstractions, clear customer Service Level Objectives (SLOs), and relevant Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).

• Stay at the forefront of emerging container and cluster management trends, technologies, and best practices. Apply this knowledge to enhance GEICO's IaaS/PaaS strategies.

• Provide technical guidance and mentorship to the team, fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including PaaS, Security, Datacenter engineering, SRE, and application teams. Ensure seamless integration and alignment of solutions with organizational goals.

• Build resilient and scalable architecture, leading innovation and driving cost efficiency.

Qualifications

• Proficient in Operating Systems, Linux, Virtual Machines, Container technologies (Docker/Containerd), Cluster Management (Kubernetes), and OpenStack IaaS cloud platform. 

• Hands-on experience in multi-cluster networking using service mesh technologies like ISTIO, Envoy, or Consul. 

• Well-versed in deploying solutions on both private and public cloud infrastructures.

• In-depth understanding of containerization technologies, including Docker, Podman, and Rancher.

• Proficient with advanced technologies like ArgoCD, KubeVirt, and Cluster API (CAPI).

• In-depth knowledge and practical experience in Linux operating systems, internals, and command-line utilities.

• Proficient in multi-cluster metrics, observability, and operations with frameworks such as Grafana, and Prometheus.

• Proven expertise in optimizing CI/CD for streamlined Kubernetes deployment and configuration using GitOps and ArgoCD.

• Hands-on experience in public and/or private cloud environments, including OpenStack, Kubernetes, Azure, AWS, and GCP.

• Extensive experience in API, Microservices, network, and security architectures, incorporating design patterns.

• In-depth understanding of security protocols and products, including Active Directory, SAML, and OIDC/OAuth.

• Extensive experience in Container Networking (CNI), Container Storage (CSI), and Container Security technologies. Proficient in various options such as Celium, Calico, and more.

• Experience with Azure DevOps Operational Framework and Azure Network (Subscription, Security zoning, etc.) is a significant plus.

• Proven track record of collaborating with engineering teams to effectively transfer research findings into production environments.

• Demonstrated expertise in solving analytical problems through quantitative approaches, showcasing a data-driven problem-solving approach.

• Extensive experience across the software development and delivery lifecycle, encompassing application modernization, DevOps, Service/Infrastructure as Service practices, and operational excellence.

• Significant experience with Azure DevOps Operational Framework and Azure Network, including expertise in Subscription management and Security zoning.

• Proven experience in building the architecture and design of new and existing enterprise systems, covering design patterns, reliability, and scaling.

• Fluent in coding with at least one modern language such as Java, Go, or Python, showcasing recent and relevant coding experience. Demonstrated ability to design and implement resilient, scalable, and efficient solutions.

• Possession of relevant cloud and container certifications is highly valued. Strong problem-solving abilities and a proactive approach to identifying and mitigating security risks and vulnerabilities.

• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to articulate complete technical concepts to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

• Ability to excel in a fast-paced environment while maintaining enterprise-quality standards.

Experience

• 12+ years of professional experience, an expert in constructing IaaS cluster management platforms. Specialized in utilizing open-source platforms such as OpenStack, Kubernetes, or equivalent orchestration platforms. Demonstrated proficiency in deploying solutions on both private and public clouds.

• 8+ years of hands-on experience in designing, architecting, and implementing highly secure, scalable, and reliable enterprise-grade platforms and applications.

• 6+ years of experience working with open-source frameworks, showcasing a commitment to leveraging and contributing to community-driven technologies.

• 4+ years of experience in deploying solutions on major cloud platforms such as AWS, GCP, Azure, or Bare Metal environments.

• 3+ years of leadership experience, successfully leading cross-functional technical teams to achieve strategic goals and deliver innovative solutions.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, or equivalent education or work experience.

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Annual Salary

$120,000.00 - $300,000.00

The above annual salary range is a general guideline. Multiple factors are taken into consideration to arrive at the final hourly rate/ annual salary to be offered to the selected candidate. Factors include, but are not limited to, the scope and responsibilities of the role, the selected candidate’s work experience, education and training, the work location as well as market and business considerations.

GEICO will consider sponsoring a new qualified applicant for employment authorization for this position.

Benefits:

As an Associate, you’ll enjoy our Total Rewards Program* to help secure your financial future and preserve your health and well-being, including:

• Premier Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance with no waiting period**
• Paid Vacation, Sick and Parental Leave
• 401(k) Plan
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Paid Training and Licensures

*Benefits may be different by location. Benefit eligibility requirements vary and may include length of service.

**Coverage begins on the date of hire. Must enroll in New Hire Benefits within 30 days of the date of hire for coverage to take effect.

The equal employment opportunity policy of the GEICO Companies provides for a fair and equal employment opportunity for all associates and job applicants regardless of race, color, religious creed, national origin, ancestry, age, gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, familial status, disability or genetic information, in compliance with applicable federal, state and local law. GEICO hires and promotes individuals solely on the basis of their qualifications for the job to be filled.

GEICO reasonably accommodates qualified individuals with disabilities to enable them to receive equal employment opportunity and/or perform the essential functions of the job, unless the accommodation would impose an undue hardship to the Company. This applies to all applicants and associates. GEICO also provides a work environment in which each associate is able to be productive and work to the best of their ability. We do not condone or tolerate an atmosphere of intimidation or harassment. We expect and require the cooperation of all associates in maintaining an atmosphere free from discrimination and harassment with mutual respect by and for all associates and applicants.