Senior Platform Engineer (m/f/d) - Kubernetes · Internal Developer Platforms · Data Streaming

Schedule: full-time Employment: permanent Years of experience: 5-7 Your mission What to Expect At Steadforce, we build platforms that development teams can rely on. As a Senior Platform Engineer (m/f/d), you’ll design internal developer platforms and streaming infrastructures for enterprise clients and guide them from initial concept through to production. You’ll design and develop self-service platforms based on Kubernetes, GitOps, and CNCF tools such as Argo CD, Crossplane, Istio, and Kyverno. You’ll build developer portals (e.g., Backstage) and build and deployment pipelines that significantly ease developers’ day-to-day workloads. You operate and expand streaming platforms using Apache Kafka, Kafka Connect, and Kafka Streams.  You make architectural and technological decisions that have a real impact on customers and confidently advocate for them with stakeholders. You’ll advise clients in workshops, assist with proposals and effort estimates, and share your knowledge with the team through code reviews, mentoring, and interviews. You’ll actively help shape our Center of Competence (CoC) for Platform Engineering through tech talks, presentations, and your own topics. Your profile Here are the technical requirements you’ll need: Several years of experience in platform engineering or the Kubernetes environment, with a total of 8+ years in IT In-depth knowledge of Kubernetes (on-premises and cloud), Helm, and GitOps; experience operating multiple clusters Practical experience with Infrastructure as Code and cloud-native control planes (Terraform, Crossplane, and/or kro) CI/CD experience (GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, Azure Pipelines) as well as observability (Prometheus, Grafana, Loki, OpenTelemetry) Knowledge of event streaming, particularly Apache Kafka Solid programming skills in Java, Python, or TypeScript Experience with Azure or AWS Your personal strengths: You think in terms of abstractions and context and can explain technical concepts in a way that’s understandable to non-technical people. You’re curious, enjoy trying out new things in practice, and adapt quickly to changing topics and roles. You enjoy interacting with clients, participating in workshops and meetings, and speaking at conferences. These are pluses: Certifications such as CKA, CKAD, or CKS Experience with Apache Flink, Redpanda Connect/Bento, Confluent, or Aiven Experience with Security by Design (Keycloak, Istio, Policy-as-Code) Project experience in the industrial, chemical, or automotive sectors Gen AI tools (e.g., AI coding assistants) in day-to-day engineering work Experience with Flink and Redpanda Connect Your benefits Fair Compensation & Full Flexibility: Competitive salary, flexible work hours with a work-time account, and part-time options. You decide how much time you spend working in the office or remotely. Extras on top of your salary: A subsidy for the Deutschlandticket, an EGYM Wellpass, or an Edenred gift card, plus optional JobRad and Corporate Benefits. Retirement planning included: An annual contribution to the company pension plan and private accident insurance. Professional development with a time budget: A fixed number of hours at the Steadforce “Campus” and in our “Center of Competence” for your professional growth, plus participation in conferences and summits. Your setup: You choose your device—whether a MacBook or ThinkPad—and your operating system—macOS, Linux, or Windows. Workation: Work from another EU country from time to time while staying closely connected to your team. Family-friendly: As an award-winning family-friendly company, we support you at every stage of life, for example through our Family Office. Office in Westend: Modern office space with a gaming room, active office, and relaxation room—right next to the U4/U5. Alternatively, free parking is available. Team & Events: A collegial team that supports one another, and shared events such as the New Year’s kick-off party, Salad Wednesday, White Sausage Thursday, and a visit to Oktoberfest.