Middleware Application SME - Kubernetes to AKS Migration

Contract Term: 12 months, renewable
Work Location: Remote Work in Canada
Working hours: 30 hours a week
Experience: Minimum 5-6 years in middleware containerization and container platform application services

Our client, a global leading IT company, is looking for a Middleware Application SME - Kubernetes to AKS Migration.

Role Overview:
We are looking for a highly skilled Middleware Application SME to support the migration of containerized middleware workloads from on-premises Kubernetes clusters to Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS). The SME will assess, re-platform, and optimize middleware services such as ActiveMQ, RabbitMQ, Apache Tomcat, JBoss, NGINX, Apache HTTP Server, Kafka, Redis, and similar technologies, ensuring seamless integration into the AKS platform.

Key Responsibilities:
• Lead the discovery, analysis, and assessment of existing middleware container workloads for cloud readiness and prepare an Application Container services migration strategy on AKS.
• Review and optimize Kubernetes Container application manifests, Helm charts, Dockerfiles, persistent volume claims, config maps, secrets, and custom resources.
• Evaluate and remediate Application middleware services compatibility issues for AKS, including storage class transitions and ingress configurations.
• Define Application PODs/Container migration patterns/Wave planning, secret and credential management strategies, and integration with Azure Key Vault and Azure Container Registry.
• Collaborate with Application Architects, infrastructure, and cloud architects to implement HA/DR strategies for middleware services on AKS.
• Define CI/CD integration strategies using Azure DevOps for middleware workload deployment, testing, and version management.
• Enable observability by integrating Azure-native monitoring, logging, and alerting services for containerized middleware.
• Provide technical leadership during migration execution, troubleshooting, and UAT support for middleware services.
• Document architectural decisions, migration procedures, and operational guidelines for middleware components on AKS.

Required Skills and Qualifications:
• 5-6 years of hands-on experience with middleware technologies including:
o Message brokers: ActiveMQ, RabbitMQ
o Application servers: JBoss (EAP), Apache Tomcat
o Web servers/proxies: NGINX, HAPROXY, Apache HTTP Server
o Event/data streaming & caching: Kafka, Redis
• Strong background in Kubernetes (on-prem or cloud) with deep understanding of StatefulSets, Services, Ingress, PVCs, Secrets, ConfigMaps.
• Experience containerizing and managing middleware in Docker and Helm-based deployments.
• Proficiency in CI/CD practices with tools such as Azure DevOps, Jenkins, or GitHub Actions.
• Knowledge of Azure native services including AKS, Azure Container Registry, Azure Key Vault, Azure Monitor, and Log Analytics.
• Ability to assess and resolve issues related to application connectivity, scaling, performance, and security on cloud-native platforms.
• Strong scripting skills (Bash, Python, or PowerShell) are a plus.
• Excellent analytical and communication skills with a collaborative approach to cross-functional problem solving.

Preferred Qualifications:
• Azure certifications (e.g., AZ-104, AZ-400, AZ-305) or Kubernetes certifications (CKA, CKAD).
• Experience with multi-region AKS cluster design and failover strategies.
• Exposure to hybrid cloud integrations and service mesh technologies (e.g., Istio, Linkerd).

Contact Information: Lam Guan