Staff Systems Engineer (f/m/)

As a Staff Systems Engineer at our company, you will lead the design, development, and optimization of the Pharia AI stack, handle the deployment of Kubernetes clusters, and drive improvements in our CI/CD pipelines. You'll also mentor engineers, guide architectural decisions, and ensure that our infrastructure meets high standards of security and availability.

To qualify for the Staff Systems Engineer position at our company, you should have extensive experience with Kubernetes in production environments, proficiency in CI/CD tools such as Helm and Terraform, and strong programming skills, preferably in Rust or Go. Moreover, prior mentoring experience and a solid understanding of infrastructure best practices are crucial.

The Staff Systems Engineer plays a critical role in advancing our AI solutions by optimizing the underlying infrastructure. This includes ensuring high availability of services, secure deployments, and compliance with best practices, which are all essential for delivering robust AI-powered products to our customers.

Our company is committed to personal and professional development for a Staff Systems Engineer through various opportunities such as mentoring programs, access to fitness and wellness offerings, and a budget for additional technical equipment. We believe in fostering a culture of learning and innovation so our engineers can thrive.

A Staff Systems Engineer in our company can expect a dynamic work culture that encourages collaboration, innovation, and flexibility. With options for hybrid working, a commitment to mental health support, and a variety of team activities, we prioritize both professional growth and work-life balance.

When answering this question, focus on specific projects where you've designed or maintained Kubernetes clusters. Discuss your approach to ensuring high availability and security within those clusters, and highlight any relevant tools you used like Helm or Terraform.

Explain your experience with CI/CD tools and processes, emphasizing automation and efficiency. Include examples of improvements you've made in previous roles and how those contributed to faster deployments and reduced errors.

Detail your process for setting and enforcing best practices within your team. Discuss conducting audits, reviews, or training sessions that you've implemented to instill a culture of security and reliability.

Share your philosophy on mentoring and provide examples of how you have successfully guided junior engineers. Highlight techniques such as pair programming, code reviews, and fostering collaborative discussions.

Think of a particular project where you led automation initiatives. Discuss the challenges you faced, the automated solutions you implemented, and the positive impact on the team's productivity and deployment times.

Describe your method for prioritizing tasks, such as using agile methodologies or tools for tracking project progress. Emphasize the importance of communication with your team to manage expectations and maintain focus.

Discuss the importance of collaborating with product and development teams to align infrastructure goals with business objectives. Provide examples of how such collaboration can lead to successful project outcomes.

Share specific tools or frameworks you've worked with in developing Kubernetes Operators. Explain the challenges encountered and how you overcame them, showcasing your problem-solving abilities.

Select a project where you played a significant role in designing system architecture. Discuss the components involved, your design decisions, and how it supported the overall functionality and scalability of the system.

Describe your commitment to continuous learning by mentioning sources such as blogs, webinars, or conferences that keep you informed. Emphasize how this knowledge influences your work and contributions as a Staff Systems Engineer.