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Title and Summary Lead, Platform Engineering - Kubernetes
Overview
The Kubernetes Platform Engineering team is seeking a Lead Kubernetes Platform Engineer to design, build, and operate secure, reliable, and scalable container platforms across Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) and Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS). As a Lead Engineer, you will take ownership of critical platform capabilities, guide technical decisions, and mentor team members while enabling engineering teams across Mastercard to seamlessly deploy and operate cloud-native applications. You will deliver standardized platform capabilities, automation frameworks, and governance patterns that drive developer experience and operational excellence.
Role
In this role, you will:
Lead the design and implementation of Kubernetes platform components across AKS and EKS, including cluster provisioning, workload identity, networking, ingress, and observability
Own and enhance GitOps workflows (Argo CD), service mesh (Istio), Gateway API implementations, and admission control policies that enforce security and compliance guardrails
Develop and maintain Infrastructure-as-Code modules (Terraform), Helm charts, and automation pipelines that enable consistent, repeatable platform operations
Provide technical guidance and mentorship to engineers, conducting code reviews and fostering engineering best practices within the team
Collaborate with Cloud Architecture, Security, Product, and engineering teams to define platform standards, validate requirements, and support Kubernetes adoption across the enterprise
Lead troubleshooting of complex platform issues, perform root-cause analysis, and drive systemic improvements that enhance platform reliability and scalability
Contribute to platform documentation, runbooks, and knowledge sharing to ensure operational excellence and team enablement
All About You
Strong hands-on experience designing and operating Kubernetes in production environments across both AKS and EKS
Deep understanding of cloud-native concepts including containers, networking, RBAC, autoscaling, workload identity, service mesh (Istio), and admission control
Proficiency with Infrastructure-as-Code tools (Terraform), GitOps frameworks (Argo CD), Helm, and CI/CD pipelines
Experience implementing and operating Kubernetes-native add-ons such as Istio, Gateway API, policy engines, and observability tooling
Demonstrated ability to lead technical initiatives, mentor engineers, and drive adoption of platform standards and best practices
Strong problem-solving skills with experience troubleshooting complex distributed systems and performing root-cause analysis
Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively across engineering, architecture, and security teams
A mindset focused on automation, reliability, and delivering secure, compliant, and scalable capabilities at enterprise scale
Mastercard is a merit-based, inclusive, equal opportunity employer that considers applicants without regard to gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, disabled or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We hire the most qualified candidate for the role. In the US or Canada, if you require accommodations or assistance to complete the online application process or during the recruitment process, please contact and identify the type of accommodation or assistance you are requesting. Do not include any medical or health information in this email. The Reasonable Accommodations team will respond to your email promptly.
Corporate Security Responsibility All activities involving access to Mastercard assets, information, and networks comes with an inherent risk to the organization and, therefore, it is expected that every person working for, or on behalf of, Mastercard is responsible for information security and must:
- Abide by Mastercard's security policies and practices;
- Ensure the confidentiality and integrity of the information being accessed;
- Report any suspected information security violation or breach, and
- Complete all periodic mandatory security trainings in accordance with Mastercard's guidelines.
In line with Mastercard's total compensation philosophy and assuming that the job will be performed in the US, the successful candidate will be offered a competitive base salary and may be eligible for an annual bonus or commissions depending on the role. The base salary offered may vary depending on multiple factors, including but not limited to location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Mastercard benefits for full time (and certain part time) employees generally include: insurance (including medical, prescription drug, dental, vision, disability, life insurance); flexible spending account and health savings account; paid leaves (including 16 weeks of new parent leave and up to 20 days of bereavement leave); 80 hours of Paid Sick and Safe Time, 25 days of vacation time and 5 personal days, pro-rated based on date of hire; 10 annual paid U.S. observed holidays; 401k with a best-in-class company match; deferred compensation for eligible roles; fitness reimbursement or on-site fitness facilities; eligibility for tuition reimbursement; and many more. Mastercard benefits for interns generally include: 56 hours of Paid Sick and Safe Time; jury duty leave; and on-site fitness facilities in some locations.
Pay Ranges O'Fallon, Missouri: $122,000 - $207,000 USD
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