Platform Engineer - Application Networking

PlayStation builds worldwide online services that need low-latency, secure, and reliable client-server communication for millions of users and services. We want an engineer committed to platform development, skilled in networking, application routing, and platform abstractions who enjoys converting architectural plans into stable, repeatable systems.

This role centers on crafting and deploying collaborative application routing and networking platforms. These platforms use Kubernetes along with modern gateway and service mesh technologies. They support the exchange of information both from client to service and between services across PlayStation's hybrid infrastructure.

Responsibilities ---------------

In your role as a Platform Engineer at PlayStation, you will:

• Compose, develop, and maintain common application routing frameworks that facilitate communication spanning client requests to service responses as well as between services.
• Develop and improve routing capabilities through the Kong ecosystem, including Kong API Gateway, Kong Ingress Controller, and Kong Konnect.
• Enable safe traffic management approaches that support scalability, resilience, and controlled change.
• Platforms for managing application routing • Compose, build, and operate shared systems for managing application routing that enable client-to-service and service-to-service communication. • Build and improve routing features with the Kong suite of tools (Kong API Gateway, Kong Ingress Controller, Kong Konnect). • Facilitate secure traffic management methods that promote scalability, resilience, and regulated change.

Kubernetes & Service Connectivity --------------------------------

Deploy and manage container-based routing and networking components on Kubernetes. Support east-west service connectivity within and across clusters, including service mesh-based solutions. Partner with Kubernetes platform teams to ensure routing infrastructure is reliable, scalable, and operable.

Platform Reliability & Enablement ---------------------------------

Increase the reliability, performance, and observability of application routing platforms. Integrate routing platforms into CI/CD and GitOps workflows. Provide clear conventions, automation, and documentation to enable application teams to adopt the platform effectively.

Requirements ------------

Core Experience ---------------

• Strong background in networking and distributed systems, particularly client/server communication models.
• Hands-on experience operating application gateways, proxies, or traffic management platforms.
• Experience managing Kubernetes-based systems in production environments.

Networking & Protocols ---------------------

• Solid understanding of: • HTTP, HTTP/2, HTTP/3, gRPC • TCP and UDP traffic patterns • Experience with L4/L7 routing concepts, load balancing, and traffic policy.

Platform & Systems ------------------

• Proven experience integrating Kong to provide enterprise middleware application routing implementations.
• Experience working with platforms that rely on configuration, control planes, or policy systems.
• Familiarity with DNS-based service discovery and naming strategies.
• Comfort working alongside infrastructure primitives such as networks, load balancers, and firewalls.

Skills & Knowledge ------------------

• Experience supporting globally distributed systems across regions, providers, and environments.
• Knowledge of gateway architectures, service mesh concepts, and internal service connectivity.
• Familiarity with modern platform practices: GitOps or equivalent experience, Infrastructure as Code, Automated policy enforcement.
• Knowledge of fundamental networking technologies such as BGP, eBPF, or overlay networking is an advantage.

Additional Attributes ---------------------

• Strong communicator who can collaborate effectively across architecture, platform, and application teams.
• Comfortable working with distributed teams across multiple time zones.
• Product-minded, with a focus on developer experience, platform reliability, and adoption.
• Self-starter with a strong sense of ownership and a bias toward documentation and knowledge sharing.
• Experience contributing to or collaborating on open-source software is a plus.