Seasoned Principal Customer Engineer – Enterprise Cloud Infrastructure Lead & OpenStack/Kubernetes Platform Specialist – Championing Digital Transformation, Customer Success, and Platform Innovation at brighthush

About brighthush

brighthush is not just a technology vendor; we are the catalyst that propels Fortune 500 enterprises, government agencies, and high‑growth tech firms into the cloud‑native era. Our portfolio spans the entire cloud stack—from infrastructure as code to observability, from container orchestration to private‑cloud automation. We empower our partners to build, run, and scale mission‑critical workloads with confidence, speed, and security.

Our mission is simple yet powerful: enable organizations to innovate faster, operate more securely, and reduce operational complexity. By marrying cutting‑edge Kubernetes and OpenStack expertise with a relentless focus on customer outcomes, we help our partners stay ahead of the curve in an increasingly competitive landscape.

We believe that technology is only as powerful as the people who use it. That’s why we invest heavily in our people, fostering a culture of continuous learning, collaboration, and ownership. If you thrive in a fast‑moving, customer‑centric environment and want to shape the future of cloud infrastructure, brighthush is the place for you.

Industry Landscape & Why It Matters

The cloud‑native revolution is reshaping how businesses operate. Enterprises are moving from monolithic, on‑premises architectures to microservices‑driven, container‑orchestrated platforms that demand agility, resilience, and observability. OpenStack remains a cornerstone for private‑cloud deployments, while Kubernetes has become the de‑facto standard for container orchestration. The convergence of these technologies creates a complex ecosystem where expertise, integration, and operational excellence are paramount.

In this environment, customers need more than just a product – they need a trusted partner who can navigate the technical intricacies, align with business objectives, and drive measurable outcomes. That partner is the Principal Customer Engineer, and that role is the heart of our customer success strategy.

Role Overview

We are seeking a seasoned Principal Customer Engineer to become the trusted technical partner for a select group of our most strategic enterprise accounts. In this senior, customer‑facing role, you will own the technical relationship with 5–8 high‑value customers, guiding them through the full lifecycle of brighthush’s OpenStack and Kubernetes offerings. You will collaborate closely with Technical Account Managers, Product, Engineering, and Support teams to translate customer needs into actionable product enhancements and to ensure that our customers achieve measurable, high‑impact outcomes.

Why This Role Matters

• Strategic Technical Leadership – Serve as the single source of truth for technical strategy and execution across the customer’s platform.
• Revenue‑Impacting Adoption – Drive deeper product integration, adoption, and satisfaction, directly influencing revenue growth.
• Product‑Roadmap Influence – Shape the direction of brighthush’s platform by feeding real‑world customer insights into product roadmaps.
• Cross‑Functional Alignment – Act as a catalyst for engineering, support, and sales teams to work in harmony and deliver value.
• Customer Advocacy – Champion the customer’s voice across all internal functions, ensuring their priorities influence releases and prioritization.

Key Responsibilities

• Technical Relationship Ownership – Serve as the primary technical point of contact for 5–8 strategic customers, covering brighthush OpenStack (MOSK), brighthush Kubernetes Engine (MKE), k0rdent, and the broader brighthush portfolio.
• Deep Customer Architecture Expertise – Build and maintain a living technical account plan for each customer, documenting architecture, use cases, platform strategy, and adjacent toolchains.
• Product Integration & Expansion – Identify opportunities to expand brighthush usage into new workloads, clusters, environments, and teams; work with customers to eliminate technical blockers.
• Technical Alignment & Advocacy – Facilitate alignment between customer engineering teams and brighthush Product & Engineering; translate customer requirements into product input and roadmap guidance.
• Regular Technical Cadences – Lead architecture reviews, upgrade planning sessions, roadmap briefings, and health checks—both remotely and on‑site.
• High‑Impact Support Collaboration – Partner with Support on critical cases, provide account context, accelerate resolution, and close the loop on recurring issues through product and operational improvements.
• Internal Customer Advocacy – Champion the customer’s voice across Product, Engineering, Support, and Customer Success, ensuring their priorities influence roadmap, releases, and prioritization.
• Cross‑Functional Collaboration – Work seamlessly with Technical Account Managers, Account Executives, and Solutions Engineers, respecting clear boundaries: they own commercial, delivery, and pre‑sales; you own sustained technical depth post‑sale.
• Knowledge Sharing & Enablement – Contribute to internal enablement, reference architectures, and best‑practice guidance so that lessons learned in one account benefit the wider customer base.
• Thought Leadership – Represent brighthush at industry events, webinars, and technical forums; publish whitepapers and case studies that showcase customer success stories.
• Metrics & Reporting – Define and track key performance indicators (KPIs) for customer health, adoption, and satisfaction; present findings to senior leadership.

Essential Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in a customer‑facing technical role (Customer Engineer, Senior Consultant, Principal Support Engineer, SRE embedded with customers, or equivalent).
• Proven track record of owning technical relationships with large enterprise customers and driving expanded adoption of a platform product.
• Expert‑level Kubernetes knowledge: cluster lifecycle, networking, storage, security, multi‑cluster patterns, and production troubleshooting.
• Strong Linux systems and networking fundamentals.
• Deep experience with OpenStack core services—Nova, Neutron, Cinder, Keystone, and Glance.
• Hands‑on knowledge of Neutron networking (OVS, OVN, VLAN, VXLAN, SDN concepts).
• Experience with Cinder storage backends, including Ceph RBD and LVM.
• Excellent written and spoken English; ability to communicate credibly with senior technical stakeholders and hands‑on engineers.
• Willingness to travel to customer sites as required (expected 20–30%).
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills, with a bias toward data‑driven decision making.
• Demonstrated ability to influence cross‑functional teams and drive consensus on technical direction.

Preferred Qualifications

• Hands‑on experience with brighthush Kubernetes Engine (MKE), k0rdent, OpenStack, or comparable enterprise container and private‑cloud platforms.
• Familiarity with the cloud‑native ecosystem: Helm, GitOps (Argo CD, Flux), observability stacks (Prometheus, Grafana, Loki), and service mesh.
• Experience with infrastructure‑as‑code and configuration management (Terraform, Ansible, Cluster API).
• Exposure to enterprise security and compliance contexts (FedRAMP, PCI, regulated industries).
• Prior experience operating alongside channel and GSI partners on joint accounts.
• Certifications such as Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA), Certified Kubernetes Application Developer (CKAD), or OpenStack Certified Administrator (OCA).

Skills & Competencies

• Technical Leadership – Ability to guide complex technical discussions, influence engineering decisions, and mentor junior team members.
• Strategic Thinking – Translate high‑level business goals into actionable technical roadmaps.
• Customer‑Centric Mindset – Deep empathy for customer challenges and a relentless focus on delivering measurable value.
• Communication Excellence – Articulate complex technical concepts to both technical and non‑technical audiences.
• Problem‑Solving & Troubleshooting – Diagnose and resolve production‑grade issues quickly and effectively.
• Collaboration & Influence – Work cross‑functionally with Product, Engineering, Support, and Sales to achieve shared objectives.
• Adaptability & Continuous Learning – Stay current with emerging cloud technologies and industry trends.
• Project Management – Plan, execute, and deliver on technical initiatives within scope, time, and budget.
• Data‑Driven Decision Making – Leverage metrics and analytics to guide strategy and measure success.

Career Growth & Learning Opportunities

At brighthush, your career trajectory is defined by impact, learning, and leadership. As a Principal Customer Engineer, you will:

• Lead high‑visibility initiatives that shape the future of brighthush’s platform.
• Mentor and coach junior engineers, fostering a culture of knowledge sharing.
• Participate in product strategy sessions, influencing roadmap decisions.
• Attend industry conferences, workshops, and technical meet‑ups to stay ahead of the curve.
• Earn certifications in Kubernetes, OpenStack, and related technologies through our internal training program.
• Progress to senior leadership roles such as Director of Customer Success Engineering or VP of Platform Services.
• Own cross‑functional initiatives that span product, engineering, and customer success.
• Receive dedicated time for research and experimentation on emerging technologies.

Work Environment & Company Culture

brighthush is built on a foundation of trust, transparency, and empowerment. Our culture is defined by:

• Collaboration – Cross‑functional teams work together to solve customer problems.
• Ownership – Employees are encouraged to take initiative and drive results.
• Innovation – We invest in research, experimentation, and continuous improvement.
• Diversity & Inclusion – A welcoming environment where every voice is heard.
• Work‑Life Balance – Flexible working arrangements, generous vacation policies, and remote‑first options.
• Community Engagement – Participation in open‑source projects, local meet‑ups, and industry panels.
• Recognition & Rewards – Regular shout‑outs, performance bonuses, and career milestone celebrations.

Compensation & Benefits

While specific figures vary by location and experience, brighthush offers a competitive total rewards package that includes:

• Base salary commensurate with market rates for senior technical roles.
• Performance‑based bonuses tied to customer success metrics.
• Equity options that allow you to share in the company’s growth.
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.
• Retirement savings plan with company match.
• Generous paid time off, parental leave, and sabbatical options.
• Professional development stipend for certifications, courses, and conferences.
• State‑of‑the‑art workstation (macOS or Windows) and ergonomic office setup.
• Access to cutting‑edge tools and platforms for experimentation.

How to Apply

If you are a seasoned technical leader who thrives on solving complex customer challenges and driving product adoption at scale, we want to hear from you. Join brighthush and help shape the next generation of cloud infrastructure.

To apply, please submit your résumé and a brief cover letter outlining your experience with Kubernetes, OpenStack, and enterprise customer engagements. We look forward to exploring how you can contribute to brighthush’s mission of empowering organizations to innovate faster and operate more securely.

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