Kubernetes Administrator III

Iridium is an award-winning and innovative satellite communications company with bragging rights to the only network that offers voice and data connectivity anywhere in the world. For over 20 years, Iridium's unique network and services have supported critical communications needs for individuals, businesses, and the evolving Internet of Things.

At Iridium, we understand the importance of staying connected and the limitations of traditional communications networks. People across the globe, including first responders, humanitarians, global militaries, scientific researchers, and lone workers, as well as ships, aircraft and remote operations all rely on Iridium to stay connected. We take our responsibility for providing these essential communications very seriously and pride ourselves on offering a reliable lifeline when needed. Likewise, Iridium is committed to providing an exciting and innovative workplace, where employees are challenged to think outside the box and collaborate on new, bold ideas and solutions. Our talented teams are passionate about their work and the impact our company makes around the world. Iridium fosters an empowering and inclusive culture that allows employees to genuinely be their best selves. We are looking for others who want to join this truly unique company that celebrates our employees and provides the opportunity to truly make a difference in the world.

If you are a skilled Systems Administrator with experience in Kubernetes, Iridium has a position for you on our IT Operations Team! As a Kubernetes Administrator III you'll independently deliver high-quality work and drive projects and deliverables to completion, troubleshoot complex issues, optimize cluster performance, and drive innovation through efficient use of Kubernetes technologies. In this role, you will focus primarily on ensuring the smooth operation of our containerized applications. You will thrive in this role if you are proactive, enjoy developing and managing processes as well as collaborating with multiple teams to implement change.

Support the maintenance of multiple Kubernetes clusters, ensuring high availability, scalability, and performance
• Assist in deploying, scaling, and managing containerized applications on Kubernetes, to help ensure seamless integration with our CI/CD pipelines
• Monitor and troubleshoot Kubernetes clusters to identify and resolve issues, ensuring minimal downtime and optimal performance
• Collaborate with development, operations, and security teams to integrate Kubernetes into our infrastructure and ensure compliance with security best practices
• Support and manage Kubernetes security best practices, including network policies, role-based access control (RBAC), and secret management
• Create and maintain Kubernetes operator and custom resource definitions (CRDs) to automate workflows and manage custom resources
• Stay updated with the latest Kubernetes developments and best practices, contributing to the continuous improvement of our Kubernetes environment
• Share technical knowledge and mentor junior team members, fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement

• Bachelor's degree in related field OR equivalent relevant experience in lieu of degree
• 5+ years of relevant experience in the industry network administration, including experience as a Kubernetes Administrator or similar role, with a strong understanding of Kubernetes architecture and components
• Experience with container orchestration and management, including hands-on experience with Kubernetes extensions and operators
• Proficient in scripting languages such as Python, Bash, or Go, and experience with CI/CD tools and practices
• Strong knowledge of container security and compliance, including understanding of network policies, RBAC, and secret management
• Experience with cloud-native applications and microservices architecture, including knowledge of Kubernetes networking and storage solutions
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to confidently present products, deliverables, analyses, and/or issues
• Possess an analytical mindset, with the ability to understand a situation or problem and think critically to make decisions or come up with solutions
• Be comfortable managing upward, including being a proactive communicator and asking for help when needed
• Have confidence and be able to establish valuable relationships with others
• Must be able to prioritize key tasks and have a strong sense of ownership over your work
• Be active in seeking out ways to continuously improve yourself and gain new knowledge

• Experience with Kubernetes on cloud platforms such as AWS, GCP, or Azure
• Familiarity with container registry management and image signing
• Knowledge of Kubernetes service mesh technologies like Istio or Linkerd
• Experience with Kubernetes-native monitoring and logging solutions like Prometheus, Grafana, and ELK stack
• Experience with OpenShift and Red Hat's Kubernetes distribution

• Be able to work a hybrid schedule that includes at least 3 or more days a week in office to foster collaboration with the team and stakeholders
• Work on an on call rotation
• May occasionally travel for meetings, conferences, and on-site support
• Must be a US Citizen

This position primarily works in an office setting and is largely sedentary with the majority of the position working with a computer. The role typically requires the use of basic office equipment such as a phone, video, computer, keyboard, mouse, and printer.

Iridium is an Equal Opportunity Employer, including individuals with disabilities and protected veterans.