DaySmart’s Platform team builds the DaySmart Developer Platform — an internal developer portal and platform that makes it fast and safe for our product teams to build and run services. We enable teams to ship reliably by providing self-service onboarding, policy, and automation across our Kubernetes and cloud environments. We move quickly, prioritize developer experience, and take operational ownership of the systems we run.

Position

We are looking for a Senior Software Engineer, Platform (Developer Portal & Kubernetes Controllers). This hands-on role focuses on designing, building, and operating platform features for the DaySmart Developer Platform, implementing Kubernetes controllers/operators, and delivering Platform Interfaces (CLI, API, SDK) following CNCF definitions and best practices.

Responsibilities

• Design, implement, test, and operate Kubernetes controllers/operators (CRD design, controller-runtime or Operator SDK).
• Build and evolve Developer Platform features (service onboarding, self-service provisioning, policy enforcement, internal catalogs).
• Design and implement Platform Interfaces: CLI tools for developer workflows, APIs (REST or gRPC) with OpenAPI/gRPC specs, SDKs (Go / TypeScript / Python) for programmatic access.
• Integrate platform components with GitOps workflows (ArgoCD/Flux), CI/CD pipelines, and IaC (Terraform, Crossplane).
• Ensure platform observability, metrics, logging, and tracing (Prometheus, Grafana, OpenTelemetry).
• Ship secure, well-tested code: unit/integration tests, E2E controller tests, and CI automation.
• Collaborate with Product, Security, SRE, and application teams to collect requirements and iterate on developer UX.
• Document platform interfaces, onboarding guides, runbooks, and operational procedures.
• Mentor engineers, conduct thorough code reviews, and contribute to platform roadmap and architecture.
• Participate in a shared on-call rotation to ensure platform reliability, respond to incidents, and support product teams.

Requirements

• Degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related field; or equivalent practical experience.
• 4+ years professional software engineering experience (backend, distributed systems, or platform engineering).
• 2+ years designing and implementing Kubernetes controllers/operators (CRD design, controller-runtime or Operator SDK).
• 2+ years production experience with Go (or a comparable systems language); comfortable writing idiomatic, testable Go.
• Hands-on experience building at least one of: CLI, API, or SDK for internal or external developers.
• Strong knowledge of containers, Docker, Kubernetes architecture, RBAC, and ecosystem tooling (Helm, Kustomize).
• Experience with CI/CD pipelines and Git-based workflows; familiarity with GitOps principles.
• Solid API design skills (OpenAPI, REST or gRPC) and experience publishing/maintaining SDKs.
• Good observability and debugging skills (metrics, logs, traces) and experience operating production services.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills; experience working cross-functionally and supporting product teams in production.

Preferred

• Experience building or contributing to an Internal Developer Portal (e.g., Backstage or custom portals).
• Familiarity with CNCF projects relevant to platform interfaces (Crossplane, ArgoCD, Flux, Envoy, OpenTelemetry).
• Experience with TypeScript or Python SDKs and Node.js ecosystems.
• Experience with cloud provider APIs and managed Kubernetes (EKS/GKE/AKS).
• Familiarity with policy-as-code (OPA/Gatekeeper) and supply-chain/security tooling (Sigstore, SLSA).
• Experience with Terraform, Crossplane, or other provisioning tools for multi-cloud control planes.
• Prior experience on developer experience, platform, or developer productivity teams.

The salary for this role is $135,000 - $145,000 per year. Pay is based on several factors including but not limited to education, work experience, certifications, internal equity, etc.

What We Offer

• Competitive salary and benefits including medical, dental, vision, HSA, FSA, and more!
• 401k plan with company match on your contributions.
• Open PTO and a generous paid holiday schedule.
• Supportive work environment with the flexibility to work where/how you want – in-office, remote, or hybrid.
• Opportunities to ensure you are always learning and growing.

How You Will Work

This position is Remote (U.S. based only). You’ll work closely with cross-functional teams across product, security, and SRE to design and operate platform services.The role includes participation in a shared on-call rotation; candidates should be comfortable responding to incidents and contributing to post-incident remediation. We support flexible schedules to balance deep work and collaboration across time zones. Our other office locations:-

• Ann Arbor, MI
• Scottsdale, AZ
• Wayne, PA

Many DaySmart employees primarily work from home, and our teams are structured to operate efficiently in a distributed environment. While we don’t always share a physical office, we work together closely through remote collaboration practices.

We maintain a highly collaborative culture and expect all employees to actively participate in meetings, discussions, and team interactions. This includes joining scheduled video calls with cameras on, contributing to conversations, and being fully present.

We believe that strong communication and visual connection are essential to maintaining alignment, accountability, and trust across our teams. At DaySmart, working remotely comes with the responsibility to show up, engage, and collaborate with intention.

Your safety is important to us!

We’ve recently identified an increase in fraudulent activity targeting individuals who have applied to positions at DaySmart. Please note that any legitimate communication regarding your application will come either from an official DaySmart email address (ending in @daysmart.com) or directly through our Applicant Tracking System.

Please refer to DaySmart Privacy Policy to learn more about how we are committed to respecting your privacy and the security of your personal information.

DaySmart is committed to creating a diverse employee environment and is a proud equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, or veteran status.