About the Role
We are seeking a highly experienced Senior Platform Engineer to lead a complex infrastructure modernization initiative involving on-premises Kubernetes, Enterprise Linux, and GitLab CI/CD migration.
This role requires strong hands-on expertise in on-prem environments, deep technical ownership, and the ability to independently drive large-scale migrations end-to-end.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead and execute RKE1 to RKE2 Kubernetes migration, including cluster setup, workload migration, and networking reconfiguration
- Drive GitLab migration from on-prem to gitlab.com, including repositories, CI/CD pipelines, runners, and container registry transition
- Design and implement end-to-end GitLab CI/CD pipelines (build, test, security scans, deployment, and rollback strategies)
- Manage and harden SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES) environments
- Act as a technical escalation point for post-migration issues, including application-level debugging inside containers
- Deploy and manage Kubernetes components including Rancher, Longhorn, MetalLB, and Nginx Ingress
- Implement observability solutions using Prometheus, Grafana, and Loki
- Establish Infrastructure as Code (IaC) practices using Terraform/Ansible
- Create migration plans, documentation, and runbooks
Must-Have Skills (Non-Negotiable)
- Hands-on experience with RKE1 to RKE2 migration (mandatory)
- Strong experience with on-prem Kubernetes (VMware-based environments)
- Deep expertise in GitLab CI/CD pipeline design and GitLab administration
- Proven experience in migrating GitLab from on-prem to gitlab.com
- Production experience with SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES)
- Ability to debug issues beyond Kubernetes (container/application-level troubleshooting)
Core Technical Skills
- Kubernetes (RKE1, RKE2), Rancher Manager
- GitLab CI/CD, GitLab Runner, Container Registry
- SLES (zypper, systemd, security hardening)
- Networking & Storage: MetalLB, Nginx Ingress, Longhorn
- Observability: Prometheus, Grafana, Loki
- IaC: Terraform / Ansible
- Scripting: Bash, Python
- CI/CD practices, branching strategies, and deployment patterns (blue-green, canary)
Good to Have
- Experience with air-gapped/on-prem Kubernetes environments
- Exposure to AWS services (EKS, EC2, S3, IAM, etc.)
- GitOps tools such as Argo CD
- Experience with JFrog Artifactory migration
- Knowledge of OpenShift migrations (OCP3 → OCP4)
What We're Not Looking For
- Candidates with only cloud-managed Kubernetes (EKS/AKS/GKE) experience
- Limited exposure to GitLab (only deployment, not full CI pipeline design)
- No hands-on experience with SLES
- Superficial or UI-level experience with Kubernetes upgrades
Work Details
- Type: Full-time Contract
- Duration: 6 months+ (extendable)
- Location: Remote
- Availability: Overlap with EST hours required
- Joining: Immediate / Short notice preferred
