Kubernetes Architect

Role Description

Unleash your talents at Leidos! Grow and advance rapidly in your career by letting Leidos challenge you with world toughest technical problems. Leidos has an opening for a highly qualified Secret cleared Kubernetes Architect for the Command, Control & Battle Management (C2/BM) Business Area. This is an exciting opportunity to bring your experience to support across all-domain large-scale weapon systems, Information Technology Systems, and Command and Control Systems to realize the Department of Defense Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2).

In this role you will support an Integrated Product Team (IPT) for the Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS) Digital Infrastructure (DI) Processing Node (PN) to design and implement solutions that can be delivered at speed, scale, and with the necessary security to deliver operational advantages to the joint warfighter. ABMS is a top modernization priority for the Department of the Air Force and will be the backbone of a network-centric approach to battle management in partnership with all the services across JADC2. This position will work closely with Program Managers, other domain engineers, and Government counterparts across Government and Industry partners.

The Kubernetes Architect must be able to travel 10% of the time

• Architect, build and manage end-to-end prototype lifecycle, from conceptual design and lab setup to software configuration, troubleshooting, and final documentation.
• Identifies material requirements (hardware, software, supplemental staffing, etc.).
• Ensures finalized thin-line prototype are validated by the Solution Architect and Engineering Leads.
• Serve as a Kubernetes Subject Matter Expert (SME) providing architectural guidance, technical leadership and best practices to engineering teams.
• Collaborate with cybersecurity, infrastructure, networking and development teams to ensure secure and compliant platform operations.

Qualifications

• BS degree and 12 – 15 years of prior relevant experience or Masters with 10 – 13 years of prior relevant experience.
• May possess a Doctorate in technical domain.
• Active Secret security clearance, with ability to obtain and maintain a Top Secret clearance.
• Deep expertise with enterprise Kubernetes distributions such as RKE2 or similar production-grade platforms.
• Hands-on experience with Kubernetes architecture, including control plane components, worker node design, scheduling, networking, storage and security.
• Strong understanding of DevSecOps methodologies, CI/CD pipelines, automation frameworks and container security best practices.
• Strong troubleshooting, performance optimization and platform reliability engineering skills.
• Experience deploying Kubernetes on-prem, preferably Harvester.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to explain complex technical concepts to diverse audiences.
• Curious self-starter that can excel in a prototyping environment to turn customer desire into executable solution candidates. Must be able to consider cost, schedule, technology, and risks.

Requirements

• Experience with Rancher, Helm, ArgoCD, GitOps workflows, Istio or service mesh technologies, Prometheus/Grafana.
• Familiar with Zero Trust Architecture.
• Experience designing, implementing and support Kubernetes in DDIL environments.

Company Description

If you're looking for comfort, keep scrolling. At Leidos, we outthink, outbuild, and outpace the status quo — because the mission demands it. We're not hiring followers. We're recruiting the ones who disrupt, provoke, and refuse to fail. Step 10 is ancient history. We're already at step 30 — and moving faster than anyone else dares.

Original Posting: May 27, 2026

For U.S. Positions: While subject to change based on business needs, Leidos reasonably anticipates that this job requisition will remain open for at least 3 days with an anticipated close date of no earlier than 3 days after the original posting date as listed above.

Pay Range: Pay Range $131,300.00 - $237,350.00

The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline only and not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.