Entry Level Kubernetes Engineer Jobs
New grad kubernetes engineer jobs welcome recent graduates and entry level candidates with zero to two years of experience, where a strong portfolio or internship work can matter more than a long resume. Most openings are on-site roles across Technology & Software, Aerospace & Defense, and Consulting & Professional Services, with employers like SpaceX, Invoice Cloud, and ITR hiring at this level now.
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Showing 5 of 8+ Entry Level Kubernetes Engineer jobs
SpaceX was founded under the belief that a future where humanity is out exploring the stars is fundamentally more exciting than one where we are not. Today SpaceX is actively developing the technologies to make this possible, with the ultimate goal of enabling human life on Mars.
SITE RELIABILITY ENGINEER, KUBERENTES PLATFORM (STARSHIELD)
At SpaceX we're leveraging our experience in building rockets and spacecraft to deploy the Starshield constellation. Starshield is the world's largest US government satellite constellation and is tasked with providing immediate access to critical intelligence and national security data for the US government anywhere on the globe. We design, build, test, and operate all parts of the system – receivers that allow users to connect within minutes, and the software that brings it all together. We've only begun to scratch the surface of Starshield's global impact and are looking for best-in-class engineers to help us further our ambitious goals.
As an engineer focused on Starshield's software and network infrastructure, you will design, operate and scale the infrastructure we use to run the world's largest government satellite constellation. These positions cover a variety of areas ranging from Site Reliability Engineering, Developer Operations, and our internal Kubernetes platforms. You will develop automation to deploy and manage on-premise compute resources, create highly scalable and maintainable software products, and directly collaborate with engineering across the board.
RESPONSIBILITES:
- Develop automation to deploy and manage on-premise Kubernetes clusters
- Deploy and manage core infrastructure such as databases, monitoring and distributed storage
- Closely collaborate with software engineers to create highly scalable, operable, and maintainable products Engage in and improve the whole lifecycle of services
- - from inception and design, through deployment, operation and refinement
- Monitoring and alerting supporting systems to have high availability
- Hands-on integration and troubleshooting across the entire Starshield stack
- Identify areas for improvement and create innovative solutions that enable high system availability
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:
- Bachelor's degree in computer science, information systems/IT, or an engineering discipline and 1+ years of professional experience in site reliability engineering or DevOps; OR 3+ years of professional experience in site reliability engineering or DevOps in lieu of a degree
- 1+ years of professional experience with Linux operating systems
- Experience with Terraform, Ansible, or other infrastructure tools
- Experience with containerization technologies (i.e. OCI containers, Kubernetes)
- Experience scripting in Bash, Python, or other similar languages
- Development experience in Python, C++, or Go
PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:
- 1+ years of experience with Python and Python-based development frameworks
- Experience managing Kubernetes clusters, not just using them
- Knowledge of Linux boot process and systems configuration
- Deep understanding of testing, continuous integration, build, deployment & continuous monitoring
- Understanding of relevant build technologies, such as Bazel and Makefiles
- Focus on performance bottlenecks and performance improvement techniques
- Understanding of distributed databases and data modeling
- Experience with automatically managing dozens, hundreds, or thousands of servers (eg: Terraform or Ansible)
- Strong networking knowledge of TCP/IP
- Excellent communications skills with the ability to communicate with customers, peers, management etc. in both formal and informal situations
- Active Top Secret, Top Secret SCI, or DOE Level Q clearance
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
- Must be willing to work extended hours and weekends as needed
- This position requires successfully obtaining and maintaining a Top Secret Security Clearance as a condition of employment. While the clearance may not be immediately necessary upon hire, we encourage you to initiate the application process promptly upon accepting this offer. Your ability to secure the necessary clearance is essential for fulfilling key responsibilities of the role. Should you be unable to obtain it, SpaceX reserves the right to modify or terminate your employment to align with operational needs.
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:
Pay Range:
Level 1: $125,000.00 - $150,000.00
Level 2: $145,000.00 - $175,000.00
Your actual level and base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education, and experience.
Base salary is just one part of your total rewards package at SpaceX. You may also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of company stock or long-term cash awards, as well as potential discretionary bonuses and the ability to purchase additional stock at a discount through an Employee Stock Purchase Plan. You will also receive access to comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage, access to a 401(k) retirement plan, short and long-term disability insurance, life insurance, paid parental leave, and various other discounts and perks. You may also accrue 3 weeks of paid vacation and will be eligible for 10 or more paid holidays per year. Employees accrue paid sick leave pursuant to Company policy which satisfies or exceeds the accrual, carryover, and use requirements of the law.
ITAR REQUIREMENTS:
- To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here.
SpaceX is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with SpaceX is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.
Applicants wishing to view a copy of SpaceX's Affirmative Action Plan for veterans and individuals with disabilities, or applicants requiring reasonable accommodation to the application/interview process should reach out to EEOCompliance@spacex.com.
SpaceX was founded under the belief that a future where humanity is out exploring the stars is fundamentally more exciting than one where we are not. Today SpaceX is actively developing the technologies to make this possible, with the ultimate goal of enabling human life on Mars.
SITE RELIABILITY ENGINEER, KUBERENTES PLATFORM (STARSHIELD)
At SpaceX we're leveraging our experience in building rockets and spacecraft to deploy the Starshield constellation. Starshield is the world's largest US government satellite constellation and is tasked with providing immediate access to critical intelligence and national security data for the US government anywhere on the globe. We design, build, test, and operate all parts of the system – receivers that allow users to connect within minutes, and the software that brings it all together. We've only begun to scratch the surface of Starshield's global impact and are looking for best-in-class engineers to help us further our ambitious goals.
As an engineer focused on Starshield's software and network infrastructure, you will design, operate and scale the infrastructure we use to run the world's largest government satellite constellation. These positions cover a variety of areas ranging from Site Reliability Engineering, Developer Operations, and our internal Kubernetes platforms. You will develop automation to deploy and manage on-premise compute resources, create highly scalable and maintainable software products, and directly collaborate with engineering across the board.
RESPONSIBILITES:
- Develop automation to deploy and manage on-premise Kubernetes clusters
- Deploy and manage core infrastructure such as databases, monitoring and distributed storage
- Closely collaborate with software engineers to create highly scalable, operable, and maintainable products Engage in and improve the whole lifecycle of services
- - from inception and design, through deployment, operation and refinement
- Monitoring and alerting supporting systems to have high availability
- Hands-on integration and troubleshooting across the entire Starshield stack
- Identify areas for improvement and create innovative solutions that enable high system availability
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:
- Bachelor's degree in computer science, information systems/IT, or an engineering discipline and 1+ years of professional experience in site reliability engineering or DevOps; OR 3+ years of professional experience in site reliability engineering or DevOps in lieu of a degree
- 1+ years of professional experience with Linux operating systems
- Experience with Terraform, Ansible, or other infrastructure tools
- Experience with containerization technologies (i.e. OCI containers, Kubernetes)
- Experience scripting in Bash, Python, or other similar languages
- Development experience in Python, C++, or Go
PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:
- 1+ years of experience with Python and Python-based development frameworks
- Experience managing Kubernetes clusters, not just using them
- Knowledge of Linux boot process and systems configuration
- Deep understanding of testing, continuous integration, build, deployment & continuous monitoring
- Understanding of relevant build technologies, such as Bazel and Makefiles
- Focus on performance bottlenecks and performance improvement techniques
- Understanding of distributed databases and data modeling
- Experience with automatically managing dozens, hundreds, or thousands of servers (eg: Terraform or Ansible)
- Strong networking knowledge of TCP/IP
- Excellent communications skills with the ability to communicate with customers, peers, management etc. in both formal and informal situations
- Active Top Secret, Top Secret SCI, or DOE Level Q clearance
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
- Must be willing to work extended hours and weekends as needed
- This position requires successfully obtaining and maintaining a Top Secret Security Clearance as a condition of employment. While the clearance may not be immediately necessary upon hire, we encourage you to initiate the application process promptly upon accepting this offer. Your ability to secure the necessary clearance is essential for fulfilling key responsibilities of the role. Should you be unable to obtain it, SpaceX reserves the right to modify or terminate your employment to align with operational needs.
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:
Pay Range:
Level 1: $125,000.00 - $150,000.00
Level 2: $145,000.00 - $175,000.00
Your actual level and base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education, and experience.
Base salary is just one part of your total rewards package at SpaceX. You may also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of company stock or long-term cash awards, as well as potential discretionary bonuses and the ability to purchase additional stock at a discount through an Employee Stock Purchase Plan. You will also receive access to comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage, access to a 401(k) retirement plan, short and long-term disability insurance, life insurance, paid parental leave, and various other discounts and perks. You may also accrue 3 weeks of paid vacation and will be eligible for 10 or more paid holidays per year. Employees accrue paid sick leave pursuant to Company policy which satisfies or exceeds the accrual, carryover, and use requirements of the law.
ITAR REQUIREMENTS:
- To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here.
SpaceX is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with SpaceX is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.
Applicants wishing to view a copy of SpaceX's Affirmative Action Plan for veterans and individuals with disabilities, or applicants requiring reasonable accommodation to the application/interview process should reach out to EEOCompliance@spacex.com.
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Entry Level Kubernetes Engineer Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get an entry level kubernetes engineer job?
Employers hiring at the entry level look for hands-on proof of skill more than years on a resume. Build a portfolio with personal or open-source projects that demonstrate cluster deployment, troubleshooting, and YAML configuration. Certifications like the Certified Kubernetes Administrator give interviewers a concrete signal. Internship experience with container orchestration, even brief, can move your application ahead of candidates who only have coursework.
Which companies hire entry level kubernetes engineers?
Companies hiring entry level kubernetes engineers right now include SpaceX, Invoice Cloud, and ITR, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Hiring at this level comes from a wide range of organizations, including cloud-native startups, large technology companies, and enterprises modernizing their infrastructure.
Are there remote entry level kubernetes engineer jobs?
Yes, though on-site and hybrid openings still make up a share of the market. About 80% of entry level kubernetes engineer openings are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, reflecting strong demand from distributed engineering teams. Filtering by work setting on Migrate Mate lets you see which specific roles match your preference.
Are these new grad kubernetes engineer jobs?
Yes, these listings include new grad, recent graduate, and junior kubernetes engineer roles alongside other entry level postings. A new-grad-friendly posting typically welcomes zero to two years of experience and accepts internships, academic projects, or a portfolio in place of full-time work history. If a listing does not require prior professional experience and mentions training or mentorship, it is generally open to new grads.
Which industries hire the most entry level kubernetes engineers?
Entry Level kubernetes engineer roles concentrate in Technology & Software, Aerospace & Defense, and Consulting & Professional Services, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. These sectors drive hiring at this level because they run large containerized workloads and need engineers who can grow into more complex infrastructure responsibilities over time.