Associate Principal, Cloud Engineering

The OCC • Dallas, TX

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

This role will perform a range of activities required to maintain and continuously automate a large, complex Kubernetes-based cloud computing environment. You'll work alongside the team to apply best practices for the management, configuration, high availability, and administration of Kubernetes clusters and containerized workloads with cloud-native technologies. This role supports the creation of new infrastructure and environments as part of the broader Kubernetes/container orchestration goals across the business. The ideal candidate is passionate about cloud-native technologies and the Kubernetes ecosystem, eager to grow into more complex project work, and mindful of the regulatory/compliance demands on our company (e.g. CIS, NIST, etc).

Requirements

• Good consultative, communication, team player and analytical skills, with the ability to interact regularly with teams distributed across the US
• Working knowledge of Kubernetes architecture, container orchestration, and cloud-native infrastructure design and components, such as: etcd, networking, storage, and container runtimes
• Hands-on experience with Kubernetes cluster creation, maintenance, support, and administration in production environments
• Practical experience with Kubernetes networking (CNI plugins, service types, ingress controllers), runtime security (Pod Security Standards, OPA/Gatekeeper, network policies), and Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)
• Experience supporting highly available Kubernetes environments for 24/7 availability
• Experience working in an environment with a defined production change control process
• Demonstrated history of working within deadlines and ability to work well under pressure
• Hands-on experience with AWS cloud services and implementing Kubernetes on AWS (EKS or self-managed clusters)
• Experience with Infrastructure as Code using Terraform for provisioning and managing cloud infrastructure and Kubernetes resources
• Solid coding experience in Go or Python (Go preferred for Kubernetes operator/controller development), with the ability to discuss code you've written
• Hands-on experience with Kubernetes ecosystem tools including: Helm, kubectl, container runtimes (containerd, CRI-O), and monitoring/observability tools
• Experience with CI/CD tools such as Jenkins, GitLab CI, or GitHub Actions
• Experience with version control using GitHub or similar platforms
• Bachelor's degree, preferably in a technical discipline (Computer Science, Mathematics, Engineering, etc.), or equivalent combination of education and experience
• 4+ years' experience in IT systems installation, operations, administration, and maintenance of cloud systems / virtualized servers, with demonstrated experience in Kubernetes and container orchestration platforms

Nice To Haves

• Experience with configuration management tools such as Ansible, Puppet, or Chef
• Exposure to Kubernetes operator/controller development using operator frameworks (Kubebuilder, Operator SDK, or similar) — via open-source CNCF contributions or in-house development
• Experience with Rancher and RKE2 (Rancher Kubernetes Engine 2) Kubernetes distribution
• Familiarity with service mesh technologies (Istio, Linkerd) and Envoy proxy configuration
• Exposure to multi-tenancy architectures in Kubernetes environments
• Experience with GitOps-based continuous deployment using FluxCD, ArgoCD, or Rancher Fleet
• Experience with Kafka and event-driven architectures
• Experience working in a financial services or highly regulated environment
• CKA, CKS certifications desired
• AWS Solutions Architect Associate Certification or higher
• Relevant industry certifications such as Microsoft Azure or Google Cloud Platform

Responsibilities

• Configure, implement, and support Kubernetes clusters, contributing to a fully automated workflow for provisioning and managing a highly available container orchestration environment using infrastructure as code
• Assist in developing and maintaining Kubernetes operators, controllers, and custom resources to extend cluster functionality and automate application lifecycle management
• Support DevOps development activities involving tools such as Docker, Kafka, container runtimes, and Kubernetes ecosystem tools
• Participate in Kubernetes cluster build-outs, upgrades, software installation, maintenance and support, including patches, security fixes, end-of-life preparation, and version upgrades
• Assist in implementing and managing Kubernetes networking solutions, service mesh architectures, runtime security policies, and RBAC configurations
• Help ensure the reliability of Kubernetes platforms and containerized services within your area of responsibility, contributing to internal and external SLA and quality standards
• Contribute to capacity planning within Kubernetes clusters and the underlying cloud platform
• Support the implementation of initiatives within your assigned area of responsibility, with accountability for compliance with controls and security requirements
• Contribute to technology roadmaps and end-of-life plans for Kubernetes versions, container runtimes, and related cloud-native technologies
• Write and maintain documentation of relevant Kubernetes architectures, systems, procedures and processes
• Communicate project and operational service issues promptly, with observations and recommendations for corrective measures
• Participate in the implementation of production changes during defined maintenance windows and support on-call rotation
• Maintain appropriate work/personal balance within the team
• Participate in rotational support schedules for afterhours and weekend work for area of responsibility
• Foster an atmosphere of trust, respect, and high performance while displaying strong ethics and integrity
• Manage own task planning and prioritization, meeting project deadlines while maintaining a high quality of work
• Support corrective actions to address audit and other regulatory or compliance findings
• Other duties as assigned

Benefits

• Tuition Reimbursement to support your continued education
• Student Loan Repayment Assistance
• Technology Stipend allowing you to use the device of your choice to connect to our network while working remotely
• Generous PTO and Parental leave
• 401k Employer Match
• Competitive health benefits including medical, dental and vision

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior