Only Locals - No Remote - Columbus, OH - Only W2, No C2C - Linux Admin

The DevOps Engineer Contractor will lead and manage cloud platforms and infrastructure, ensuring optimal performance, reliability, and scalability of containerized applications across Azure cloud environments. This position will oversee cloud infrastructure deployment, container orchestration using OpenShift and Kubernetes, load balancer configuration, monitoring solutions, and the complete platform lifecycle from design through implementation and maintenance. The ideal candidate possesses strong technical expertise in cloud-native technologies, leadership capabilities in platform strategy, and the ability to communicate effectively with both technical teams and non-technical stakeholders. This person is a self-starter, proactive in problem-solving, and thrives in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or related field, or equivalent work experience
• 7+ years of DevOps or Cloud Engineering experience with production-level expertise in OpenShift, Kubernetes, and Docker on Azure cloud platform
• Strong experience with F5 load balancer configuration, Linux system administration, and shell scripting (Bash, Python)
• Proficiency with monitoring tools (Splunk, APM solutions) and firewall/network security management
• Excellent communication skills with ability to engage technical and non-technical stakeholders effectively
• Demonstrated leadership, strategic thinking, and ability to manage multiple projects with strong analytical and problem-solving abilities
• Familiarity with AI-powered tools and platforms for work optimization

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Relevant certifications (Azure Solutions Architect, CKA, Red Hat Certified Specialist in OpenShift)
• Experience with Infrastructure as Code (Terraform, Ansible), CI/CD pipelines (Jenkins, GitLab CI, Azure DevOps), and Agile/Scrum methodologies
• Background in container security, compliance frameworks, or site reliability engineering (SRE) practices

RESPONSIBILITIES:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential job duty satisfactorily, with or without reasonable accommodation:

• Lead the design, deployment, and management of cloud infrastructure on Azure, ensuring high availability, security, and performance
• Architect and maintain container orchestration platforms using OpenShift, Kubernetes, and Docker across production and non-production environments
• Configure and manage F5 load balancers to optimize application traffic distribution and ensure system reliability
• Implement and maintain comprehensive monitoring solutions using Splunk and APM tools to proactively identify and resolve performance issues
• Build and maintain Harness.io CICD pipeline
• Perform advanced Linux system administration, including server configuration, performance tuning, and security hardening
• Develop and maintain shell scripts to automate routine tasks, deployments, and infrastructure provisioning
• Manage firewall configurations and network security policies to protect cloud infrastructure and applications
• Own the end-to-end platform lifecycle, including planning, implementation, optimization, and decommissioning
• Provide strategic guidance on cloud architecture, DevOps best practices, and platform modernization initiatives
• Collaborate with development teams, infrastructure teams, and business stakeholders to align platform capabilities with organizational goals
• Create and maintain comprehensive technical documentation for infrastructure, processes, and runbooks
• Troubleshoot complex technical issues across the infrastructure stack and implement sustainable solutions
• Participate in on-call rotation and provide support for production incidents as needed
• Mentor junior team members and promote DevOps culture and best practices across the organization
• Other duties as assigned