Senior Kubernetes Administrator

Location: Boston, MA, USA

Department: QPU Testing and Engineering Infrastructure

Role Overview 
We are seeking a Sr. Kubernetes Administrator with a strong background in automation, infrastructure-as-code, and cloud-native technologies. The ideal candidate will be responsible for managing, scaling, and optimizing Kubernetes clusters while implementing automation frameworks to reduce manual effort and improve system reliability. As a member of the Test and Engineering Infrastructure team, this role is critical in ensuring our containerized workloads run securely, efficiently, and consistently across environments. 

Key Responsibilities 

• Cluster Management: Deploy, configure, upgrade, and maintain Kubernetes clusters across on-prem and cloud environments.
• Automation & Infrastructure as Code (IaC): Design and implement automated workflows for provisioning, scaling, and monitoring using tools like Terraform, Ansible, Helm, or FluxCD.
• Monitoring & Observability: Implement and maintain logging, monitoring, and alerting solutions (e.g., Prometheus, Grafana, EFK stack).
• Security & Compliance: Apply best practices for cluster security, RBAC, secrets management/SOPS-encrypted secrets, and vulnerability scanning.
• CI/CD Integration: Collaborate with DevOps and development teams to optimize Kubernetes for continuous delivery pipelines.
• Performance Optimization: Proactively monitor resource utilization, troubleshoot bottlenecks, and ensure high availability and disaster recovery.
• Documentation & Knowledge Sharing: Maintain clear operational documentation and mentor team members on Kubernetes best practices.

Required Qualifications 

• 7-10 years of software development and/or *nix Administration experience with 3+ years of hands-on experience managing Kubernetes clusters in production.
• Strong background in automation and scripting (Python, Go, or Bash).
• On-prem and cloud OS administration experience to include but not be limited to Talos, Ubuntu and Debian.
• Expertise with IaC tools such as Terraform, Ansible, or Pulumi.
• Practical experience with container orchestration and packaging (Docker, Helm, and/or Kustomize).
• Solid knowledge of CI/CD pipelines (Jenkins, GitLab CI, and/or GitHub Actions).
• Proficiency in cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, or Azure).
• Strong understanding of networking, load balancing, and ingress controllers in Kubernetes.
• Debugging of large, multi-layered systems, including network troubleshooting, application tracing, alerting systems, and logging from both hardware and software sources
• Excellent problem-solving, troubleshooting, and analytical skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• CKA/CKAD/CKS certification.
• Experience with service mesh technologies (Istio, Linkerd).
• Familiarity with policy enforcement frameworks (OPA/Gatekeeper, Kyverno).
• Background in GitOps practices.
• Experience supporting hybrid systems involving embedded devices, custom hardware, or real-time control systems.
• Knowledge of secure software deployment in mixed cloud/on-prem environments.
• Experience with hardware-in-the-loop pipelines or distributed lab/test automation environments.
• Exposure to scientific computing, HPC, or quantum software stacks a plus.
• Creation of container images from base images (especially Debian and Ubuntu)
• Ability to thrive in fast-moving, interdisciplinary R&D teams.
• Network and Element Management/Application implementation experience.

Salary range is $180,000-$220,000. We consistently monitor external market data and update base salary ranges accordingly. We determine base compensation decisions on several factors, including as geographic placement, role-specific knowledge, skills, and/or experience. In addition to our base salary offerings, we also provide equity grants for all new hires.

QuEra is committed to cultivating a diverse work environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We highly value diversity in our current and future employees and do not discriminate (including in our hiring and promotion practices) based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

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