Kubernetes Engineer (Mid–Senior) | DoD Platform Engineering
Remote
U.S. Citizenship Required | Ability to Obtain a DoD Secret Clearance
Build Kubernetes Platforms That Engineering Teams Depend On
Rackner is hiring Kubernetes Engineers across Mid and Senior levels to help build, extend, and operate cloud-native platforms supporting complex federal missions.
You’ll work hands-on with Kubernetes, Helm, Go, cloud infrastructure, and the broader Kubernetes ecosystem—building reusable platform capabilities that engineering teams can depend on.
This is a role for engineers who want to stay close to the code and platform while taking meaningful ownership of how Kubernetes capabilities are built, automated, secured, and improved.
We’ll align level based on the scope, technical depth, and ownership demonstrated in your work, rather than title alone.
What You’ll Lead and Build
- Design, build, and operate secure, resilient Kubernetes platforms
- Develop and extend platform capabilities using Go
- Build and maintain reusable Helm charts and Kubernetes deployment patterns
- Contribute to Kubernetes-based platform capabilities and supporting open-source technologies
- Improve platform delivery through automation, GitOps, CI/CD, and Infrastructure as Code
- Troubleshoot complex issues across Kubernetes, Linux, networking, containers, and cloud infrastructure
- Strengthen platform security, reliability, performance, and maintainability
- Integrate Kubernetes with cloud services, container registries, CI/CD pipelines, and supporting tooling
- Partner with software, cloud, security, and platform engineers to solve cross-system technical problems
Senior engineers may also guide larger technical decisions, lead implementation efforts, and support the growth of other engineers while remaining hands-on.
What You’ll Bring
- Deep hands-on background building, operating, or extending Kubernetes environments
- Strong proficiency with Helm and Kubernetes deployment patterns
- Hands-on ability to write and maintain Go code
- Strong knowledge of the broader Kubernetes ecosystem
- Solid understanding of Linux, networking, containers, and Kubernetes architecture
- Familiarity with cloud Kubernetes environments such as AWS/EKS, Azure/AKS, GCP/GKE, OCI, or similar
- Ability to independently diagnose and solve technical problems across multiple layers of a platform
- Ability to obtain and maintain a DoD Secret clearance
Mid-level engineers will generally bring roughly 3–5 years of relevant engineering experience. Senior engineers will typically bring 5–7+ years with broader platform ownership, technical decision-making, architecture, or leadership.
We care most about what you have built, coded, operated, improved, and solved.
Standout Background
Additional value may come from:
- Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) or willingness to pursue certification if needed
- Istio or other service-mesh technologies
- Kubernetes Operators, Controllers, CRDs, or Admission Controllers
- Infrastructure as Code, GitOps, and platform automation
- Software development or platform-tooling experience
- Production platforms supporting active end users
- DoD, federal, regulated, or security-focused engineering environments
Why Rackner
At Rackner, you’ll work on technology tied directly to complex federal missions while remaining close to the engineering.
This role offers the opportunity to build rather than simply maintain: own meaningful platform capabilities, solve problems across cloud and security boundaries, influence technical decisions, and expand your scope without stepping away from hands-on engineering.
Our teams work across cloud, DevSecOps, AI/ML, data, and modern software engineering, creating opportunities to broaden your technical perspective as programs and challenges evolve.
Benefits & Perks
- Company-supported certifications aligned with current and future program work
- Career-development and leadership opportunities
- 401(k) with 100% match up to 6%
- Medical, dental, vision, life, and disability coverage
- Generous PTO and paid holidays
- Home-office equipment and remote-work support
- Fitness and wellness reimbursement
- Weekly pay and team events
Equal Opportunity
Use the same standard Rackner Equal Opportunity statement already used on the Senior Data Engineer posting.
Skills Required
- Hands-on experience building, operating, or supporting Kubernetes environments
- Strong knowledge of Linux, networking, containers, and Kubernetes architecture
- Proficiency with Helm and Infrastructure as Code
- Familiarity with a cloud platform such as AWS/EKS, Azure/AKS, GCP/GKE, OCI, or similar
- Practical experience with GitOps, CI/CD, and automated deployment workflows
- Knowledge of Kubernetes security, access controls, and RBAC
- Ability to independently diagnose and solve issues across multiple platform layers
- Ability to obtain and maintain a DoD Secret clearance
- Approximately 3–5 years of relevant engineering experience for mid-level roles or 5–7+ years for senior roles
- Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA)
- Deep Istio or service mesh experience
- Experience with custom Kubernetes Operators, Controllers, CRDs, or Admission Controllers
- DoD Enterprise DevSecOps Reference Design experience
- Software development, scripting, or platform automation background
- Experience supporting production platforms with active end users
- DoD, federal, regulated, or security-focused engineering experience
What We Do
Rackner builds cutting-edge solutions that apply DevSecOps and the power of AI in the datacenter, public and private clouds, and edge, leveraging the future of compute capability and technologies like Kubernetes (k8s) and WebAssembly (WASM). We're a member of the Cloud Native Computing Foundation and a Kubernetes Certified Service Provider - as well as a partner to the major public cloud companies. Our customers include hypergrowth startups and federal agencies, both Civilian and Defense. Core Competencies - DevSecOps - Edge Computing - AI/ML - Cloud-Native and Hybrid-Cloud development - Web and Mobile Applications Development (Microservices)
