OverviewWe are seeking a Principal Kubernetes Architect to serve as a senior technical authority for the design, evolution, and operation of InterSystems Kubernetes based cloud platforms. This role is responsible for defining reference architectures, establishing engineering standards, and solving the most complex platform challenges across hybrid and multi cloud environments.As a Principal Architect, you will operate at both a strategic and hands on level. You will design large scale Kubernetes platforms, influence cloud and platform strategy, and mentor engineers across DevOps, Site Reliability Engineering, and platform teams. You will play a critical role in enabling secure, resilient, and highly automated Kubernetes environments that power mission critical managed services and SaaS offerings.This role is intended for a deeply experienced Kubernetes and cloud professional who has designed, built, and operated production platforms at scale and who acts as a technical leader across organizations.Key Responsibilities Platform Architecture and Technical Leadership Act as a senior technical authority for Kubernetes architecture across managed services and SaaS platformsDefine and maintain reference architectures and design patterns for Kubernetes platforms across on premises, private cloud, and public cloud environmentsLead architectural reviews and provide guidance on cluster design, networking, security, scaling, and multi region strategiesInfluence long term platform strategy, tooling selection, and architectural direction in partnership with platform and cloud leadershipKubernetes Platform Engineering Design, build, and evolve Kubernetes clusters using platforms such as EKS, AKS, GKE, Rancher, or equivalent enterprise distributionsEstablish best practices for cluster lifecycle management, upgrades, multi tenancy, and workload isolationArchitect and implement advanced Kubernetes networking models including CNI plugins, ingress controllers, and network policiesDesign secure RBAC models, secrets management approaches, and workload isolation aligned with enterprise security requirementsEnsure platform changes are engineered, tested, versioned, and rolled out with the same rigor as application softwareInfrastructure as Code & Automation Define and enforce Infrastructure as Code standards using Terraform, Helm, and GitOps based workflowsDesign reusable and composable infrastructure modules to enable consistent and repeatable platform deploymentsDrive automation first approaches to cluster provisioning, configuration, and lifecycle management #Ensure platform changes are versioned, tested, and delivered through controlled CI and CD pipelinesReliability, Observability & Operations Architect observability solutions for Kubernetes platforms using Prometheus, Grafana, Loki, Fluentd or Fluent Bit and related toolingDefine strategies for monitoring, alerting, capacity planning, and performance optimizationLead troubleshooting of complex platform incidents involving cluster degradation, networking issues, or systemic failuresPartner with Site Reliability Engineering teams to establish service level objectives, error budgets, and reliability engineering practicesCloud, Hybrid & Data Protection Design Kubernetes solutions that operate consistently across public cloud and on premises environmentsArchitect backup, restore, and disaster recovery strategies using tools such as Velero, Kasten, or StashAddress cloud specific constraints related to identity, networking, storage, and cost optimizationMentorship & Cross Team Influence Mentor senior engineers and architects across platform, DevOps, and Site Reliability Engineering teamsAct as a trusted advisor to application teams on cloud native and containerization strategiesContribute to technical standards, documentation, and internal enablementRepresent platform architecture in cross functional design reviews and technical forumsQualifications & Experience RequiredTen to fifteen or more years of experience in infrastructure, cloud, platform engineering or Site Reliability Engineering roles with deep Kubernetes specializationProven experience architecting and operating large scale Kubernetes platforms in production environments supporting mission critical workloadsStrong hands on experience with AWS, Azure, and or Google Cloud Platform including networking, identity, and storage servicesExpert level knowledge of Kubernetes internals, scheduling, networking, security, and storageDeep experience with Infrastructure as Code and automation using Terraform, Helm, GitOps, and CI and CD systemsStrong Linux and container runtime expertiseDemonstrated ability to solve complex technical problems and influence architectural decisions across teamsPreferred Certifications Certified Kubernetes AdministratorCertified Kubernetes Security SpecialistCertified Kubernetes Application DeveloperAWS Certified DevOps Engineer ProfessionalGoogle Professional Cloud DevOps EngineerHashiCorp Certified Terraform AssociateLinux Foundation Certified System AdministratorNice to Have Certifications Experience with GitOps tooling such as Argo CD or FluxExperience with service mesh technologies such as Istio, Linkerd, or CiliumExperience with Spectro Cloud or enterprise Kubernetes management platformsOpen source contributions to Kubernetes or cloud native projectsExperience supporting regulated or compliance driven environmentsFamiliarity with emerging container platforms such as Incus
About InterSystemsInterSystems, a creative data technology provider, delivers a unified foundation for next-generation applications for healthcare, finance, manufacturing, and supply chain customers in more than 80 countries. Our data platforms solve interoperability, speed, and scalability problems for large organizations around the globe to unlock the power of data and allow people to perceive data in imaginative ways. Established in 1978, InterSystems is committed to excellence through its 24×7 support for customers and partners around the world. Privately held and headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, InterSystems has 38 offices in 28 countries worldwide. For more information, please visit