K3s Networking & CNI/Multus Specialist
Burnett Specialists
Houston, TX
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JOB DETAILS
LOCATION
Houston, TX
POSTED
30+ days ago
Overview
We are seeking a highly skilled K3s Networking Engineer to design, implement, and maintain networking for K3s clusters deployed across hybrid environments (x86, ARM, and accelerator-based systems).
This role focuses on building scalable, secure, and high-performance networking solutions that integrate Kubernetes clusters with external systems. You will work on advanced networking features including Multus CNI, VLAN integration, IP address management, and bare-metal load balancing while developing custom Kubernetes controllers to automate and extend networking capabilities.
Key Responsibilities
- Cluster Networking Architecture
- Design and implement networking solutions for hybrid K3s clusters supporting multi-interface and multi-network configurations
- Configure, extend, and optimize CNI plugins, with a focus on Multus, Cilium, and Calico
- Enable workloads to utilize VLAN-backed networks, SR-IOV, and multiple interfaces
- Deploy and manage bare-metal load balancers (e.g., MetalLB, BGP) for reliable service exposure
- Controller & Operator Development
- Develop custom Kubernetes controllers/operators for declarative networking resource management (e.g., IP pools, VLANs, DNS)
- Automate provisioning and reconciliation across hybrid environments
- Integrate CRDs and controllers with GitOps and declarative workflows
- IP & DNS Management
- Integrate cluster networking with upstream DNS systems for service discovery
- Manage IP allocation across nodes, pods, and external interfaces
- Implement scalable IPAM solutions for hybrid and multi-tenant environments
- Hybrid Network Integration
- Bridge Kubernetes networking with underlay/overlay networks (e.g., VLANs, BGP)
- Enable safe consumption of external VLANs within K3s workloads
- Collaborate with hardware teams on NIC configuration and consistent network naming
- Security & Observability
- Implement network policies, encryption, and isolation across CNIs
- Integrate observability tools (e.g., Cilium Hubble, Prometheus, custom metrics)
- Ensure compliance with security and networking standards
- Collaboration & Documentation
- Partner with DevOps, SRE, and Hardware teams to align networking with platform requirements
- Document architectures, CRDs, controllers, and operational runbooks
- Provide internal training on advanced Kubernetes networking concepts
Required Qualifications
- Deep expertise in Kubernetes/K3s networking and CNI architectures
- Hands-on experience with Multus CNI and multi-network configurations
- Strong knowledge of Cilium or Calico (networking, security, observability)
- Experience with bare-metal load balancing (e.g., MetalLB, BGP)
- Proficiency in Go for Kubernetes controller/operator development (Kubebuilder, Operator SDK, controller-runtime)
- Experience with IPAM, DHCP, and DNS integration
- Strong understanding of VLANs and integrating external networks into Kubernetes
- Advanced Linux networking knowledge (netlink, iproute2, eBPF tools)
- Strong troubleshooting and debugging skills across pod, node, and network layers
- Experience implementing Kubernetes network security (RBAC, network policies, encryption)
- Experience with service mesh technologies (e.g., Istio, Linkerd) in multi-network environments
- Knowledge of high-performance networking (SR-IOV, DPDK)
- Contributions to Kubernetes, CNI, or open-source networking projects
- Familiarity with multi-cluster federation and cross-site service routing
Why Join Us
Work on cutting-edge Kubernetes networking across hybrid and bare-metal environments
Influence architecture and design of next-generation platform infrastructure
Collaborate with cross-functional teams in a highly technical environment
HOUIT41
About the Company
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