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PHIZENIX · 1 month ago

K3s Network Engineer (K3s Networking & CNI/Multus Specialist)

Hillsboro, OR

Full-time

Onsite

Senior Level

Phizenix is seeking a K3s Network Engineer who will focus on networking for K3s clusters deployed across hybrid architectures. The role involves designing, implementing, and maintaining cluster networking that integrates with external systems, ensuring that application and infrastructure networking is reliable, scalable, and secure.

Information Technology & Services

Responsibilities

Design and implement networking for K3s hybrid clusters with support for multi-interface and multi-network scenarios

Configure, extend, and optimize CNI plugins, with a focus on Multus and Cilium/Calico

Enable workloads to use VLAN-backed networks, SR-IOV, or multiple interfaces when required

Deploy and manage bare-metal load balancers (e.g., MetalLB, BGP) for reliable service exposure

Develop custom Kubernetes controllers/operators to manage networking resources declaratively (e.g., IP pools, VLAN assignments, DNS records)

Automate network provisioning and reconciliation logic across hybrid environments

Ensure CRDs and controllers integrate cleanly with GitOps pipelines and declarative workflows

Integrate cluster networking with upstream DNS servers for service discovery and external resolution

Manage IP address allocation across nodes, pods, and external interfaces

Implement IPAM solutions that handle hybrid hardware and multi-tenant use cases

Bridge cluster networking with underlay/overlay networks (e.g., VLANs, BGP)

Ensure external VLANs can be safely consumed by workloads within K3s

Work with hardware teams on NIC configuration and firmware support for consistent network naming

Implement network policies, encryption, and isolation across multiple CNIs

Integrate monitoring and observability for networking (e.g., Cilium Hubble, Prometheus metrics, custom metrics from controllers)

Validate that network paths comply with security and compliance requirements

Work closely with DevOps, SRE, and Hardware teams to align networking design with PaaS requirements

Document networking architecture, CRDs, controllers, and operational runbooks

Provide knowledge transfer to internal teams on advanced networking with Multus, VLANs, and bare-metal load balancers

Qualification

Kubernetes/K3s networkingMultus CNICiliumCalicoBare-metal load balancersKubernetes controllers/operators in GoIP address managementVLAN configurationLinux networkingDebugging skillsSecurity expertise