Junior Kubernetes Architect (Microsoft Azure)

The Junior Kubernetes Architect supports the design, implementation, and day-to-day operations of Syspro’s Kubernetes platform under the guidance of the Senior Kubernetes Architect. The role develops technical depth in container orchestration, cloud infrastructure, and AI-assisted platform tooling, contributing to the delivery of a reliable, scalable multitenancy environment.

Responsibilities

• Assist in the design and implementation of Kubernetes cluster configurations, namespace structures, and workload deployments under the direction of the Senior Kubernetes Architect.
• Support day-to-day operations of the Kubernetes platform — including deployments, upgrades, patch management, and health monitoring — ensuring platform availability and performance within defined service levels.
• Implement and maintain RBAC policies, resource quotas, and network policies in accordance with standards and blueprints defined by the Senior Architect.
• Contribute to the development of infrastructure-as-code (IaC) assets — including Helm charts, Terraform modules, and deployment manifests — to support consistent and repeatable platform deployments.
• Participate in incident response and troubleshooting for Kubernetes-related issues, following defined runbooks and escalating complex problems to the Senior Architect with clear documentation of findings.
• Learn and apply AI-assisted tooling for Kubernetes cluster management — including intelligent monitoring dashboards, auto-remediation workflows, and anomaly detection tools — under the guidance of senior team members.
• Maintain accurate technical documentation for platform configurations, runbooks, and operational procedures, keeping records current as the platform evolves.

Requirements

Minimum Level of Education

• Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field; or equivalent NQF Level 7 qualification.

Beneficial Qualifications

• Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) or working towards certification. Cloud foundation certifications (AWS, GCP, or Azure).

Minimum Experience

• 1–3 years in a cloud infrastructure, DevOps, or IT operations support role. Basic hands-on exposure to Kubernetes or container technologies in a professional or project context. Familiarity with Linux administration and command-line tooling.

Beneficial Experience

• Internship, academic project, or open-source contribution experience with Kubernetes or Docker. Exposure to CI/CD pipelines and version control (Git). Familiarity with infrastructure-as-code tools such as Terraform or Ansible. Participation in Kubernetes or CNCF community learning programmes.

Special Skills and Knowledge

• Kubernetes fundamentals: working knowledge of Kubernetes architecture, core objects (Pods, Deployments, Services, ConfigMaps), and cluster operations.
• Containerisation: understanding of Docker, container images, registries, and container lifecycle management.
• Linux command line: comfort navigating Linux environments, managing files, processes, and basic system administration tasks.
• YAML and Helm basics: ability to read, write, and troubleshoot YAML manifests and Helm chart structures.
• AI-assisted tooling: openness to learning and applying AI-powered monitoring and automation tools used within the Kubernetes platform environment.
• Monitoring and observability: familiarity with monitoring concepts and tools (Prometheus, Grafana, or equivalent) at an operational level.
• Attention to detail: precision in configuration management, documentation, and incident recording.
• Teamwork and learning agility: ability to work collaboratively within a technical team and rapidly develop skills in an evolving cloud environment.
• Problem-solving: structured approach to diagnosing issues, following runbooks, and escalating appropriately when needed.

Benefits

• 25 annual leave days
• 30 days paid sick leave over 3-year cycle
• Hybrid working environment (2 - 3 office days as determined by the function/ manager)
• Pension
• Medical aid
• Life insurance
• Group income protection

• Bonus/ commission programmes
• Maternity: 6 months at half pay
• Paternity: 2 weeks full pay