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DevOps Developer with AWS Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS) Salary in 2024

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How statistics are calculated

We count how many offers each candidate received and for what salary. For example, if a DevOps developer with AWS Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS) with a salary of $4,500 received 10 offers, then we would count him 10 times. If there were no offers, then he would not get into the statistics either.

The graph column is the total number of offers. This is not the number of vacancies, but an indicator of the level of demand. The more offers there are, the more companies try to hire such a specialist. 5k+ includes candidates with salaries >= $5,000 and < $5,500.

Median Salary Expectation – the weighted average of the market offer in the selected specialization, that is, the most frequent job offers for the selected specialization received by candidates. We do not count accepted or rejected offers.

DevOps

What is a DevOps Engineer?

A DevOps engineer is an IT generalist who should have a wide-ranging knowledge of both development and operations, including coding, infrastructure management, system administration, and DevOps toolchains. DevOps engineers should also possess interpersonal skills since they work across company silos to create a more collaborative environment.

DevOps engineers need to have a strong understanding of common system architecture, provisioning, and administration, but must also have experience with the traditional developer toolset and practices such as using source control, giving and receiving code reviews, writing unit tests, and familiarity with agile principles.

Roles and Responsibilities

The role of a DevOps engineer will vary from one organization to another, but invariably entails some combination of:

  • Release engineering
  • Infrastructure provisioning and management
  • System administration
  • Security
  • DevOps advocacy

Release Engineering

Release engineering includes the work required to build and deploy application code. The exact tools and processes vary widely depending on many variables, such as what language the code is written in, how much of the pipeline has been automated, and whether the production infrastructure is on-premise or in the cloud.

Release engineering might entail:

  • Selecting, provisioning, and maintaining CI/CD tooling
  • Writing and maintaining bespoke build/deploy scripts

Infrastructure Provisioning and System Administration

Infrastructure provisioning and system administration include deploying and maintaining the servers, storage, and networking resources required to host applications.

For organizations with on-premise resources this might include managing physical servers, storage devices, switches, and virtualization software in a data center. For a hybrid or entirely cloud-based organization this will usually include provisioning and managing virtual instances of the same components.

DevOps Advocacy

DevOps advocacy is often undervalued or overlooked entirely but is arguably the most important role of a DevOps engineer. The shift to a DevOps culture can be disruptive and confusing to the engineering team members. As the DevOps subject matter expert, it falls to the DevOps engineer to help evangelize and educate the DevOps way across the organization.

Top 7 DevOps Engineer Skills

SkillDescription
Communication and collaborationIt’s important for a DevOps engineer to communicate and collaborate effectively with teams, managers, and customers. These so-called “soft-skills” are often overlooked and undervalued, but the success of DevOps relies heavily on the quality and quantity of feedback across the entire value stream.
System administrationA DevOps engineer will have experience with system administration, such as provisioning and managing servers, deploying databases, security monitoring, system patching, and managing internal and external network connectivity.
Experience with DevOps toolsSince using the right tools are essential to DevOps practices, the DevOps engineer must understand, and be able to use, a variety of tools. These tools span the DevOps lifecycle from infrastructure and building, to monitoring and operating a product or service.
Configuration managementDevOps engineers will often be expected to have experience with one or more configuration management tools such as Chef, Puppet, or Ansible. Many organizations have adopted these or similar tools to automate system administration tasks such as deploying new systems or applying security patches to systems already running.
Containers and container orchestrationWith containerization, a technology popularized by Docker, the code for the application and its runtime environment are bundled in the same image. This makes traditional configuration management tools less necessary. At the same time, managing containers brings its own challenges, and experience with the class of tools known as “container orchestrators” (e.g., Docker Swarm or Kubernetes) becomes a necessary skill for the DevOps engineer.
Continuous integration and continuous deploymentContinuous integration and Continuous Delivery (CI/CD) are core practices of a DevOps approach to software development, and enabled by a host of available tools. The most fundamental function of any CI/CD tool or set of tools is to automate the process of building, testing, and deploying software. DevOps engineers will usually need experience with configuring and deploying one or more CI/CD tools, and will usually need to work closely with the rest of the development organization to ensure that these tools are used effectively.
System architecture and provisioningA DevOps engineer should have the ability to design, provision, and manage computer ecosystems, whether on-premise or in the cloud.

Where is AWS Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS) used?


Microservices Fiesta



  • Imagine smashing your monolithic app into LEGO bricks and EKS is the playground where each micro lego-service thrives independently but plays nice together.



Scaling Mountains



  • Got traffic spikes bigger than a caffeine rush at 9 AM Monday? EKS auto-scaling is like an adrenaline shot, keeping your apps as chill as a cucumber.



Robo-Butler Uptime



  • Never miss a beat or a customer, because EKS is the insomniac butler ensuring your application stays awake while you’re catching Z's.



Multi-Cloud Tango



  • Wanna dance with all the clouds but no commitment? EKS lets you sashay across Azure & GCP too. It's like speed dating but for cloud services!

AWS Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS) Alternatives


Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE)


Managed Kubernetes service for running containerized applications on Google Cloud. Simplifies deployment and management.



# Sample code to set up a GKE cluster using gcloud CLI
gcloud container clusters create "my-cluster" --zone "us-central1-a"


  • Integrated with Google Cloud services.

  • Built-in monitoring with Stackdriver.

  • Less granular control compared to self-managed Kubernetes.



Microsoft Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS)


A fully managed Kubernetes container orchestration service on Azure. Focuses on ease of deployment and scalability.



# Sample Azure CLI command to create an AKS cluster
az aks create --resource-group myResourceGroup --name myAKSCluster --node-count 1 --enable-addons monitoring --generate-ssh-keys


  • Seamless integration with Azure Active Directory.

  • Free managed master nodes.

  • Potentially limited customization options.



Red Hat OpenShift


Red Hat's Kubernetes platform that allows enterprise Kubernetes deployments. Comes with additional security and automation features.



# Example of creating a new application in OpenShift
oc new-app --docker-image=myregistry/myapp --name=myapp


  • Enhanced security features.

  • Developer-friendly with S2I (Source-to-Image) tool.

  • Higher cost compared to basic Kubernetes services.

Quick Facts about AWS Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS)



Birth of a Cloud Kubernetes Titan



In the mystical cloud realm of 2018, Amazon Web Services unleashed the Kubernetes beast named EKS upon the world. As if emerging from the depths of container orchestration, EKS promised to shoulder the heavy lifting of managing Kubernetes infrastructure, giving developers the mighty power to focus on conquering their own software dragons.



A Rapid Evolution: EKS Kicks it Up a Notch



Not one to let the grass grow under its virtual feet, EKS became akin to a digital Darwin, evolving swiftly with Kubernetes versions, ensuring its survival of the fittest against monstrous updates. Sporting compatibility with the latest K8s releases, EKS became the trusty steed for developers galloping towards modern application deployment.



Fathomless Features: Revolutionary Armies of Options



As if waving a magic wand, EKS conjured the wondrous Fargate—a serverless entity allowing souls brave enough to venture into container deployment without provisioning servers. Meanwhile, its native armor, IAM, shielded practitioners with the arcane arts of fine-grained access control, keeping the chaotic demons of misconfiguration at bay.


What is the difference between Junior, Middle, Senior and Expert AWS Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS) developer?


































Seniority NameYears of ExperienceAverage Salary (USD/year)Responsibilities & Activities
Junior0-2$60,000 - $90,000

  • Assist with the deployment of containerized applications

  • Learn EKS basics and AWS services

  • Monitor EKS environments under supervision

  • Participate in maintenance tasks and help with documentation


Middle2-5$90,000 - $120,000

  • Deploy and manage EKS clusters

  • Implement CI/CD pipelines for EKS

  • Participate in troubleshooting and optimize performance

  • Collaborate with development teams to containerize applications


Senior5+$120,000 - $160,000

  • Design and architect EKS-based solutions

  • Lead complex EKS projects and migrations

  • Ensure security and compliance of the EKS environment

  • Mentor junior and middle EKS developers


Expert/Team Lead8+$160,000 - $200,000+

  • Shape the organization's EKS strategy

  • Provide technical leadership and make key architectural decisions

  • Oversee multiple EKS projects and ensure best practices

  • Manage a team of EKS developers, including hiring and training



Top 10 AWS Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS) Related Tech




  1. Docker: The Container Conundrum Solver


    Imagine packing your entire application with all its trimmings into a cute little box that can be opened anywhere—Docker makes this dream a reality. It's the first mate for any EKS voyage because it lets you containerize your apps, ensuring they run smoothly on the EKS sea. Docker plus EKS equals a match made in cloud heaven.



    # Dockerizing a simple Node.js application
    FROM node:12
    WORKDIR /app
    COPY . /app
    RUN npm install
    EXPOSE 8080
    CMD ["node", "server.js"]




  2. Kubernetes: The EZ Orchestrator


    Welcome to the big leagues, where managing containers is a game, and Kubernetes is the undefeated champion. This versatile ringmaster excels in automating, scaling, and managing your Docker containers like a boss. It's like having a virtual assistant for your containers, but doesn't require coffee breaks.



    # Sample kubectl command to get pods in EKS
    kubectl get pods --all-namespaces




  3. Helm: The Kubernetes Whisperer


    Shout-out to the app managers! Helm is your BFF when it's time to streamline Kubernetes deployments. It's the package manager that speaks the lingo, handling all the charts (templates) and releases so you don't end up tangled in your own YAML files. Deploying with Helm is like hosting a dinner party with a personal chef—it's just better.



    # Installing a package with Helm on EKS
    helm install my-cool-app stable/my-cool-app




  4. Terraform: The Infrastructure Magician


    Who wants to perform repetitive, yawn-inducing groundwork when you can automate it? Terraform enters as the spellcaster that turns infrastructure provisioning into an effortless incantation. With a flick of its wand (code), your AWS resources fall into place like well-behaved minions. How's that for cloud control?



    # Terraform code snippet to provision an EKS cluster
    resource "aws_eks_cluster" "example" {
    name = "my-eks-cluster"
    role_arn = aws_iam_role.example.arn

    vpc_config {
    subnet_ids = ["subnet-12345", "subnet-67890"]
    }
    }




  5. AWS CLI: The Secret Handshake


    Behind every EKS aficionado lurks a pro at the AWS Command Line Interface. This toolbelt superhero unlocks AWS without the point-and-click rigamarole. Whether you're poking around EC2 instances or conjuring up S3 buckets, the AWS CLI whispers sweet nothings to EKS, ensuring they play nicely together.



    # AWS CLI command to list EKS clusters
    aws eks list-clusters




  6. Istio: The Traffic Cop


    The god of service mesh stands watch over your network communication. Istio is to microservices what GPS is to drivers; it directs traffic, enforces speed limits (policies), and ensures no microservice takes a wrong turn (security). Your cloud-native apps will thank you for the smooth commute.



    # Istio command to create a gateway
    kubectl apply -f istio-gateway.yaml




  7. Prometheus & Grafana: The Dynamic Duo


    Meet the Sherlock and Watson of monitoring: Prometheus is your tireless detective, collecting metrics, while Grafana visualizes the clues on dashing dashboards. Together they crack the case of "What's up with my app?" faster than you can say "elementary!" Don your detective cap and start sleuthing through that data!



    # Example of a Prometheus query
    rate(http_requests_total{job="my-job"}[5m])




  8. Git: The Time-Traveling Code Keeper


    Ever wish you could rewind when coding chaos strikes? Enter Git, the time machine for your codebase. Branch out, merge, and commit to your heart's content knowing you can always return to the good ol' days of bug-free bliss. Just don't forget to push!



    # Git commands for branch management
    git checkout -b new-feature
    git add .
    git commit -m "Add a fantastical new feature."
    git push origin new-feature




  9. Argo CD: The Continuous Deployer


    Introducing the VIP of CI/CD, Argo CD. With its eyes always on your Git repos, Argo kicks off deployments the second you commit. It’s the guardian of your automation strategies, ensuring that your latest and greatest hits are live and blaring on EKS without you lifting a finger.



    # Argo CD command to sync an app
    argocd app sync my-eks-app




  10. Flux: The GitOps Guru


    Bow before the all-seeing Flux, the GitOps wizard ensuring your EKS realm aligns with the Git repository scriptures. Commit your desired cloud state, and Flux makes it so, in real-time. It's like having a sous-chef who preps your production environment while you focus on concocting the next big release broth.



    # Command to install Flux on EKS
    fluxctl install \
    --git-user=flux \
    --git-email=flux@example.com \
    --git-url=git@github.com:fluxcd/flux-get-started \
    --git-path=namespaces,workloads \
    --namespace=flux | kubectl apply -f -


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