SC Cleared Red Hat OpenShift Platform SME (Security-Focused), Outside IR35

We are urgently seeking a highly experienced SC Cleared Red Hat OpenShift Platform SME with deep hands-on expertise in building, configuring, securing, and operating OpenShift environments.

This role is not application-facing - it is a platform, infrastructure, and security-focused position, requiring someone who truly understands how OpenShift is built under the HOOD and how security must be applied in regulated environments.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, build, and configure Red Hat OpenShift (OCP 4.x) platforms from the ground up

• Implement secure-by-design OpenShift architectures, aligned to defence/regulated standards

• Apply and manage cluster-level security controls, including:

  • RBAC, SCCs, Network Policies

  • Authentication & identity integration

  • Image security, registry controls, and policy enforcement

• Support air-gapped or restricted environments, including image mirroring and upgrade strategies

• Perform Day-2 OpenShift operations:

  • Logging, monitoring, GitOps, secrets management

  • Cluster upgrades and life cycle management

• Work closely with security, infrastructure, and programme teams to ensure compliance and resilience

• Produce clear technical documentation and operational runbooks

Essential Skills & Experience

• Extensive hands-on Red Hat OpenShift experience (build, configure, operate)

• Strong knowledge of OpenShift security architecture, including:

  • RBAC, SCCs, Network Policies

  • Cluster hardening and compliance (CIS/STIG aligned)

• Solid Linux background (RHEL essential)

• Experience deploying OpenShift on on-prem platforms (eg vSphere)

• Strong Kubernetes fundamentals (but OpenShift expertise is mandatory)

Highly Desirable

• Experience in defence, financial services, or other regulated environments

• Air-gapped OpenShift deployments and upgrade experience

• Red Hat certifications (RHCA/OpenShift/Kubernetes Security)

• GitOps, CI/CD, and automation exposure (Ansible, Terraform, ArgoCD)