Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE) Consultant

Responsibilities Lead and manage container platform operations centered on GKE and Kubernetes environments, ensuring operational excellence. Architect, deploy, troubleshoot, and maintain Kubernetes clusters and related infrastructure components. Drive automation through Jenkins and GitLab pipelines integrating with Kubernetes for seamless CI/CD workflows. Implement and maintain GitOps methodologies using Argo CD and Flux CD for continuous delivery and declarative deployments. Monitor container and infrastructure health using Prometheus and Grafana; set up alerting and dashboards to proactively resolve issues. Utilize New Relic for application performance monitoring and infrastructure insights. Administer UNIX/Linux environments and utilize Vi editor for scripting, automation, and operational support. Collaborate with development, security, and QA teams to enforce best practices and improve platform stability. Lead and coordinate operations across morning and second shifts, ensuring 24/7 coverage and incident management, including on-call support. Work in a structured operations environment using JIRA boards, managing user stories, and following core ITIL processes for incident, problem, and change management. Automate and deploy infrastructure or applications using Ansible. Apply networking knowledge around public/private IPs, intranet/internet, ingress controllers, and load balancers (application and network level). Mentor junior engineers and contribute to architecture & process improvements. Document operational processes, SOPs, and knowledge base updates. Required Skills & Experience Minimum 8 years of hands‑on experience in Kubernetes container platform management and operations, primarily using GK Deep understanding of Kubernetes core concepts including deployments, services, ingress, secrets, config maps, and networking. Proficiency in CI/CD automation with Jenkins and GitLab pipelines. Experience with GitOps workflows using Argo CD and Flux CD. Skilled in UNIX/Linux system administration and comfortable using the Vi editor for scripting and troubleshooting. Strong observability expertise with Prometheus, Grafana, and New Relic monitoring tools. Proven ability to lead and manage operational shifts, providing 24/7 support coverage including on‑call duties. Working knowledge of ITIL core concepts and operations environment tools, including JIRA and user story management. Strong shell scripting or Python scripting skills for automation and troubleshooting. Hands‑on experience with Ansible for automation and deployment. Solid networking knowledge related to public/private IPs, intranet/internet access, ingress controllers, and load balancers at application and network level. Strong problem‑solving and troubleshooting capabilities with production incident resolution expertise. Excellent communication, leadership, and collaboration skills to manage distributed teams and escalation. Preferred Qualifications Certifications such as Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA). Familiarity with container security best practices (RBAC, network policies, secrets management). Experience with Infrastructure as Code (IaC) tools like Terraform and Helm. #J-18808-Ljbffr Ampstek