Azure Kubernetes Engineer

**Job Title**: Azure Kubernetes Engineer
**Reports** **To**: Azure Cloud Practice Team Lead
**Location**: Remote

**About us**:
Welcome to Pinnacle, the ultimate destination for sports enthusiasts seeking an exhilarating sportsbook and gaming experience Established in 1998, we have solidified our position as one of the globe's foremost licensed online gaming companies. With our cutting-edge offerings, we guarantee an electrifying experience that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Pinnacle invites you to join our team and become an instrumental figure in the exciting realm of sportsbetting. Our vibrant team is fueled by passion and driven by innovation, working together to redefine the landscape of sports betting and gaming. Together, we constantly strive to surpass limitations and deliver unparalleled experiences to sports enthusiasts worldwide. Prepare yourself for a thrilling journey and discover sports in an entirely new dimension with Pinnacle

**Role Overview**

This role offers an exciting opportunity to work on cutting-edge technologies, contribute to high-impact projects, and collaborate with a team of industry experts. If you are looking for a challenging yet rewarding position that allows you to make a significant impact, we encourage you to apply.

**Key Responsibilities**:
**Migration & Optimization**
- Refactor workloads and optimize Kubernetes environments for performance, security, and scalability.
- Implement blue/green cluster and node pool strategies for zero-downtime deployments.

**Kubernetes Design & Development**
- Architect and manage multi-cluster, multi-region deployments with robust networking configurations.
- Develop custom controllers, operators, and automation scripts to enhance AKS management.
- Implement service mesh solutions to improve microservices networking and security.

**Security, Compliance & Best Practices**
- Enforce Pod Security Standards, Kubernetes Role-Based Access Control (RBAC), and compliance frameworks.
- Implement network policies, security controls, and container runtime security strategies.
- Ensure adherence to Azure security best practices for Kubernetes workloads.

**Collaboration & Developer Enablement**
- Work closely with developers to provide guidance on Kubernetes YAML files, Helm charts, and Kustomize overlays.
- Enable development teams to self-manage their Kubernetes deployments using GitOps practices.
- Advocate for best practices in containerization, CI/CD, and infrastructure as code.

**Required Qualifications**:
**Technical Skills & Experience**
- **5+ years of experience** working with Kubernetes and containerized environments.
- Strong expertise in AKS cluster design, deep Kubernetes networking, and security policies.
- Experience with multi-cluster, multi-region Kubernetes deployments.
- Hands-on experience with blue/green deployments, node pool strategies, and workload optimization.
- Proficiency in Helm, Kustomize, Terraform, and automation scripting (Bash, Python, or PowerShell).
- Knowledge of Azure networking, identity management, and security best practices for Kubernetes.
- Proven experience managing environment and deployments to AKS using GitOps solutions like ArgoCD is a must

**Certifications**
- **Mandatory**:

- Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA)
- Certified Kubernetes Application Developer (CKAD)
- Microsoft Azure Solutions Architect Expert (AZ-305)
- **Preferred**:

- Certified Kubernetes Security Specialist (CKS)
- Microsoft Azure Administrator Associate (AZ-104)

**Nice-to-Have Skills**
- Experience with OpenTelemetry, Prometheus, Grafana, or Azure Monitor for observability.
- Exposure to policy enforcement tools such as Kyverno or OPA/Gatekeeper.

**Work Environment & Expectations**
- Embedded within the Azure Cloud Practice Team, collaborating closely with development teams.

Work Location: Remote