diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index f11ea2a..d9e6d08 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -4,15 +4,20 @@ FROM python:3.11 AS builder
 WORKDIR /build
 COPY . .
 
-RUN pip install .
+RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends \
+    build-essential gcc python3-dev pkg-config && \
+    rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/* && \
+    pip install --upgrade pip setuptools wheel build
 
-RUN python3 setup.py sdist && \
-    pip install dist/*.tar.gz --target /install
+RUN python -m build && \
+    pip install dist/*.tar.gz --prefix=/install
 
-# minimal runtime image
+# runtime stage
 FROM python:3.11-slim AS runtime
 
-COPY --from=builder /install /usr/local/lib/python3.11/site-packages
+# copy installed Python libs + CLI scripts
+COPY --from=builder /install /usr/local
+
 COPY etc/*.json etc/*.yaml /etc/villas/controller/
 COPY villas-controller.service /etc/systemd/system/
 
diff --git a/etc/config_simplekub.yaml b/etc/config_simplekub.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f33ee66
--- /dev/null
+++ b/etc/config_simplekub.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+---
+components:
+- type: generic
+  category: manager
+  name: Generic Manager
+  location: VM Iris
+  uuid: eddb51a0-557b-4848-ac7a-faccc7c51fa3
+
+- category: manager
+  type: kubernetes-simple
+  name: Simple Kubernetes Manager
+  location: VM Iris
+  uuid: 4f8fb73e-7e74-11eb-8f63-f3ccc3ab82f6
+  namespace: villas-controller
diff --git a/etc/params_k8s_dpsim.yaml b/etc/params_k8s_dpsim.yaml
index 5ce3b84..fa0ed9e 100644
--- a/etc/params_k8s_dpsim.yaml
+++ b/etc/params_k8s_dpsim.yaml
@@ -13,9 +13,9 @@ properties:
       name: dpsim
     spec:
       suspend: true
-      activeDeadlineSeconds: 120 # kill the Job after 1h
+      activeDeadlineSeconds: 3600 # kill the Job after 1h
       backoffLimit: 0 # only try to run pod once, no retries
-      ttlSecondsAfterFinished: 120 # delete the Job resources 1h after completion
+      ttlSecondsAfterFinished: 3600 # delete the Job resources 1h after completion
       template:
         spec:
           restartPolicy: Never
diff --git a/villas/controller/component.py b/villas/controller/component.py
index a121f09..4a086f8 100644
--- a/villas/controller/component.py
+++ b/villas/controller/component.py
@@ -107,7 +107,11 @@ def load_schema(self):
                 fo = resources.open_text(pkg, res)
                 loadedschema = yaml.load(fo, yaml.SafeLoader)
 
-                schema[name] = Draft202012Validator(loadedschema)
+                try:
+                    Draft202012Validator.check_schema(loadedschema)
+                    schema[name] = loadedschema
+                except jsonschema.exceptions.SchemaError:
+                    self.logger.warning("Schema is invalid!")
 
         return schema
 
@@ -148,7 +152,7 @@ def status(self):
                 **self.headers
             },
             'schema': {
-                name: v.schema for name, v in self.schema.items()
+                name: v for name, v in self.schema.items()
             }
         }
 
@@ -277,12 +281,15 @@ def from_dict(dict):
 
     def publish_status(self):
         if not self.mixin:
+            self.logger.warn('No mixin!')
             return
 
         self.mixin.publish(self.status, headers=self.headers)
 
     def publish_status_periodically(self):
-        self.logger.info('Start state publish thread')
+        self.logger.info('Start state publish thread, initial status: %s',
+                         self.status)
+        self.publish_status()  # publish the first update immediately
 
         while not self.publish_status_thread_stop.wait(
           self.publish_status_interval):
diff --git a/villas/controller/components/manager.py b/villas/controller/components/manager.py
index 1f04ff7..42f364d 100644
--- a/villas/controller/components/manager.py
+++ b/villas/controller/components/manager.py
@@ -28,6 +28,9 @@ def from_dict(dict):
         if type == 'kubernetes':
             from villas.controller.components.managers import kubernetes
             return kubernetes.KubernetesManager(**dict)
+        if type == 'kubernetes-simple':
+            from villas.controller.components.managers import kubernetes_simple
+            return kubernetes_simple.KubernetesManagerSimple(**dict)
         if type == 'villas-node':
             from villas.controller.components.managers import villas_node  # noqa E501
             return villas_node.VILLASnodeManager(**dict)
@@ -43,7 +46,6 @@ def from_dict(dict):
     def add_component(self, comp):
         if comp.uuid in self.mixin.components:
             existing_comp = self.mixin.components[comp.uuid]
-
             raise SimulationException(self, 'Component with same UUID ' +
                                       'already exists!',
                                       component=existing_comp)
diff --git a/villas/controller/components/managers/kubernetes.py b/villas/controller/components/managers/kubernetes.py
index c50d26e..8412faf 100644
--- a/villas/controller/components/managers/kubernetes.py
+++ b/villas/controller/components/managers/kubernetes.py
@@ -22,30 +22,30 @@ class KubernetesManager(Manager):
     def __init__(self, **args):
         super().__init__(**args)
 
-        self.thread_stop = threading.Event()
-
-        self.pod_watcher_thread = threading.Thread(
-            target=self._run_pod_watcher)
-        self.job_watcher_thread = threading.Thread(
-            target=self._run_job_watcher)
-        self.event_watcher_thread = threading.Thread(
-            target=self._run_event_watcher)
-
         if os.environ.get('KUBECONFIG'):
             k8s.config.load_kube_config()
         else:
             k8s.config.load_incluster_config()
 
-        self.namespace = args.get('namespace', 'default')
+        # the namespace in which to create the jobs
+        # and to watch for events
+        self.namespace = os.environ.get('NAMESPACE')
+        if self.namespace:
+            self.namespace = ''.join([self.namespace, '-controller'])
+        else:
+            self.namespace = 'villas-controller'
+
+        self._check_namespace(self.namespace)
 
-        self.my_namespace = os.environ.get('NAMESPACE')
+        # name and UID of the pod in which this controller is running
+        # used in kubernetes simulator to set the owner reference
         self.my_pod_name = os.environ.get('POD_NAME')
         self.my_pod_uid = os.environ.get('POD_UID')
 
-        self._check_namespace(self.namespace)
+        self.thread_stop = threading.Event()
 
-        # self.pod_watcher_thread.start()
-        # self.job_watcher_thread.start()
+        self.event_watcher_thread = threading.Thread(
+            target=self._run_event_watcher)
         self.event_watcher_thread.setDaemon(True)
         self.event_watcher_thread.start()
 
@@ -59,28 +59,6 @@ def _check_namespace(self, ns):
 
         raise RuntimeError(f'Namespace {ns} does not exist')
 
-    def _run_pod_watcher(self):
-        w = k8s.watch.Watch()
-        c = k8s.client.CoreV1Api()
-
-        for sts in w.stream(c.list_namespaced_pod,
-                            namespace=self.namespace):
-            stso = sts.get('object')
-            typ = sts.get('type')
-
-            self.logger.info('%s Pod: %s', typ, stso.metadata.name)
-
-    def _run_job_watcher(self):
-        w = k8s.watch.Watch()
-        b = k8s.client.BatchV1Api()
-
-        for sts in w.stream(b.list_namespaced_job,
-                            namespace=self.namespace):
-            stso = sts.get('object')
-            typ = sts.get('type')
-
-            self.logger.info('%s Job: %s', typ, stso.metadata.name)
-
     def _run_event_watcher(self):
         while not self.thread_stop.is_set():
             w = k8s.watch.Watch()
@@ -107,6 +85,10 @@ def _run_event_watcher(self):
 
                         if _match(comp.job.metadata.name,
                                   eo.involved_object.name):
+                            if comp._state == 'stopping':
+                                # incoming events are old repetitions
+                                continue
+
                             if eo.reason == 'Completed':
                                 comp.change_state('stopping', True)
                             elif eo.reason == 'Started':
diff --git a/villas/controller/components/managers/kubernetes_simple.py b/villas/controller/components/managers/kubernetes_simple.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..37fe26f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/villas/controller/components/managers/kubernetes_simple.py
@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+from villas.controller.components.managers.kubernetes import KubernetesManager
+from villas.controller.components.simulators.kubernetes import KubernetesJob
+
+
+def build_parameters(sim_name, jobname, image, adls=3600,
+                     privileged=False, name=None, uuid=None):
+    parameters = {
+        'type': 'kubernetes',
+        'category': 'simulator',
+        'uuid': uuid,
+        'name': name or sim_name,
+        'properties': {
+            'job': {
+                'apiVersion': 'batch/v1',
+                'kind': 'Job',
+                'metadata': {
+                    'name': jobname
+                },
+                'spec': {
+                    'activeDeadlineSeconds': adls,
+                    'backoffLimit': 2,
+                    'template': {
+                        'spec': {
+                            'restartPolicy': 'Never',
+                            'containers': [
+                                {
+                                    'image': image,
+                                    'imagePullPolicy': 'Always',
+                                    'name': 'jobcontainer',
+                                    'securityContext': {
+                                        'privileged': privileged
+                                    }
+                                }
+                            ]
+                        }
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    return parameters
+
+
+class KubernetesManagerSimple(KubernetesManager):
+
+    def __init__(self, **args):
+        super().__init__(**args)
+
+    def create(self, payload):
+        params = payload.get('parameters', {})
+        sim_name = payload.get('name', 'Kubernetes Simulator')
+        jobname = params.get('jobname', 'noname')
+        adls = params.get('activeDeadlineSeconds', 3600)
+        if type(adls) is str:
+            adls = int(adls)
+        image = params.get('image')
+        name = params.get('name')
+        privileged = params.get('privileged', False)
+        uuid = params.get('uuid')
+        self.logger.info('uuid:')
+        self.logger.info(uuid)
+
+        if image is None:
+            self.logger.error('No image given, will try super.create')
+            super().create(payload)
+            return
+
+        parameters = build_parameters(
+            sim_name=sim_name,
+            jobname=jobname,
+            image=image,
+            adls=adls,
+            privileged=privileged,
+            name=name,
+            uuid=uuid
+        )
+
+        comp = KubernetesJob(self, **parameters)
+        self.add_component(comp)
diff --git a/villas/controller/components/simulators/kubernetes.py b/villas/controller/components/simulators/kubernetes.py
index 5da40b0..be08bc9 100644
--- a/villas/controller/components/simulators/kubernetes.py
+++ b/villas/controller/components/simulators/kubernetes.py
@@ -194,9 +194,9 @@ def start(self, payload):
         self.properties['job_name'] = self.job.metadata.name
         self.properties['namespace'] = self.manager.namespace
 
-    def stop(self, payload):
+    def stop(self, message):
+        self.change_state('stopping', True)
         self._delete_job()
-
         self.change_state('idle')
 
     def _send_signal(self, sig):
@@ -227,6 +227,7 @@ def resume(self, payload):
         self.change_state('running')
 
     def reset(self, payload):
+        self.change_state('resetting', True)
         self._delete_job()
         super().reset(payload)
 
diff --git a/villas/controller/controller.py b/villas/controller/controller.py
index 177f851..5c915b2 100644
--- a/villas/controller/controller.py
+++ b/villas/controller/controller.py
@@ -84,6 +84,8 @@ def _drain_publish_queue(self):
                 self.producer.publish(body, **kwargs)
         except queue.Empty:
             pass
+        except TimeoutError:
+            LOGGER.warn('TimeoutError, let kombu reconnect..')
 
     def on_iteration(self):
         # Drain publish queue
diff --git a/villas/controller/schemas/manager/kubernetes-simple/__init__.py b/villas/controller/schemas/manager/kubernetes-simple/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/villas/controller/schemas/manager/kubernetes-simple/create.yaml b/villas/controller/schemas/manager/kubernetes-simple/create.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..474a9a4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/villas/controller/schemas/manager/kubernetes-simple/create.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+---
+$schema: http://json-schema.org/draft-04/schema#
+
+type: object
+title: 'Simple Kubernetes Job'
+required:
+  - image
+properties:
+  name:
+    type: string
+    title: 'Simulator Name'
+    default: 'Kubernetes Simulator'
+  uuid:
+    type: string
+    title: UUID
+    default: 8dfd03b2-1c78-11ec-9621-0242ac130002
+  jobname:
+    type: string
+    title: 'Jobname'
+    default: myjob
+  activeDeadlineSeconds:
+    type: number
+    title: activeDeadlineSeconds
+    default: 3600
+  image:
+    type: string
+    title: Image
+    default: perl
+  privileged:
+    type: boolean
+    title: Privileged
+    default: false
+    description: 'WARNING: If true, the container has root privileges on the host'