Platform Specialist

Job Title: Platform Specialist II (Kubernetes) NO C2C OR 3RD PARTY VENDORS!!!!!

Location: Houston, TX 77064

Pay Rate: $65–$75/hour

Duration: 12-Month Contract (Potential for Extension)

Position Overview

We are seeking a highly skilled Platform Specialist II to join our engineering team in Houston, TX. This role is ideal for a Kubernetes expert who thrives in designing, implementing, optimizing, and supporting enterprise-scale containerized environments. The successful candidate will play a critical role in maintaining highly available, scalable, and secure Kubernetes platforms while driving automation and operational excellence across multiple environments.

This is a long-term contract opportunity with strong potential for extension beyond the initial one-year engagement.

Key Responsibilities

Kubernetes Platform Administration

• Design, deploy, configure, and maintain Kubernetes clusters across multiple environments.
• Implement and manage Kubernetes resources including pods, deployments, services, stateful sets, ingress controllers, and storage solutions.
• Ensure platform stability, security, scalability, and high availability.

Performance & Capacity Optimization

• Analyze cluster performance and resource utilization.
• Identify bottlenecks and implement improvements to optimize efficiency and scalability.
• Monitor environments and proactively address performance concerns.

Troubleshooting & Support

• Diagnose and resolve Kubernetes infrastructure issues, including:
• Networking and connectivity challenges
• Storage and persistent volume issues
• Application deployment failures
• Cluster health and availability concerns
• Participate in incident response and root cause analysis activities.

Automation & DevOps Enablement

• Develop automation scripts and tools using Python, Bash, or similar technologies.
• Automate operational processes to improve efficiency and reduce manual intervention.
• Support Infrastructure as Code (IaC) initiatives and DevOps best practices.

Monitoring & Observability

• Implement and maintain monitoring and alerting solutions.
• Utilize tools such as Grafana, Prometheus, and Dynatrace to ensure visibility into system performance and reliability.
• Create dashboards and reporting metrics to support operational excellence.

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years of hands-on experience supporting Kubernetes and containerized environments.
• Strong understanding of Kubernetes architecture and core concepts, including:
• Pods
• Services
• Deployments
• Stateful Sets
• Persistent Storage
• Experience with containerization technologies and cloud-native infrastructure.
• Proficiency in scripting and automation using Python, Bash, or similar languages.
• Experience with cloud platforms such as AWS and/or Azure.
• Strong troubleshooting, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication and collaboration abilities.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a fast-paced enterprise environment.
• Passion for continuous learning and emerging technologies.

Preferred Qualifications

• Kubernetes certifications:
• Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA)
• Certified Kubernetes Security Specialist (CKS)
• Certified Kubernetes Application Developer (CKAD)
• Experience with Kubernetes package management and orchestration tools such as Helm.
• Experience with CI/CD pipelines and DevOps methodologies.
• Experience with Ansible and/or Terraform.
• Familiarity with observability and monitoring platforms including:
• Grafana
• Prometheus
• Dynatrace
• Contributions to open-source Kubernetes projects.
• Experience supporting large-scale production Kubernetes environments.

Why Join Us?

• Long-term 12-month contract with strong extension potential
• Opportunity to work with modern cloud-native technologies
• Collaborative engineering environment focused on innovation and automation
• Exposure to enterprise-scale Kubernetes platforms and DevOps initiatives

Apply today if you're passionate about Kubernetes, automation, cloud technologies, and building reliable, scalable platform solutions.