Rancher and Kubernetes SME

Requirement/Must Have:

• Strong hands-on experience with Kubernetes in production environments.
• Strong expertise in Rancher including RKE, RKE2, and K3s.
• Deep understanding of Kubernetes architecture, control plane, etcd, networking, and storage.
• Experience designing and managing high availability Kubernetes environments.
• Strong Linux, infrastructure, and cloud platform experience.
• Experience with Kubernetes networking technologies such as Calico or Cilium.
• Experience with storage integrations and CSI technologies.
• Strong troubleshooting and root cause analysis skills.
• Experience implementing Kubernetes security best practices.
• Experience with CI/CD and GitOps tools and workflows.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills.

Experience:

• 6 to 10+ years of experience in Linux, Infrastructure, or Cloud environments.
• 3 to 5+ years of hands-on Kubernetes production experience required.
• Experience with Rancher-managed Kubernetes clusters including RKE, RKE2, K3s, EKS, AKS, and GKE.
• Experience integrating Kubernetes with VMware, Bare Metal, and cloud platforms.
• Experience managing multi-cluster and multi-tenant Kubernetes environments.
• Experience troubleshooting Kubernetes control plane, networking, and storage issues.
• Experience managing Rancher server installation, upgrades, backups, and disaster recovery.
• Experience integrating Kubernetes with CI/CD platforms such as GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, Jenkins, and Argo CD.
• Experience supporting development teams with Kubernetes deployment and optimization strategies.
• Experience with Helm chart development and lifecycle management preferred.

Responsibilities:

• Design and implement Rancher-managed Kubernetes clusters across cloud and on-premises platforms.
• Architect highly available Rancher and Kubernetes environments.
• Define and implement multi-cluster and multi-tenant strategies using Rancher projects, namespaces, and RBAC.
• Integrate Kubernetes platforms with VMware, Bare Metal, and cloud infrastructure.
• Establish standardized Kubernetes cluster blueprints and reference architectures.
• Provide Level 3 escalation support for Kubernetes and Rancher incidents.
• Diagnose and resolve control plane failures, etcd issues, pod scheduling problems, and node pressure issues.
• Troubleshoot CNI networking issues and CSI storage failures.
• Perform root cause analysis and recommend preventive improvements.
• Install, upgrade, and maintain Rancher Server environments.
• Manage Kubernetes cluster lifecycle operations through Rancher UI and APIs.
• Configure and manage authentication, RBAC, SSO, and policy management.
• Maintain Rancher backups, disaster recovery, and recovery procedures.
• Implement Kubernetes security best practices including Pod Security Standards, network policies, and secrets management.
• Integrate Kubernetes environments with CI/CD and GitOps workflows.
• Support Helm chart development, deployment, and lifecycle management.
• Assist development teams with deployment strategies, troubleshooting, and resource optimization.

Should Have:

• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Excellent troubleshooting and incident management skills.
• Ability to work independently and within cross-functional teams.
• Strong documentation and communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in fast-paced environments.
• Proactive approach toward automation and continuous improvement.

Skills:

• Kubernetes.
• Rancher.
• RKE.
• RKE2.
• K3s.
• EKS.
• AKS.
• GKE.
• Linux Administration.
• etcd.
• Kubernetes Networking.
• Calico.
• Cilium.
• CSI Storage.
• Ceph.
• Longhorn.
• EBS.
• Azure Disk.
• NFS.
• RBAC.
• CI/CD.
• GitOps.
• Argo CD.
• Jenkins.
• GitHub Actions.
• GitLab CI.
• Helm.
• VMware.
• Cloud Infrastructure.
• Disaster Recovery.
• Security Management.

Qualification and Education:

• Bachelor s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, or related field preferred.
• Relevant Kubernetes or cloud certifications are a plus.
• Equivalent combination of education and hands-on experience may be considered.