Senior Systems Engineer
WFA Digital Insight
As the demand for cloud specialists grows, with a 27% increase in remote cloud engineering roles in 2025, Zillow's Senior Systems Engineer position stands out for its emphasis on infrastructure as code and Kubernetes expertise. With the shift to remote work, companies like Zillow are looking for skilled engineers who can design and operate secure, reliable, and scalable cloud systems. Candidates should be prepared to showcase their experience with cloud networking, Terraform, and GCP or AWS. Before applying, it's essential to understand the current market context and the skills required to succeed in this role.
Job Description
About the Role
The Senior Systems Engineer role is a critical part of Zillow Rentals, responsible for designing, building, and operating the core infrastructure that powers the customer experience. As a key member of the team, you will partner closely with backend, frontend, and data teams to provide secure, reliable, and scalable foundations for customer-facing products. Your expertise in cloud infrastructure will enable the company to deliver rapid product delivery and drive business growth.The role requires a deep understanding of cloud computing, including GCP and AWS, as well as experience with Infrastructure as Code, Kubernetes, and cloud networking. You will be responsible for driving reliability and security, leading incident investigations, and collaborating across engineering teams to deliver resilient, observable, and cost-effective infrastructure.
What You Will Do
- Design, implement, and operate production infrastructure in GCP and/or AWS, supporting high-scale, business-critical services for Zillow Rentals
- Build and maintain Infrastructure as Code (primarily with Terraform), including modules, state management, and reusable patterns for platform services
- Own Kubernetes platforms (e.g., GKE/EKS): perform cluster upgrades, tune workloads, manage Terraform, ArgoCD/Helm-based deployments, and debug complex production issues
- Architect and secure cloud networking (VPCs, subnets, routing, load balancers, DNS, TLS, VPN, WAF) and ingress/egress patterns for internal and external traffic
- Improve observability and operations by defining metrics, dashboards, alerts, and runbooks that raise the bar for reliability and incident response
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure seamless integration of cloud infrastructure with other systems and services
- Develop and maintain technical documentation for cloud infrastructure and systems
- Participate in on-call rotations to ensure 24/7 support for cloud infrastructure and systems
- Stay up-to-date with industry trends and emerging technologies in cloud computing and infrastructure as code
What We Are Looking For
- 4+ years of hands-on experience designing, building, and operating production systems in GCP and/or AWS
- Experience with Infrastructure as Code (IaC): Terraform and IaC practices (modules, state management) for managing cloud infrastructure and platform services
- Cloud networking: Proven experience with cloud networking (VPC design, subnets, routing, NAT, security groups/firewalls, load balancers, DNS, TLS, VPN) and securing ingress/egress paths
- Kubernetes: Deep experience running Kubernetes in production (e.g., GKE, EKS), including cluster upgrades, workload configuration with ArgoCD / Helm, and incident debugging
- Strong understanding of cloud security, compliance, and governance
- Experience with agile development methodologies and version control systems (e.g., Git)
Nice to Have
- Experience in Database management and operations
- Provisioning with tools such as Ansible and Packer
- Programming experience with Java or Python
- Experience with other cloud providers (e.g., Azure, IBM Cloud)
Benefits and Perks
- Competitive base salary and benefits package
- Equity awards based on factors such as experience, performance, and location
- Flexible remote work arrangement with occasional travel to Mexico City
- Opportunity to work with a talented team of engineers and contribute to the growth and development of Zillow Rentals
- Professional development and growth opportunities
- Access to cutting-edge technologies and tools
- Comprehensive health insurance and other benefits
How to Stand Out
- Tip: Make sure to highlight your experience with Infrastructure as Code and Kubernetes in your resume and cover letter.
- Tip: Be prepared to discuss your experience with cloud networking and security in the interview.
- Tip: Showcase your ability to work collaboratively with cross-functional teams and communicate complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders.
- Tip: Consider creating a personal project that demonstrates your skills with Terraform, GCP, or AWS to share with the interviewer.
- Tip: Research Zillow's company culture and values to understand how your skills and experience align with their mission and goals.
- Tip: Be ready to discuss your experience with agile development methodologies and version control systems.
- Tip: Don't hesitate to ask about the company's approach to professional development and growth opportunities during the interview.
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