Kubernetes Engineer

We are seeking a highly experienced Kubernetes Engineer with strong expertise in Rancher-managed Kubernetes environments and migration to Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS). The ideal candidate will lead and execute large-scale container platform migrations, enabling seamless transition from on-prem/container platforms to Azure managed Kubernetes, while ensuring high availability, scalability, and secure CI/CD-driven deployments.

This role requires deep hands-on experience with containerization, Kubernetes operations, ingress/gateway architectures (HAProxy, NGINX), and enterprise-scale lift-and-shift container migration.

Key Responsibilities

Kubernetes Platform Migration (Rancher to AKS)

            •          Lead migration of Kubernetes workloads from Rancher-managed clusters (on-prem or IaaS) to Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS).

            •          Assess existing cluster configurations, namespaces, workloads, and dependencies.

            •          Define and execute migration strategies (lift-and-shift, re-platform, phased migration).

            •          Ensure minimal downtime and zero data loss during migration.

Container Workload Migration

            •          Migrate containerized applications to AKS at scale.

            •          Refactor container images and manifests where necessary for AKS compatibility.

            •          Optimize resource allocation, scaling policies, and pod distribution.

Kubernetes Architecture & Design

            •          Design production-grade AKS architectures with:

            ◦           High availability (multi-node pools, zones)

            ◦           Auto-scaling (HPA, cluster autoscaler)

            ◦           Secure networking (VNet integration, private clusters)

            •          Implement best practices for multi-tenant and namespace isolation.

CI/CD Integration for Kubernetes

            •          Integrate Kubernetes deployments into CI/CD pipelines using:

            ◦           Azure DevOps / GitHub Actions / GitLab CI

            •          Implement GitOps practices (ArgoCD/Flux) where applicable.

            •          Automate build, test, and deployment of containerized applications.

 Ingress & Gateway Architecture

            •          Design and implement ingress and gateway solutions using:

            ◦           NGINX Ingress Controller

            ◦           HAProxy-based gateways/load balancers

            •          Configure routing, SSL termination, rate limiting, and security policies.

            •          Ensure high availability and fault tolerance of ingress layer.

Networking & Security

            •          Configure Kubernetes networking (CNI, network policies).

            •          Implement secure communication using TLS, secrets, and RBAC.

            •          Integrate with Azure services such as Azure AD, Key Vault, and Private Endpoints.

Observability & Monitoring

            •          Implement monitoring and logging using:

            ◦           Azure Monitor for Containers

            ◦           Prometheus & Grafana

            ◦           Log Analytics

            •          Define SLIs/SLOs and alerting strategies.

Performance Optimization

            •          Optimize cluster performance, pod scheduling, and resource utilization.

            •          Conduct load testing and capacity planning for large-scale workloads.

Automation & Infrastructure as Code

            •          Provision and manage infrastructure using:

            ◦           Terraform

            ◦           ARM / Bicep

            •          Automate cluster setup, upgrades, and scaling.

Collaboration & Leadership

            •          Work closely with DevOps, application, and cloud architecture teams.

            •          Provide guidance on container best practices and Kubernetes usage.

            •          Support enterprise migration programs and troubleshooting.

Required Skills & Experience

·      Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field.

·      6–10+ years of IT experience & 3–5+ years of hands-on Kubernetes experience.

·      Proven track record in enterprise-scale container migration projects.

Kubernetes & Containerization

            •          Strong hands-on experience with:

            ◦           Kubernetes (cluster setup, operations, troubleshooting)

            ◦           Rancher (multi-cluster management)

            ◦           Docker/container runtime technologies

            •          Deep understanding of Kubernetes components (API server, etcd, scheduler, kubelet).

Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS)

            •          Experience designing and operating AKS clusters.

            •          Knowledge of AKS features such as node pools, scaling, and upgrades.

Migration Expertise

            •          Proven experience in Rancher to AKS migration.

            •          Experience in large-scale container workload migration.

            •          Hands-on experience in lift-and-shift container migrations.

Ingress & Gateway Technologies

            •          Strong experience with:

            ◦           NGINX Ingress Controller

            ◦           HAProxy load balancing and gateway configurations

CI/CD & DevOps

            •          Experience integrating Kubernetes with CI/CD tools:

            ◦           Azure DevOps, GitLab CI/CD, GitHub Actions

            •          Familiarity with GitOps tools (ArgoCD, Flux).

Networking & Security

            •          Understanding of Kubernetes networking (CNI plugins, service mesh optional).

            •          Experience with RBAC, secrets management, and TLS.

Scripting & Automation

            •          Proficiency in Bash, Python, or PowerShell.

 Preferred Qualifications

            •          Azure certifications (e.g., Azure Administrator / Azure DevOps Engineer / Kubernetes certifications (CKA/CKAD)).

            •          Experience with service mesh (Istio, Linkerd).

            •          Familiarity with container security tools (Aqua, Twistlock, Trivy).

            •          Proven track record in enterprise-scale container migration projects.

 Key Competencies

            •          Kubernetes Platform Engineering

            •          Rancher to AKS Migration

            •          Container Workload Modernization

            •          Ingress & Gateway Architecture (NGINX, HAProxy)

            •          CI/CD & GitOps for Kubernetes