Principal DevOps Engineer

Job Description

Job Description

Principal DevOps Engineer

Job ID: PRIN-DSO-SWENG-CU-1534112

Position Type: Full-Time

Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado. This position is not remote.

Travel:

• Expect up to 3 international trips per year, 2-3 weeks each, with company-paid airfare, lodging, and per-diem.
• Must hold (or be able to obtain) a U.S. passport valid for 6+ months past each trip.

Salary Range: In compliance with Colorado's Equal Pay for Equal Work Act, the salary range for this role is $150,000 - $205,000. Final compensation for this role will be determined by various factors such as a candidate's relevant work, skills, certifications, and geographic location.

Employment Benefits: Bluestaq offers a wide range of competitive benefits, including Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, Disability Insurance, Paid Leave, and 401k. For more information regarding Bluestaq benefits, please visit https://www.bluestaq.com/benefits.

Where Innovation Powers Impact

Ready to turn your expertise into impact? Welcome to Bluestaq.

About Bluestaq

At Bluestaq, we're not just another tech company-we're a mission-driven team of innovators, problem-solvers, and trailblazers. Whether supporting space exploration, defense systems, global alliances, government initiatives, healthcare advancements, or commercial breakthroughs, our work spans industries that shape the future. Founded in 2018, Bluestaq has quickly become a leader in enterprise software and secure data management. Our name? A nod to our roots-"blue" (military shorthand for the good guys) and "staq" (as in software stack).

Recognized Excellence

We don't just talk about excellence - we deliver it. Bluestaq has earned national recognition as one of Inc. Magazine's Fastest-Growing Private Companies and is consistently ranked among Colorado's Best Workplaces. Whether we're supporting national security, enabling healthcare advancements, or driving commercial innovation, we're committed to building data management solutions that matter.

Why Colorado Springs?

• Tech Talent Hotspot - Ranked #2 up-and-coming tech market in North America by CBRE (2024).
• Top Place to Live - Named #3 Best Place to Live in the U.S. and Most Desirable City overall by U.S. News (2024-25).
• Neighborly Spirit - Recognized as America's Most Neighborly City (2024) for community engagement and quality of life.
• Active Lifestyle Hub - Top 5 for hiking and fitness, blending outdoor recreation and wellness (2022).
• Pet-Friendly Leader - Ranked #1 Most Pet-Friendly City in the U.S. (2023) for furry, scaly, and feathery friends.
• Women's Workforce Haven - Ranked #6 Best City for Women in the Workforce by Checkr (2025), highlighting earning potential and female leadership opportunities.

With 300 days of sunshine and the Rocky Mountains as your backdrop, Colorado Springs offers the perfect mix of urban energy and outdoor adventure.

Join the Mission

Ready to push boundaries with tech that transforms industries? At Bluestaq, we engineer secure, scalable data ecosystems for space, defense, healthcare, and beyond. Join us to tackle mission-critical challenges, protect the world's most valuable data, and build what's next. Let's make extraordinary possible - together.

Position Description

We are seeking a Principal DevOps Engineer focused on Kubernetes Development to join our rapidly growing engineering community. As a Kubernetes Developer, you are embarking on your software development career, with opportunities to design, develop, and manage containerized applications deployed on Kubernetes clusters. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in container orchestration and DevSecOps practices and will play a key role in building scalable, reliable, and secure applications.

Position Description

Are you a passionate developer ready to build the next generation of containerized applications? We're looking for a Software Engineer - Kubernetes Development to join our fast-growing engineering community. You'll have the chance to design and manage cutting-edge Kubernetes-based solutions that redefine scalability, reliability, and security. If you thrive in a fast-paced, cloud-native world and want to make an impact, this role is for you.

Why This Role Matters

At the heart of modern innovation is Kubernetes, and you'll be the mastermind behind leveraging it to power transformative solutions. From containerizing complex applications to crafting bulletproof CI/CD pipelines, your contributions will make our systems seamless, secure, and unstoppable. Join a team where your work truly matters-and where you'll stay at the forefront of technology while solving real-world challenges.

Key Responsibilities:

Your days will be filled with exciting challenges as you:

• Design, develop, and maintain powerful applications running on Kubernetes clusters.
• Bring apps to life in containers using Docker, optimizing for performance and portability.
• Manage and troubleshoot Kubernetes clusters, ensuring they hum with high availability and scalability.
• Build and refine automated CI/CD pipelines with tools like Jenkins, GitLab CI, and Bitbucket.
• Implement top-notch monitoring, logging, and alerting solutions to ensure everything runs smoothly.
• Partner with DevSecOps teammates and development team to deliver flawless application deployments.
• Weave security best practices into the Kubernetes environment, safeguarding applications and sensitive data.
• Create clear, actionable technical documentation to guide deployment, architecture, and troubleshooting.
• Continuously enhance performance, reliability, and scalability across applications and systems.
• Embrace the latest trends in Kubernetes, cloud-native development, and DevSecOps to keep us on the cutting edge.

Qualifications:

• You know Kubernetes inside and out, from Helm and Kustomize to the Kubernetes API.
• You've worked with AWS, GCP, or Azure, and their managed Kubernetes services (EKS, GKE, AKS).
• Proficient in Go, Python, or Java, and familiar with tools like Maven, Gradle, and Quarkus.
• You live and breathe Docker and understand the ins and outs of containerization.
• Hands-on experience with CI/CD tools and Git workflows.
• You're fluent in Kubernetes networking, including service meshes like Istio, ingress controllers, and DNS.
• Analytical, detail-oriented, and unshakably calm in the face of complex challenges.
• Exceptional communication skills and a collaborative mindset.
• Partner daily with distributed teams, bridging time-zone gaps to drive architectural decisions.
• Must be available 3 p.m.-6 p.m. Mountain Time, Monday-Thursday, for live collaboration with international partners; remaining schedule is flexible within standard Bluestaq core business hours.

Bonus Points For:

• Experience with big data tools like Hadoop, Spark, or Amazon EMR.
• Familiarity with ML/AI graph analytics or visualization tools.
• Hands-on expertise with healthcare-specific systems (e.g., Epic, Cerner, HL7).
• Experience working in Agile teams.

Why Join Us?

• Purpose-Driven Work: Support systems that power industries and critical operations, including healthcare and defense.
• Continuous Growth: Expand your technical expertise with hands-on projects and mentorship.
• Dynamic Environment: Be part of a team that thrives on problem-solving, learning, and collaboration.
• Ready to make an impact? Apply today and help shape the future of data management in healthcare, defense, and beyond!
• Your Impact Starts Here. Are you ready to build secure, scalable, and high-performing data systems? Join Bluestaq and help drive innovation in data engineering. Apply today and be part of a mission that matters.

Required Education: 12+ years of software development with a Bachelor of Science degree OR Associate degree with 2 additional years beyond the minimum required may be substituted in lieu of a degree OR a High School Diploma with 4 additional years beyond the minimum required may be substituted in lieu of a degree.

Date the Position Closes: Applications will be accepted until Monday, August 25, 2025, or until the position is filled, whichever comes first.

Clearance Requirement: This position requires the ability to obtain a TS/SCI Clearance. To be eligible for a security clearance, US Citizenship is required, and an employee must agree to participate in a background screen and credit check.

Relocation: This position does not offer relocation. Candidates must live in the immediate area or relocate at their own expense.

Bluestaq is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We prohibit unlawful discrimination against applicants or employees on the basis age 40 and over, color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, military or veteran status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or any other status protected by state or local law.

Bluestaq will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities and employees whose work requirements interfere with a religious belief unless doing so would result in an undue hardship to Bluestaq or a direct threat. Employees needing such accommodation are instructed to contact Human Resources immediately at contact.us@bluestaq.com.