Principal Site Reliability Engineer

We engage the most inspired minds to do their best work wherever they work best—powering the freedom to create worldwide.

WP Engine empowers companies and agencies of all sizes to build, power, manage, and optimize their WordPress websites and applications with confidence. Serving 1.5 million customers across 150+ countries, the global technology company provides premium, enterprise-grade solutions, tools, and services, including specialized platforms for WordPress, industry-tailored eCommerce and agency solution suites, and developer-centric tools like Local, Advanced Custom Fields, and more. WP Engine’s innovative technology and industry-leading expertise are why 8% of the web visits a WP Engine-powered site daily. Learn more at wpengine.com.

We are seeking a highly experienced and technically proficient Principal Site Reliability Engineer to join our dynamic team. In this pivotal role, you will be responsible for designing, implementing, and maintaining our critical cloud infrastructure, ensuring scalability, reliability, and performance at an enterprise level. You will leverage your deep expertise in Kubernetes, Linux, networking, and operational best practices to build robust systems and provide exceptional support for our core platforms.

Key Responsibilities:

• Kubernetes Configuration and Management (at scale):

  • Design, deploy, and manage highly available and scalable Kubernetes clusters in a production environment.

  • Implement and maintain Kubernetes networking, storage, security policies, and resource management.

  • Optimize Kubernetes workloads for performance, cost-efficiency, and fault tolerance.

  • Troubleshoot complex Kubernetes issues, including pod scheduling, networking, and application performance.

  • Develop and implement GitOps workflows for Kubernetes configuration management.

• Linux Configuration and Management (at scale):

  • Administer and maintain large-scale Linux environments (e.g., Red Hat, Ubuntu, CentOS) across various cloud providers.

  • Automate Linux system provisioning, configuration, and patching using tools like Ansible, Puppet, or Chef.

  • Ensure system security, performance tuning, and resource optimization for Linux instances.

  • Perform root cause analysis for Linux-related issues and implement effective solutions.

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• Cloud and TCP/IP Networking:

  • Design, configure, and manage cloud network architectures (VPCs/VNets, subnets, routing tables, security groups, NACLs, VPNs, direct connect/interconnects).

  • Deep understanding of TCP/IP protocols, routing, and network troubleshooting in a cloud context.

  • Implement and manage load balancers, firewalls, and other network security devices.

  • Optimize network performance and ensure reliable connectivity for cloud services.

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• DNS Configuration and Management:

  • Administer and manage DNS services (e.g., AWS Route 53, Google Cloud DNS, Azure DNS) for critical applications.

  • Implement advanced DNS configurations, including CNAMEs, A records, MX records, SPF, and DKIM.

  • Troubleshoot DNS resolution issues and ensure high availability of DNS services.

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• Deep Operations Expertise (Event Generation, Collection, Analysis, and Alerting):

  • Design, implement, and maintain comprehensive monitoring and logging solutions for cloud infrastructure and applications.

  • Configure and optimize event generation from various sources (Kubernetes, Linux, cloud services).

  • Develop and manage centralized log collection and analysis platforms (e.g., ELK Stack, Splunk, Prometheus/Grafana).

  • Define and implement actionable alerting strategies to ensure timely incident detection and response.

  • Participate in on-call rotations and provide expert-level support for production incidents, performing thorough post-mortems and implementing preventative measures.

  • Develop and maintain runbooks and operational procedures.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.

• 7+ years of hands-on experience as a Cloud Engineer, DevOps Engineer, or SRE with a strong focus on infrastructure.

• Proven experience deploying and managing Kubernetes clusters in production environments at scale.

• Extensive experience with Linux system administration, configuration, and automation.

• Solid understanding of cloud computing principles and experience with at least one major cloud provider (AWS, GCP, Azure).

• Solid understanding of SRE principles and practices, including common pitfalls.

• Deep knowledge of TCP/IP networking, including routing, firewalls, and load balancing.

• Expertise in DNS configuration and management.

• Demonstrated experience with monitoring, logging, and alerting tools and best practices.

• Proficiency in scripting languages (e.g., Python, Bash, Go).

• Experience with Infrastructure as Code (IaC) tools (e.g., Terraform, CloudFormation, Pulumi).

Added Bonus:

• Certifications in relevant cloud platforms (e.g., Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA), AWS Certified Solutions Architect, Google Cloud Professional Cloud Architect).

• Experience with CI/CD pipelines and tools (e.g., GitLab CI, Jenkins, Argo CD).

• Familiarity with containerization technologies beyond Kubernetes (e.g., Docker).

• Experience with service mesh technologies (e.g., Istio, Linkerd).

• Experience with CDNs, and specifically Cloudflare, including its WAF.

• Knowledge of database systems (SQL and NoSQL).

• Knowledge of web-layer technologies, including WordPress, PHP, Apache, and nginx.

Perks & Benefits:

• Company Stock Options (All employees have ownership in the company).

• Comprehensive Health Benefits (100% Employer-Paid Medical, Dental, and Vision).

• Pension Scheme with Employer Matching.

• Life Insurance and Income Protection (Fully Covered).

• Supplementary Maternity & Paternity Pay and Caregiver’s Leave.

• Employee Assistance Program.

• Generous Vacation Policy.

• Home Office Stipend.

• Four Company Wellness Days annually.

• Continuous learning opportunities via LinkedIn Learning, Workday Learning, and a dedicated Career Growth Portal.

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We believe that compensation should be reflective of the impact you have within the organization relative to the market value of your role. The estimated base salary range for this position is as listed above. Some roles may also be eligible for overtime pay. Our salary ranges are determined by job role and responsibilities and level. The range displayed on each job posting reflects the minimum and maximum target for salaries for the position nationwide. The actual base pay will vary based on various factors including job-related skills and individual qualifications objectively assessed during the interview process. Your talent acquisition partner can share more about the total rewards package at WP Engine including any additional total rewards components such as equity, variable pay plans (if applicable), and benefits during the hiring process.