Kubernetes Subject Matter Expert (SME) (Cloud Engineer 3) - 25803

HII's Mission Technologies division • St. Louis, MO

83d • $97,097 - $140,000

About The Position

HII Mission Technologies is seeking a highly skilled Kubernetes Subject Matter Expert to lead the design, implementation, and optimization of Kubernetes based solutions in hybrid and data center environments. The ideal candidate will have deep experience with Kubernetes internals, infrastructure as code (IaC), and policy enforcement tools like Kyverno, as well as Crossplane for infrastructure orchestration. You will serve as a key technical advisor, helping shape container orchestration strategies and ensuring production grade stability and security.

Requirements

• 5 years relevant experience with Bachelors in related field; 3 years relevant experience with Masters in related field; 0 years experience with PhD or Juris Doctorate in related field; or High School Diploma or equivalent and 9 years relevant experience.
• 5+ years of experience with Kubernetes in production environments.
• Proven experience implementing Kyverno policies for governance and compliance.
• Hands-on experience with Crossplane for infrastructure orchestration.
• Expertise in Linux systems administration and networking.
• Proficient with Helm and GitOps (e.g., ArgoCD or Flux).
• Experience deploying Kubernetes on bare metal or VMs in a data center setting (OpenShift).
• Familiarity with Kubernetes security (RBAC, Pod Security Standards, admission controllers).
• Experience with observability tools (Prometheus, Grafana, Loki).
• Excellent communication and documentation skills.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with OpenShift and understanding of its policy engine (e.g., Gatekeeper or Kyverno equivalents).
• Contributions to open source Kubernetes projects or SIGs.
• Kubernetes certifications (CKA, CKAD, or CKS).
• Familiarity with infrastructure platforms like AWS, Oracle, GCP or Azure via Crossplane providers.

Responsibilities

• Architect, deploy, and maintain production grade Kubernetes clusters in data center and hybrid cloud environments.
• Advise on and implement Crossplane to manage cloud-native infrastructure using Kubernetes APIs.
• Lead the design and enforcement of policy as code using Kyverno, aligning with security, compliance, and governance requirements.
• Collaborate with DevOps, platform engineering, and security teams to integrate Kubernetes into broader CI/CD workflows.
• Define and document best practices, operational runbooks, and onboarding materials.
• Troubleshoot and resolve complex issues in Kubernetes environments.
• Provide mentorship and training to engineering teams on Kubernetes tooling and patterns.
• Evaluate and implement open-source and commercial Kubernetes extensions.

Benefits

• Best-in-class medical, dental and vision plan choices.
• Wellness resources.
• Employee assistance programs.
• Savings Plan Options (401(k)).
• Financial planning tools.
• Life insurance.
• Employee discounts.
• Paid holidays and paid time off.
• Tuition reimbursement.
• Early childhood and post-secondary education scholarships.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Bachelor's degree
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees