Kubernetes Engineer: Career Path

The Kubernetes Engineer role is pivotal in managing and orchestrating containerized applications at scale using Kubernetes. This position requires expertise in deploying, scaling, and troubleshooting applications within Kubernetes clusters, ensuring high availability and resilience.

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What does the Kubernetes Engineer career path entail?

Pursuing a career as a Kubernetes Engineer offers a unique opportunity to work with cutting-edge technology that is transforming the way applications are deployed and managed. With the increasing adoption of cloud-native architectures, the demand for skilled Kubernetes professionals is on the rise, offering job security and a plethora of opportunities for career growth. Kubernetes Engineers play a critical role in optimizing resource utilization, improving application performance, and enabling agile development practices. This career path is ideal for those who enjoy problem-solving and have a passion for automation and cloud technologies. Additionally, being a Kubernetes Engineer provides the chance to collaborate with cross-functional teams, enhancing both technical and soft skills. As organizations continue to transition to cloud-native infrastructures, Kubernetes expertise is becoming increasingly valuable.

Best books to explore the Kubernetes career path.

A well-written and thorough book can be an amazing path to build deeper understanding and also act as a handbook as you discover the internet's vast resources.

These are our and our experts top picks to get started building career-relevant skills.

The Kubernetes Book

2024 edition. Fully updated for Kubernetes v1.29. Brand new chapter covering WebAssembly on Kubernetes.The Kubernetes Book, by Nigel Poulton, renowned author and video trainer, is up to date with the ...

Kubernetes: Up and Running: Dive Into the Future of Infrastructure

In just five years, Kubernetes has radically changed the way developers and ops personnel build, deploy, and maintain applications in the cloud. ...

Cloud Native DevOps with Kubernetes: Building, Deploying, and Scaling Modern Applications in the Cloud

Kubernetes has become the operating system of today's cloud native world, providing a reliable and scalable platform for running containerized workloads. In this friendly, pragmatic book, cloud experts Justin Domingus and John Arundel show you what Kubernetes can do-and what you can do with it. ...

Kubernetes in Action

SummaryKubernetes in Action is a comprehensive guide to effectively developing and running applications in a Kubernetes environment. ...

Kubernetes Cookbook: Building Cloud Native Applications

If your organization is preparing to move toward a cloud-native computing architecture, this cookbook shows you how to successfully use Kubernetes, the de-facto standard for automating the deployment, scaling, and management of containerized applications. ...

Production Kubernetes

Kubernetes has become the dominant container orchestrator, but many organizations that have recently adopted this system are still struggling to run actual production workloads. ...

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Courses to deepen your Kubernetes skills.

These days, courses are no longer a sequence of videos. They are usually accompanied by projects and a learning community, keeping you accountable and on the path.

Our experts recommend these courses, from free selections to paid programs.

Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) with Practice Tests

Prepare for the Certified Kubernetes Administrators Certification with live practice tests right in your browser - CKA

Docker Mastery: with Kubernetes +Swarm from a Docker Captain

Build, test, deploy containers with the best mega-course on Docker, Kubernetes, Compose, GitHub Actions CI using DevOps

Learn DevOps: The Complete Kubernetes Course

Kubernetes will run and manage your containerized applications. Learn how to build, deploy, use, and maintain Kubernetes

Kubernetes Hands-On - Deploy Microservices to the AWS Cloud

Use Kubernetes to deploy a Microservice architecture. You'll deploy, manage and monitor a live Kubernetes cluster.

Get help with your learning journey

Learning through online courses can be challenging. Get 1:1 guidance from an experienced mentor who can help you stay accountable and answer your questions along the way.

Architecting with Google Kubernetes Engine Specialization

The Architecting with Google Kubernetes Engine specialization will teach you how to implement solutions using Google Kubernetes Engine, or GKE, including building, scheduling, load balancing, and monitoring workloads, as well as providing for discovery of services, managing role-based access contro…

Certified Kubernetes Application Developer

The Certified Kubernetes Application Developer exam certifies that users can design, build, configure, and expose cloud native applications for Kubernetes. Exam Details This exam is an online, proctored, performance-based test that consists of a set of performance-based tasks (problems) to be solve…

Top Kubernetes Certifications

Understanding all core concepts of Kubernetes is key to claiming your next certificate. If you need help brushing up on your skills, consider reaching out to one of our mentors.

Certified Kubernetes Security Specialist (CKS) program by the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) certification

Hosted by firebrand.training

On this accelerated Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) Certified Kubernetes Security Specialist (CKS) course, in collaboration with The Linux Foundation, you’ll build the knowledge and skills needed to maintain the security of Kubernetes platforms during build, deployment and runtime.

Kubernetes Certification Coaching

Hosted by mentorcruise.com

Consider reaching out to a coach specialized in Kubernetes certifications. They can help you prepare for your exam, and provide you with the necessary resources to succeed. MentorCruise is the best place to find a coach for your Kubernetes certification. Here are a few top picks:

Kubernetes Cluster Management Certification

Hosted by intellipaat.com

This Kubernetes Cluster Management training is curated by our experts, and it provides 24/7 access to an online learning support team. You will learn topics such as bundles, cluster registration, helm, etc., all through real-time industry-based projects. Enroll today to become a certified Fleet …

CERTIFIED KUBERNETES ADMINISTRATOR (CKA)

Hosted by cncf.io

The Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) program was created by the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF), in collaboration with The Linux Foundation, to help develop the Kubernetes ecosystem.

Prices start at $395.

Certified Kubernetes Security Specialists (CKS)

Hosted by pluralsight.com

The Certified Kubernetes Security Specialist (CKS) exam is a way for you to demonstrate your ability to manage, configure, and use a secure Kubernetes environment. This course will cover all of the topics and practical, hands-on skills you will need to be familiar with in order to become a knowl…

Kubernetes and Cloud Native Associate (KCNA) certification

Hosted by training.linuxfoundation.org

The Kubernetes and Cloud Native Associate (KCNA) exam demonstrates a user’s foundational knowledge and skills in Kubernetes and the wider cloud native ecosystem.

Prices start at $250.

Kubernetes Workshop

Hosted by mentorcruise.com

Consider joining a workshop specialized in Kubernetes. Workshops are a great way to learn new skills, and get hands-on experience. MentorCruise is the best place to find a workshop for your Kubernetes certification. Here are a few top picks:

Kubernetes and Cloud Native Security Associate (KCSA) Certification

Hosted by career.merrimack.edu

The Kubernetes and Cloud Native Security Associate (KCSA), one of the newest Linux Foundation certifications, allows beginners to validate their “understanding of the baseline security configuration of Kubernetes clusters to meet compliance objectives.” If you’re preparing for the KCSA exam—or j…

Get the guidance you need on the Kubernetes Engineer career path

There is no better source of accountability and motivation than having a personal mentor. What used to be impossible to find is now just two clicks away! All mentors are vetted & hands-on!

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Hello everyone! My name is Dimitris and I am a Cyber Security Specialist. My experience lies within most security domains ranging from SecOps to Penetration Testing to DevSecOps to GRC in military organizations, media, tech, and aviation. I tried harder and got an OSCP and my current focus is on …

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I help to learn how to use the cloud, run kubernetes clusters, monitor things with prometheus and family, code simple tools for cloud (simple python, simple go), create helm charts. Get ready to creating things from scratch from coding to packaging into docker to writing k8s manifests to creating helm …

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Sourav is a Senior Software Developer at IBM Research Lab. He is working as a Full-Stack Developer in building highly scalable, resilient distributed systems. Sourav will help you with preparing coding interviews and system Design for FAANG and other top product companies Have been passionately solving Leetcode, HackerRank, Codechef, Codeforces, …

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Akram RIAHI is a Site Reliability Engineer (SRE) with an interest in all things Cloud Native. He is passionate about kubernetes resilience and chaos engineering at scale and is Litmus Chaos leader. A curator of quality tech content, he is the author of several blog posts and organizer of the …

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Passionate about the transformative power of AI, I help top-level executives and high-tech leaders accelerate their cloud-based AI/ML and Generative AI initiatives. With 10+ years of experience across diverse industries, including roles at Google, AWS, DataScientest, Devoteam, and Capgemini, I bring a unique blend of technical expertise and strategic vision …

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I am a full stack JavaScript enthusiast. I have effective communication skills that help me break down difficult concepts for others to understand. Both our time is valuable and I will work hard to make sure we use each other's time effectively.

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Growing into a Senior Kubernetes Engineer role pays off – $30,000 up to per year.

Not only is the progression from individual Kubernetes Engineer to a Senior role a natural progression, it also makes all the difference in your average salary.

On a global average, Senior Kubernetes Engineer receive a $30,000 salary hike over entry-level Kubernetes Engineers when they go from individual contributor to senior personnel.

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Related career paths

If you like Kubernetes careers, you might also be interested in these other career paths.

Get the help you need & advance your career

A career as a Kubernetes Engineer offers a rewarding path in the rapidly evolving field of cloud-native technologies. With opportunities to work on exciting projects and the potential for professional growth, this role is ideal for those passionate about innovation and technology. As Kubernetes continues to shape the future of application deployment, skilled engineers are at the forefront of this transformation.