Principal Architect – Cloud Native Platforms (Kubernetes)

Overview

In this role you will lead the architecture of Akamai’s Kubernetes-based platform, shaping the cloud native foundation for our IaaS products. You will drive design decisions, build PoCs, and guide cross-functional teams toward a scalable, reliable cloud infrastructure. You will collaborate with product and engineering leadership to set the roadmap while mentoring others and sharing best practices. This is a hands-on, strategic role at the heart of Akamai’s Cloud Native initiative, offering impact across a global, distributed platform.

Pay / Benefits

• FlexBase program
• hybrid/remote work options (home/office/blexible)
• health and well-being benefits
• finances and life benefits

Responsibilities

• Own system design and implementation to align with the big picture
• Build PoCs to inform design choices and technology selections
• Collaborate with product managers and product architects on direction
• Influence and shape the engineering roadmap with management and stakeholders
• Develop best practices, share knowledge, and mentor teammates
• Collaborate with engineering teams in an Agile environment to enable rapid, innovative solutions

Key requirements

• 12+ years of relevant experience
• Experience building and operating highly available, fault-tolerant, scalable platforms
• Production services experience with Kubernetes and Cloud-Native tech (e.g., ArgoCD, Flux, Helm, Cilium, RKE2)
• Advanced knowledge of Kubernetes concepts (Operator/Controller, Cluster API, multi-cluster)
• Experience with containers (Docker, containerd)
• Proficiency with Linux, Go, Bash
• Familiarity with CSI, CNI, Crossplane, Load Balancing, and Service Mesh frameworks

• collaboration across teams
• mentoring and knowledge sharing
• strong communication
• Kubernetes
• ArgoCD
• Flux

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