---
title: 'Team Lead, DevX Kubernetes Platform as a Service at CarGurus'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/team-lead-devx-kubernetes-platform-as-a-service-cargurus-boston-k4c3zhv5hxx1'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-10-16'
---

# Team Lead, DevX Kubernetes Platform as a Service at CarGurus

- **Company:** CarGurus
- **Location:** Boston, MA
- **Compensation:** $154k–$193k
- **Posted:** 2026-07-02
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-10-16
- **Apply:** https://careers.cargurus.com/us/en/job/8029404?gh_jid=8029404

## Job description

## Who we are

At CarGurus (NASDAQ: CARG), our mission is to give people the power to reach their destination. We started as a small team of developers determined to bring trust and transparency to car shopping. Since then, our history of innovation and go-to-market acceleration has driven industry-leading growth. In fact, we’re the largest and fastest-growing automotive marketplace, and we’ve been profitable for over 15 years.

## What we do

The market is evolving, and we are too, moving the entire automotive journey online and guiding our customers through every step. That includes everything from the sale of an old car to the financing, purchase, and delivery of a new one. Today, tens of millions of consumers visit CarGurus.com each month, and ~30,000 dealerships use our products. But they're not the only ones who love CarGurus—our employees do, too. We have a people-first culture that fosters kindness, collaboration, and innovation, and empowers our Gurus with tools to fuel their career growth. Disrupting a trillion-dollar industry requires fresh and diverse perspectives. Come join us for the ride!

## Role overview

The DevX PaaS team builds and operates CarGurus' Kubernetes-based developer platform that enables product teams to ship quickly, reliably, and at scale. We're a sub-team within Developer Experience in Engineering Platform, partnering across engineering to remove friction, modernize our stack, and accelerate time-to-market.

This is a player-coach leadership role. As Team Lead, you'll own the day-to-day leadership of a small team of engineers — running ceremonies, planning quarterly capacity, growing the people on your team, and serving as the primary point of contact for PaaS across Engineering Platform — while staying technically hands-on enough to make meaningful contributions on our most important platform work — autoscaling, agentic automation of cluster maintenance and upgrades, service discovery, and the continued evolution of our proprietary Mach5 platform with AWS-native capabilities. You'll be the connective tissue between our platform's technical direction and the developers who depend on it every day.

Three big bets anchor the team's near-term direction: keeping Kubernetes healthy and cost-efficient through autoscaling and increasingly automated maintenance; piloting an AI-assisted support model for developer questions (starting with PaaS); and standing up service discovery (and eventually service mesh) to simplify how services connect. Everything below ladders up to these themes.

## What you'll do

Lead the team

- Own team operations for DevX PaaS: run 1:1s, sprint ceremonies, and quarterly capacity and project planning, and represent PaaS in Engineering Platform planning and prioritization forums.
- Grow the engineers on your team through coaching, feedback, and equitable allocation of high-impact, growth-oriented work — including an "epic lead" model where engineers own end-to-end delivery of major initiatives.
- Shape the team's quarterly portfolio so that the team's energy is spent on the highest-leverage work, balancing a heavy load of non-discretionary platform work (upgrades, migrations, maintenance, on-call) against modernization and strategic initiatives.
- Be the primary point of contact for PaaS across Engineering Platform — framing problems, aligning on scope, and making sure downstream teams understand impacts and timelines.

Drive the platform (hands-on)

- Help design, build, and operate the Kubernetes platform on AWS EKS with a focus on reliability, security, and developer ergonomics (multi-env, multi-region).
- Guide the team's Controller/Operator and deployment model (e.g., CGService) to provide consistent, self-service delivery across repositories and environments.
- Lead critical upgrades and rollouts: Kubernetes, Rancher, and routine add-on upgrades utilizing ArgoCD and HCP Terraform.
- Set the direction for autoscaling across product and EP services — driving automated scale-down, day-2 EKS optimizations, and cost/performance wins in partnership with product teams.
- Champion agentic and AI-assisted workflows for cluster maintenance — automating EKS upgrades, PR generation, and bundled maintenance to reduce manual toil and create predictable, low-disruption maintenance windows.
- Advance service discovery (and eventually service mesh) to provide a robust, automated way for services to find and communicate with each other, reducing hard-coded dependencies and improving system resilience.
- Expand our proprietary Mach5 platform with AWS-native capabilities, continuing to shield developers from Kubernetes complexity while modernizing the underlying stack.
- Guide remaining platform modernization, including the tail end of the ingress-nginx retirement / Gateway API migration, to simplify developer configuration and reduce operational toil.
- Pilot a more scalable, AI-assisted support model for developer questions — starting with PaaS — by curating documentation, embedding AI into the support flow, and reducing the manual triage burden on the team.
- Raise platform reliability by hardening alerting/runbooks and participating in the team's on-call rotation with sensible, business-hours expectations and documented handoffs.

Communicate and partner

- Represent PaaS in EP-level forums (all-hands, capacity planning, leads meetings), translating technical trade-offs into clear, audience-appropriate language for both engineers and executive stakeholders.
- Build relationships across DevX, Engineering Platform, and product teams to advocate for the platform work that matters and to keep partners aligned and informed.
- Champion a healthy, customer-centric operating model where platform priorities are visible and traceable to the outcomes our customer teams care about.

## What you'll bring

- 5+ years of experience as a software engineer in a professional setting, with some experience leading projects, mentoring engineers, or acting as a tech lead / team lead.
- Deep Kubernetes/EKS experience operating production workloads at scale, with proficiency in containerization and cloud environments.
- Strong Go (or equivalent) systems programming skills; familiarity with controller/operator patterns is a plus.
- AWS fluency across core primitives (networking, IAM, load balancing, storage) and platform guardrails.
- Infrastructure as Code experience (Terraform, Helm, ArgoCD, GitHub-based workflows) and CI/CD automation.
- An observability and SRE mindset: metrics, tracing, logging, SLOs, incident response, and post-incident learning.
- A security-by-default bent: policy-as-code (e.g., Kyverno), least-privilege, image/runtime controls.
- People leadership instincts: you enjoy growing engineers, running a calm and predictable team, and making sharp prioritization calls under competing demands.
- Developer empathy and clear communication; you enjoy building paved roads that hundreds of engineers can rely on, and you can tailor your message to both technical and non-technical audiences.
- An enthusiasm for leveraging AI to accelerate both your team's work and how the platform enables engineering.

The displayed range represents the expected annual base salary / On-Target Earnings (OTE) for this position. On-Target Earnings (OTE) is inclusive of base salary and on-target commission earnings, which applies exclusively to sales roles.

Individual pay within this range is determined by work location and other factors such as job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.

This annual base salary forms part of a comprehensive Total Rewards Package. In addition to benefits, this role may qualify for discretionary bonuses/incentives and Restricted Stock Units (RSUs).

Position Pay Range $154,000—$193,000 USD

Working at CarGurus

We reward our Gurus’ curiosity and passion with best-in-class benefits and compensation, including equity for all employees, both when they start and as they continue to grow with us. Our career development and corporate giving programs, as well as our employee resource groups (ERGs) and communities, help people build connections while making an impact in personally meaningful ways. A flexible hybrid model and robust time off policies encourage work-life balance and individual well-being. Thoughtful perks like daily free lunch, a new car discount, meditation and fitness apps, commuting cost coverage, and more help our people create space for what matters most in their personal and professional lives.

CarGurus may require in-person interviews as part of our hiring process, particularly for positions based in our Boston and Dublin offices. Candidates selected for an in-person interview will be notified in advance. Please be aware that travel expenses are the responsibility of the candidate.

We welcome all

CarGurus strives to be a place to which people can bring the ultimate expression of themselves and their potential—starting with our hiring process. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, marital status, ancestry, physical or mental disability, veteran status, gender identity, or sexual orientation. We foster an inclusive environment that values people for their skills, experiences, and unique perspectives. That’s why we hope you’ll apply even if you don’t check every box listed in the job description. We also encourage you to tell your recruiter if you require accommodations to participate in our hiring process due to a disability so we can provide the appropriate support. We want to know what only you can bring to CarGurus. #LI-Hybrid

## About CarGurus

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: CarGurus is the #1 most-visited digital auto platform in the United States, using data-driven technology to bring trust and transparency to car shopping and selling.
- **Entity Type**: Public (NASDAQ: CARG)
- **Headquarters**: Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- **Founded**: 2006
- **Founders**: Langley Steinert (co-founder of TripAdvisor)

## Core Business
- **Primary industry**: Automotive marketplace / Digital auto platform
- **Target customers**: B2C (car buyers and sellers) and B2B (car dealers)
- **Mission statement**: "To give people the power to reach their destination" — empowering drivers and dealers with the confidence to buy or sell cars exactly how they want, whether online, in-person, or a combination of both.

## Products & Services
- **CarGurus Marketplace (Consumer)**: A data-driven car shopping platform featuring over 4 million vehicle listings in the US. The platform provides unbiased vehicle information, Instant Market Value (IMV) pricing, deal ratings (Great/Good/Overpriced), and a "Best Match" sort order to help consumers find the best deal. Includes tools for buying, financing, and selling.
- **CarGurus for Dealers (B2B)**: A suite of digital retail tools and services that help tens of thousands of dealers source, market, and sell vehicles. Includes digital retailing tools for financing, appointment booking, and online sales.
- **Autolist**: A car shopping platform acquired by CarGurus in 2020, expanding the consumer audience.
- **PistonHeads**: A UK-based motoring community and automotive marketplace acquired in 2019.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Publicly traded on NASDAQ under ticker CARG. Market cap fluctuates; as of mid-2025, it is approximately $3.5–4 billion (check latest).
- **Key Metric**: $907 million in revenue in FY2025.
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Public company with institutional investors; founded by Langley Steinert (co-founder of TripAdvisor).
- **Growth Signals**: 
  - #1 most-visited automotive platform in the US with 45 million monthly visitors and 39.7 million monthly unique visitors.
  - Over 4 million vehicle listings in the US.
  - Serves 24,000+ US dealers and 34,000 dealers globally.
  - 1,100+ employees across North America, Ireland, and the UK.
  - Launched an AI-powered shopping experience in 2025.
  - Expanded digital retail tools (financing, appointment booking) in 2022.
  - Acquired Autolist (2020) and PistonHeads (2019) to expand audience and geographic reach.

## Competitive Advantages
- **Data-driven transparency**: Proprietary Instant Market Value (IMV) and deal ratings (Great/Good/Overpriced) provide unbiased pricing insights that build consumer trust.
- **Scale and audience**: #1 most-visited automotive platform in the US with 45M monthly visitors, giving it unmatched reach for both consumers and dealers.
- **Dual-sided marketplace**: Serves both consumers (B2C) and dealers (B2B), creating a powerful network effect — more buyers attract more dealers, and more listings attract more buyers.
- **Technology-first approach**: A tech company at its core, leveraging data science, AI, and rapid iteration to improve the car buying/selling experience.
- **Brand trust and transparency**: Long-standing reputation for unbiased data (Instant Market Value, deal ratings) that differentiates it from traditional classifieds.

## Strategic Focus
- **AI and personalization**: Launching an AI-powered shopping experience (2025) to create a more personalized and intuitive research process.
- **Digital retail expansion**: Continuing to build out digital retail tools (financing, appointment booking) to enable more of the car sale to happen online.
- **Dealer partnership growth**: Deepening relationships with the 34,000+ dealers who use the platform to maximize their revenue.
- **International presence**: Maintaining and growing operations in the US, Canada, UK, and Ireland.

## Why Work Here
- **Culture and values**: CarGurus emphasizes integrity, transparency, data-driven decision-making, speed, collaboration, and pioneering spirit. The company is Built In’s #1 Best Large Company to Work For in the U.S. and #1 Best Place to Work in Boston.
- **Work model**: Flexible hybrid model with a headquarters in Boston's Back Bay. The office features open seating, innovation areas, a 24/7 fitness center, rooftop terraces, fully stocked kitchens, and a barista bar.
- **Time off**: Full-time US employees get unlimited personal and sick time off, plus 3 weeks of vacation to start. Dublin and UK employees get 25 days annual leave and 10 sick days. All employees receive a month-long paid sabbatical after 5 and 10 years.
- **Perks**: $15/day in-office lunch stipend, commuting and tuition support, gym/wellness reimbursement, meditation and fitness app subscriptions, and an "Auto Perk" of up to $1,250 toward a new vehicle purchase from a dealer partner.
- **Family support**: Partnerships with Carrot Fertility and Care.com (for daycare, eldercare, and pet care), plus family-focused leave policies.
- **DEIB**: No dress code, employee-led charitable giving, donation matching, and a focus on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.
- **Learning**: Tailored development programs, on-demand content, annual Hackathon and Science Fair.
- **Culture**: Emphasizes integrity, transparency, collaboration, speed, and a pioneering spirit. "Being a car person is optional" — the company values curiosity and problem-solving over automotive passion.

## Sources
1. [cargurus.com](https://www.cargurus.com/about/cargurus)
2. [careers.cargurus.com](https://careers.cargurus.com/us/en/)
3. [careers.cargurus.com (Life page)](https://careers.cargurus.com/us/en/life)
4. [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/cargurus)

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