Staff Kubernetes Engineer

Calix is seeking a Staff Kubernetes Administrator to join our high-performing Product Engineering Infrastructure team. This team delivers critical infrastructure services to support the development of next-generation networking and SaaS products. The ideal candidate has deep expertise in Kubernetes administration, Linux systems (Ubuntu/Red Hat), networking, security, and virtualization.

You will play a key role in modernizing our infrastructure and migrating workloads to Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE) while ensuring our systems are secure and highly available. This Staff Kubernetes Administrator role is critical to our team’s success. If you are passionate

about:

Kubernetes, cloud technologies, and mentoring others in a fast-paced environment, we encourage you to apply and help us drive our infrastructure to the next level. In this role, you will establish Kubernetes best practices and processes as we build out this capability. You will work closely with software development and product teams to deploy and support Kubernetes clusters on-premises and in the cloud (GCP).

You will ensure our Kubernetes environments are secure, performant, and aligned with business needs. Additionally, you will mentor junior administrators and help develop the team’s Kubernetes skill set and operational practices.

Responsibilities:

• Design, deploy, and maintain Kubernetes clusters in on-premises environments and in Google Cloud (GKE), ensuring scalable and reliable infrastructure.
• Lead the migration of containerized workloads from on-premises Kubernetes to GKE, with minimal downtime and optimal performance.
• Implement and enforce Kubernetes security best practices, including RBAC access controls, network policies, secrets management, and vulnerability scanning.

Architect and support microservices and serverless applications on Kubernetes using cloud-native patterns and tooling.

• Develop and maintain Infrastructure as Code (IaC) using tools like Terraform and Helm, and employ GitOps workflows for automated deployments.
• Monitor and optimize cluster performance and availability, using observability tools (Prometheus, Grafana, ELK/EFK, etc.), and ensure high uptime through auto-scaling and resiliency best practices.
• Participate in incident response and troubleshooting to quickly resolve issues across the Kubernetes stack (applications, containers, nodes) and perform root cause analysis.
• Mentor and coach junior administrators and engineers, sharing Kubernetes best practices and fostering a culture of continuous learning.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with development, security, and other infrastructure teams to ensure Kubernetes platform alignment with application needs and security standards.
• Document configurations, procedures, and processes for Kubernetes environments to support knowledge transfer and consistency.

Required Qualifications:

&

Skills:

8-10 years of IT infrastructure

experience:

, including 4+ years managing production Kubernetes clusters. Expertise in Linux systems administration, especially Ubuntu and Red Hat (or CentOS) systems, including strong shell scripting and system troubleshooting

skills:

Strong knowledge of container networking and services – e.g., CNI plugins, ingress controllers, DNS, load balancing, and service mesh (Istio or similar). Deep understanding of Kubernetes security models and best practices (RBAC, network policies, CIS benchmarks, etc.). Proficiency with Infrastructure as Code tools (Terraform, Helm) and

experience:

with CI/CD pipelines and GitOps workflows for Kubernetes deployments.

Experience:

with monitoring and logging tools for Kubernetes (Prometheus, Grafana, Fluentd/ELK or similar) and the ability to interpret metrics/logs to maintain system health. Excellent communication and interpersonal

skills:

, with the ability to work collaboratively and explain complex concepts to various stakeholders. Strong problem-solving abilities and capability to work independently, managing priorities in a dynamic environment. Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or related field (or equivalent

experience:

). Willingness to support off-hours needs (occasional meetings with offshore teams) and travel if required.

Desired Skills:

Certifications: Relevant industry certifications such as Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) or CKS, and cloud certifications (Google Cloud Professional Architect, GKE specialization) or Linux certifications (RHCSA/RHCE). Hybrid/Cloud

Experience:

Experience:

with hybrid cloud or multi-cluster Kubernetes environments and cloud networking. Security & Automation Tools: Familiarity with container security platforms (e.g., Aqua, Prisma, Sysdig) and configuration management/automation tools (Ansible, Puppet, Chef, Python/Bash scripting). Methodologies: Exposure to IT service management (ITIL practices) and Agile/Scrum development methodologies.

Innovative Mindset: A security-first and automation-first mindset; enthusiasm for adopting new technologies (e.g., AI-assisted operations, advanced monitoring techniques) to continuously improve our infrastructure operations. The base pay range for this position varies based on the geographic location.

More information

about:

the pay range specific to candidate location and other factors will be shared during the recruitment process. Individual pay is determined based on location of residence and multiple factors, including job-related knowledge,

skills:

and

experience:

San Francisco Bay Area: 156,400 - 265,700 USD Annual All Other US Locations: 136,000 - 231,000 USD Annual As a part of the total

compensation:

package, this role may be eligible for a bonus. For information on our

benefits:

click here. PLEASE NOTE: All emails from Calix will come from a '@calix.com' email address. Please verify and confirm any communication from Calix prior to disclosing any personal or financial information. If you receive a communication that you think may not be from Calix, please report it to us at talentandculture@calix.com.

Calix delivers a broadband platform and managed services that enable our customers to improve life one community at a time. We’re at the forefront of a once in a generational change in the broadband industry. Join us as we innovate, help our customers reach their potential, and connect underserved communities with unrivaled digital

experience:

s. This is the Calix mission - to enable BSPs of all sizes to Simplify. Innovate. Grow. To learn more, visit the Calix web site at www.calix.com To learn more

about:

our international job opportunities, please visit our International Careers Page If you are a person with a disability needing assistance with the application process please: Email us at calix.interview@calix.com; or Call us at +1 (408) 514-3000. Calix is a Drug Free Workplace. You may access a copy of Calix Candidate Privacy Policy HERE and other Calix Privacy Policies HERE.