Kubernetes / Cloud-Native Engineer
Operate Kubernetes clusters and build cloud-native application infrastructure
Job titles
Kubernetes Engineer, Platform Engineer +
UK salary range
£60,000–£95,000
US salary range
$100,000–$155,000
Time to first role
1–2 years (requires containers and Linux baseline)
About this role
Kubernetes engineers deploy, operate, and troubleshoot containerised workloads on Kubernetes. The role spans platform engineering, SRE, and cloud-native development — and has become a distinct specialisation as Kubernetes adoption in enterprise accelerates.
Key skills employers look for
Certification roadmap
Foundation
Cloud + Linux baseline before Kubernetes
CLF-C02AWS Cloud Practitioner
Kubernetes usually runs on cloud infrastructure. A cloud foundation prevents you from being blocked by unfamiliar IAM, VPC, or networking concepts when studying CKA.
LFCSLinux Foundation Certified SysAdmin
Kubernetes runs on Linux. LFCS proves hands-on Linux administration skills (processes, networking, storage, systemd) that Kubernetes operators need daily.
Kubernetes Core
The CNCF cert stack — industry standard for Kubernetes roles
CKADCertified Kubernetes Application Developer
Workload deployment, configuration, networking, and troubleshooting from an application perspective. Good starting point before CKA.
CKACertified Kubernetes Administrator
Cluster setup, control plane, networking (CNI), storage (CSI), RBAC, and troubleshooting. The core cert for platform engineers and SREs responsible for running Kubernetes in production.
CKSCertified Kubernetes Security Specialist
Cluster hardening, pod security, supply chain security, and runtime threat detection. Requires CKA as prerequisite. Increasingly required for security-sensitive Kubernetes roles.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need Docker experience before CKA?
Yes — you need to understand container images, layers, and basic Docker commands. Kubernetes abstracts away Docker at the runtime level but the mental model of containers (images, registries, resource limits) is assumed knowledge in the CKA exam.
Key terms for this career path
These concepts underpin the certifications in this roadmap and appear regularly in exam questions.
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