Principal Software Engineer - API Server (OpenShift)

About the Job

APIs are at the core of both Kubernetes and Red Hat OpenShift. We’re expanding our control plane engineering team, which builds and maintains the foundation of Kubernetes API machinery—upstream and within the OpenShift product. If technologies like CustomResourceDefinitions, kube‑apiserver, admission, aggregation, garbage collection, priority & fairness, or server‑side apply get you excited, you’ll fit right in.

As a Principal OpenShift Engineer, you will be part of one of the industry’s leading Kubernetes teams. You’ll help shape major features in the upstream community while ensuring the Kubernetes core of OpenShift remains stable, scalable, and production‑ready.

 

What you’ll do

• Create and guide new feature development; contribute to high profile and strategic open source projects in Kubernetes SIGs

• Create/submit patches for bug fixes and review patches from other contributors

• Continuously test your component/code on all levels and continuously improve our CI system

• Provide support for your component/code in production for internal and external customers.

• Improve current solutions and workflows; prefer appropriately simple, repeatable solutions over more complex and failure-prone ones

• Communicate and work effectively with all levels of associates including senior management

• Document and demonstrate solutions by developing documentation, diagrams, code comments, and clear code where necessary

• Collaborate with other engineers across the Red Hat OpenShift engineering team and work alongside members of the Documentation, Support, and Quality Engineering (QE) teams

What you’ll bring

• 8+ years of experience in a software engineering role

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or a related technical field, or equivalent practical experience

• Experience with Linux operating systems

• 8+ years of experience writing code in either Go, Java, C/C++ or equivalent

• Good written and verbal communication skills in English

• Problem-solving and troubleshooting skills including performing root cause analysis

The following are considered a plus:

• Experience designing and implementing REST APIs

• Solid understanding of the Kubernetes API Server, Control Plane components, and architecture

• Experience working with Red Hat OpenShift

• Knowledge of Distributed Systems

• Record of contributing to an open source project or community including Kubernetes special interest groups (SIGs)

• Graduate of computer science or software engineering or equivalent work experience

• Presentations skills and public speaking skills for conferences and demos

• Enjoys solving challenging problems and working with emerging technologies

#LI-EK1

The salary range for this position is $148,540.00 - $245,050.00. Actual offer will be based on your qualifications.

Pay Transparency

Red Hat determines compensation based on several factors including but not limited to job location, experience, applicable skills and training, external market value, and internal pay equity. Annual salary is one component of Red Hat’s compensation package. This position may also be eligible for bonus, commission, and/or equity. For positions with Remote-US locations, the actual salary range for the position may differ based on location but will be commensurate with job duties and relevant work experience. 

About Red Hat

Red Hat is the world’s leading provider of enterprise open source software solutions, using a community-powered approach to deliver high-performing Linux, cloud, container, and Kubernetes technologies. Spread across 40+ countries, our associates work flexibly across work environments, from in-office, to office-flex, to fully remote, depending on the requirements of their role. Red Hatters are encouraged to bring their best ideas, no matter their title or tenure. We're a leader in open source because of our open and inclusive environment. We hire creative, passionate people r