Why GEICO? – A Leader Transforming Insurance Through Technology
GEICO isn’t just a name you recognize from commercials – we are a fast‑growing technology‑driven organization reshaping how insurance is bought, managed, and experienced. With a heritage of more than eight decades of financial stability and a bold vision for digital transformation, GEICO is assembling a world‑class engineering team that will define the future of cloud‑native platforms. As we transition from a traditional IT model to a high‑velocity tech organization, every engineer becomes a catalyst for change, empowered to shape products that protect millions of customers across the United States.
Our commitment to innovation, psychological safety, and continuous improvement creates a workplace where bold ideas are celebrated, failures are seen as learning opportunities, and collaboration is the engine of success. Whether you are at the kitchen table in your home office or at a co‑working hub, you will be part of a community that prizes curiosity, respects work‑life harmony, and rewards technical excellence.
Position Overview – Principal Engineer II (Remote)
We are seeking a seasoned Principal Engineer II with deep expertise in designing, building, and operating large‑scale Infrastructure‑as‑a‑Service (IaaS) platforms. This role sits at the intersection of cloud architecture, container orchestration, and multi‑cloud strategy, leading the technical roadmap for our next‑generation Kubernetes‑based cluster platform. Reporting to the Distinguished Engineer, you will partner with senior engineers, product managers, and security advocates to deliver zero‑downtime, high‑performance services that drive GEICO’s insurance digital transformation.
Key Highlights of the Role
- Remote‑first position with flexible work hours and a supportive home‑office stipend.
- Opportunity to influence the architecture of a platform that serves millions of policyholders.
- Leadership of a cross‑functional team focused on security, reliability, scalability, and cost‑optimization.
- Hands‑on involvement in the full software development lifecycle—from concept to production, including on‑call duty.
Core Responsibilities – Driving Technical Excellence at Scale
As the principal technical voice for the Cluster Management team, you will be accountable for the following:
- Strategic Roadmap Development: Define, prioritize, and execute a multi‑year technical vision for IaaS, container clustering, and Kubernetes‑based services, aligning with business objectives and compliance requirements.
- Architectural Leadership: Design secure, resilient, and observable cluster management solutions that operate across OpenStack private clouds and leading public cloud providers (AWS, Azure, GCP).
- Hands‑On Engineering: Write production‑grade code in Go, Python, or Java; develop Helm charts, operator patterns, and GitOps pipelines using ArgoCD, Flux, or similar tools.
- Performance & Cost Optimization: Conduct deep analysis of resource consumption, network latency, and storage efficiency; implement automation to reduce operational overhead and total cost of ownership.
- Mentorship & Thought Leadership: Coach senior and junior engineers, promote best practices, host tech talks, and contribute to internal knowledge bases.
- Collaboration & Stakeholder Management: Partner with product owners, security teams, and external vendors to translate business needs into technical specifications.
- Observability & Incident Management: Define metrics, alerts, and dashboards using Prometheus, Grafana, and OpenTelemetry; lead on‑call rotations and post‑mortems to drive continuous improvement.
- Compliance & Governance: Ensure platform adheres to industry standards such as SOC‑2, ISO‑27001, and internal security policies, embedding compliance checks into CI/CD pipelines.
- Innovation & Evaluation: Explore emerging technologies (e.g., service mesh, KubeVirt, Cluster API) and assess their fit for GEICO’s strategic roadmap.
Essential Qualifications – The Foundations You Bring
To thrive in this role, candidates must demonstrate the following:
- 8+ years of professional experience in IaaS/PaaS software development, with a focus on Kubernetes and cloud‑native infrastructure.
- 4+ years of contributions to open‑source projects or community‑driven frameworks (e.g., CNCF, OpenStack, Istio).
- 5+ years of architectural design experience for large‑scale, distributed systems.
- Deep expertise in multi‑cluster networking using service mesh technologies such as Istio, Consul, or Envoy.
- Advanced knowledge of observability stacks (Grafana, Prometheus, Loki, OpenTelemetry) and the ability to turn raw metrics into actionable insights.
- Proficiency with container runtimes (Docker, Podman, Rancher) and modern deployment tools (ArgoCD, Flux, Helm, Kustomize).
- Hands‑on experience with Linux kernel internals, system administration, and shell scripting (Bash, Zsh, PowerShell).
- Demonstrated ability to build and maintain CI/CD pipelines that enable GitOps workflows for Kubernetes.
- Working knowledge of public cloud services (AWS, Azure, GCP) and private cloud platforms (OpenStack, VMware).
- Strong grasp of API design, micro‑services patterns, security protocols (OAuth 2.0, SAML, OpenID Connect) and identity management (Active Directory, LDAP).
- Professional experience developing in Go, Python, or Java, with an emphasis on clean, testable code.
- Excellent communication skills – capable of translating complex technical concepts into clear, business‑aligned narratives for both technical and non‑technical audiences.
- Demonstrated leadership experience (minimum 1 year) leading cross‑functional technical teams.
Preferred Qualifications – What Sets You Apart
- Relevant certifications such as CKA (Certified Kubernetes Administrator), CKS (Certified Kubernetes Security Specialist), or OpenStack Certified Administrator.
- Experience with KubeVirt or virtual machine workloads orchestrated by Kubernetes.
- Background in data‑center architecture and familiarity with Azure native services (e.g., Azure Arc, Azure VM Scale Sets).
- Published contributions to technical blogs, conference talks, or patents related to cloud native infrastructure.
- Track record of driving cost‑saving initiatives through resource rightsizing, autoscaling, or spot‑instance strategies.
Technical Skills & Competencies – The Toolbox You’ll Use Daily
- Programming Languages: Go, Python, Java (with a strong emphasis on Go for cloud‑native services).
- Container & Orchestration: Docker, Podman, Rancher, Kubernetes (v1.24+), Helm, Kustomize, Cluster API.
- Service Mesh & Networking: Istio, Consul, Envoy, Cilium, Calico.
- Observability & Monitoring: Prometheus, Grafana, Loki, Jaeger, OpenTelemetry.
- CI/CD & GitOps: ArgoCD, Flux, Jenkins, GitHub Actions, CircleCI.
- Cloud Platforms: OpenStack, AWS (EKS, EC2), Azure (AKS, Azure Stack), Google Cloud Platform (GKE).
- Security & Identity: OAuth 2.0, SAML, OpenID Connect, HashiCorp Vault, Secrets Management.
- Infrastructure Automation: Terraform, Ansible, CloudFormation, Pulumi.
- Operating Systems: Linux (RHEL/CentOS, Ubuntu) deep internals, shell scripting, systemd, networking stack.
- Design Patterns & Architecture: Micro‑services, Event‑driven, Domain‑Driven Design, Resilience Engineering (circuit breakers, retries), CAP theorem.
Leadership, Mentorship & Culture – Building Tomorrow’s Engineers
GEICO believes that great technology is a product of great people. In this capacity, you will:
- Serve as a technical mentor for emerging engineers, guiding them through code reviews, design discussions, and career path planning.
- Facilitate knowledge‑sharing sessions such as brown‑bag lunches, internal meetups, and hackathons.
- Champion a psychologically safe environment where diverse viewpoints are encouraged and constructive feedback is the norm.
- Drive continuous improvement by championing lean processes, retrospectives, and data‑driven decision making.
- Participate in community outreach, representing GEICO at conferences, open‑source summits, and university recruitment events.
Career Growth & Learning Opportunities
At GEICO, your professional development is a strategic priority. As a Principal Engineer II, you will have access to:
- Dedicated budget for certifications, conferences, and advanced courses (e.g., CNCF, Linux Foundation, cloud provider training).
- Structured career ladders that allow you to progress toward Distinguished Engineer, VP of Engineering, or Innovation Lead roles.
- Cross‑functional project rotations that broaden exposure to product management, data science, and security governance.
- Mentorship programs pairing you with senior leaders to accelerate your influence and strategic thinking.
- Access to an internal technical library of whitepapers, case studies, and research collaborations with top universities.
Work Environment & Company Culture
GEICO’s remote‑first ethos is backed by a robust set of tools, policies, and cultural pillars designed to keep you productive and engaged:
- Flexible Hours & Time‑Zone Friendly: Choose core collaboration windows that suit your personal schedule.
- Home Office Stipend: Equipment allowance for ergonomic chairs, monitors, and high‑speed internet.
- Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI): Active employee resource groups (ERGs) and leadership commitment to inclusive hiring.
- Wellness Programs: Virtual yoga, mental‑health days, and access to counseling services.
- Team‑Building Activities: Quarterly virtual happy hours, hackathons, and cross‑team challenges.
Compensation, Perks & Benefits – Your Total Rewards Package
GEICO offers a competitive total compensation package that reflects your expertise and impact:
- Base Salary: $100,000 – $236,500 annually, commensurate with experience, location, and market benchmarks.
- Performance Bonus: Annual incentive tied to individual and company performance targets.
- Equity Opportunities: Stock options or RSUs for long‑term wealth creation.
- Comprehensive Health Coverage: Medical, dental, and vision plans with no waiting period.
- Retirement Savings: 401(k) plan with company match.
- Paid Time Off: Generous vacation, sick, parental, and holiday leave.
- Professional Development: Tuition reimbursement, paid training, and certification support.
- Family Support: Flexible parental leave, child‑care assistance, and employee assistance programs.
- Work‑Life Integration: Remote work flexibility, well‑being resources, and a culture that values balance.
Why Join GEICO Today?
Choosing GEICO means becoming part of a forward‑thinking organization where technology drives real‑world impact. You will:
- Architect platforms that safeguard millions of customers.
- Collaborate with world‑class engineers who are passionate about open‑source and cloud native innovation.
- Enjoy a supportive, inclusive environment that celebrates diversity of thought.
- Accelerate your career with clear pathways, mentorship, and continuous learning.
- Benefit from a robust total rewards package that recognizes both short‑term achievements and long‑term commitment.
Application Process – Take the Next Step
If you are ready to lead the evolution of GEICO’s cloud infrastructure, we want to hear from you. Please submit your updated resume, a cover letter highlighting your most relevant achievements, and any links to open‑source contributions or technical blogs.
Our recruitment team will review your application promptly, and qualified candidates will be contacted for an initial interview. We are committed to an equitable hiring process and will consider sponsorship for qualified applicants who need employment authorization.
Apply now and become a driving force behind GEICO’s digital future.
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