Principal Engineer (Kubernetes/Kafka)McLean, VA (hybrid)Full TimeAre you up to the challenge?Lead design and implementation of open-source technology (Kafka/ELK/Influx) to support service offering.Handle all environment builds, including design, capacity planning, cluster setup.Manage multi-node on-premise Kafka Strimzi cluster.Analyze and recommend solutions to performance problems in a high-traffic, large-scale distributed system.Demonstrate leadership in end-to-end implementation with ability to solve technically complex issues.Investigate new ways to improve operations.Monitor open-source technology market to gain knowledge and understanding of emerging technologies. Identify and incorporate new software technologies as needed to improve existing implementation.Design and implement monitoring solutions to proactively identify system bottlenecks and alert on issues.Lead the design, planning, implementation discussions with users and developers to ensure milestones are defined, understood, and being met. Identify dependencies, risks, and drive resolution to roadblocks.Continuously monitor production environment and its dependencies for health, performance, and security.Mentor and share knowledge with others in the team.Develop standards, guidelines and best practices for software deployment and support.Investigate and resolve operational issues.Provide 24x7 On-Call Support on a rotational basis.Able to work independently and maintain professionalism under pressureCan you drive these processes?Open Source, Operational Support, Automation, TroubleshootingYou should definitely have:Bachelor's degree in a relevant field.At least 7 years of experience in IT with knowledge of IT infrastructure and distributed architecture.At least 2 years of experience in containerized computing environments utilizing Kubernetes and Docker containers.Proven record of working with Linux and shell scripting.Strong problem solving and troubleshooting abilities.Supporting and managing critical 24/7 applications.Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.Self-motivated and self-directed, with the ability to multi-task.It would be nice if you had:Strong technical knowledge and understanding of open-source software stack, specifically Kafka Strimzi, Kubernetes, ELK, Grafana and Influx DBPervious experience working with and supporting APIs.Software development experience.Other Job Info:This role is subject to ITAR; candidates must be a US Person (this includes US Citizen, Permanent Resident or Protected Individual such as an asylee or refugee).These statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this job. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of employees assigned to this job.