diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index dc583b0..08f3ca9 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -11,13 +11,13 @@ build:docker:
   script:
   - docker build --tag ${CI_REGISTRY_IMAGE}:${CI_COMMIT_BRANCH} .
   tags:
-  - docker
+  - docker-image-builder
 
 build:precommit:
   stage: build
   image: python:3.11
   before_script:
-  - pip3 install -r requirements-dev.txt
+  - pip install .[dev]
   script:
   - pre-commit run --all-files
 
@@ -27,8 +27,7 @@ build:test:
   services:
   - rabbitmq:latest
   before_script:
-  - pip3 install -r requirements.txt
-  - pip3 install -r requirements-dev.txt
+  - pip3 install .[dev]
   script:
   - pytest -v
 
@@ -41,7 +40,7 @@ build:dist:
     paths:
       - dist/
   tags:
-  - docker
+  - docker-image-builder
 
 # Stage: deploy
 ##############################################################################
diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index 69d0784..c657ff2 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -1,12 +1,19 @@
-FROM python:3.11
+# build stage
+FROM python:3.11 AS builder
 
-COPY requirements.txt /tmp
-RUN pip3 install -r /tmp/requirements.txt
+WORKDIR /build
+COPY . .
 
-COPY . /tmp/controller
-RUN cd /tmp/controller && \
-	python3 setup.py sdist && \
-	pip3 install dist/*.tar.gz && \
-	rm -rf /tmp/controller
+RUN pip install .
 
-ENTRYPOINT [ "villas-controller" ]
+RUN python3 setup.py sdist && \
+    pip install dist/*.tar.gz --target /install
+
+# minimal runtime image
+FROM python:3.11-slim AS runtime
+
+COPY --from=builder /install /usr/local/lib/python3.11/site-packages
+COPY etc/*.json etc/*.yaml /etc/villas/controller/
+COPY villas-controller.service /etc/systemd/system/
+
+ENTRYPOINT ["/usr/local/lib/python3.11/site-packages/bin/villas-controller"]
diff --git a/etc/config_simplekub.yaml b/etc/config_simplekub.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6b4f5dd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/etc/config_simplekub.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+---
+broker:
+  url: amqp://admin:vieQuoo2sieDahHee8ohM5aThaibiPei@villas-broker:5672/
+
+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/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..799ee97
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+[build-system]
+requires = ["setuptools>=61", "wheel"]
+build-backend = "setuptools.build_meta"
+
+[project]
+name = "villas-controller"
+dynamic = ["version"]
+description = "A controller/orchestration API for real-time power system simulators"
+readme = "README.md"
+requires-python = ">=3.7"
+authors = [
+    { name="Steffen Vogel", email="acs-software@eonerc.rwth-aachen.de" }
+]
+dependencies = [
+    "dotmap",
+    "kombu",
+    "termcolor",
+    "psutil",
+    "requests",
+    "villas-node>=0.10.2",
+    "kubernetes",
+    "xdg",
+    "PyYAML",
+    "tornado",
+    "jsonschema>=4.1.0",
+    "pyusb"
+]
+
+[project.optional-dependencies]
+dev = [
+  "pytest",
+  "pre-commit"
+]
+
+[project.license]
+text = "Apache-2.0"
+
+[tool.setuptools.dynamic]
+version = { attr = "villas.controller.__version__" }
+
+[tool.setuptools.packages.find]
+include = ["villas*"]
+
+[project.scripts]
+villas-controller = "villas.controller.main:main"
+villas-ctl = "villas.controller.main:main"
diff --git a/requirements-dev.txt b/requirements-dev.txt
deleted file mode 100644
index 51f1982..0000000
--- a/requirements-dev.txt
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,2 +0,0 @@
-pre-commit
-pytest
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
deleted file mode 100644
index d0d9c97..0000000
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,13 +0,0 @@
-kombu
-termcolor
-psutil
-requests
-villas-node>=0.10.2
-kubernetes
-xdg
-dotmap
-PyYAML
-tornado
-jsonschema>=4.1.0
-psutil
-pyusb
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 4f5b5f2..a6e30fd 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -1,69 +1,9 @@
-from setuptools import setup, find_namespace_packages
+from setuptools import setup
 from glob import glob
 
-import os
-import re
-
-
-def get_version():
-    here = os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__))
-    init_file = os.path.join(here, "villas", "controller", "__init__.py")
-
-    with open(init_file, "r") as f:
-        content = f.read()
-
-    match = re.search(r"^__version__ = ['\"]([^'\"]*)['\"]", content, re.M)
-    if match:
-        return match.group(1)
-
-    raise RuntimeError("Version not found")
-
-
-with open('README.md') as f:
-    long_description = f.read()
-
 setup(
-    name='villas-controller',
-    version=get_version(),
-    description='A controller/orchestration API for real-time '
-                'power system simulators',
-    long_description=long_description,
-    long_description_content_type='text/markdown',
-    url='https://www.fein-aachen.org/projects/villas-controller/',
-    author='Steffen Vogel',
-    author_email='acs-software@eonerc.rwth-aachen.de',
-    license='Apache License 2.0',
-    keywords='simulation controller villas',
-    classifiers=[
-        'Development Status :: 3 - Alpha',
-        'License :: OSI Approved :: Apache Software License',
-        'Programming Language :: Python :: 3'
-    ],
-    packages=find_namespace_packages(include=['villas.*']),
-    install_requires=[
-        'dotmap',
-        'kombu',
-        'termcolor',
-        'psutil',
-        'requests',
-        'villas-node>=0.10.2',
-        'kubernetes',
-        'xdg',
-        'PyYAML',
-        'tornado',
-        'jsonschema>=4.1.0',
-        'psutil',
-        'pyusb'
-    ],
     data_files=[
         ('/etc/villas/controller', glob('etc/*.{json,yaml}')),
         ('/etc/systemd/system', ['villas-controller.service'])
-    ],
-    entry_points={
-        'console_scripts': [
-            'villas-ctl=villas.controller.main:main',
-            'villas-controller=villas.controller.main:main'
-        ],
-    },
-    include_package_data=True
+    ]
 )
diff --git a/villas/controller/__init__.py b/villas/controller/__init__.py
index 6a9beea..3d26edf 100644
--- a/villas/controller/__init__.py
+++ b/villas/controller/__init__.py
@@ -1 +1 @@
-__version__ = "0.4.0"
+__version__ = "0.4.1"
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..db701c2 100644
--- a/villas/controller/components/managers/kubernetes.py
+++ b/villas/controller/components/managers/kubernetes.py
@@ -22,42 +22,36 @@ 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')
+        self.namespace = ''.join([self.namespace, '-controller'])
 
-        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 = 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)
 
-        # self.pod_watcher_thread.start()
-        # self.job_watcher_thread.start()
         self.event_watcher_thread.setDaemon(True)
         self.event_watcher_thread.start()
 
-    def _check_namespace(self, ns):
-        c = k8s.client.CoreV1Api()
-
-        namespaces = c.list_namespace()
-        for namespace in namespaces.items:
-            if namespace.metadata.name == ns:
-                return
-
-        raise RuntimeError(f'Namespace {ns} does not exist')
+        # Not used yet, can support more complex logic
+        # self.pod_watcher_thread.start()
+        # self.job_watcher_thread.start()
 
     def _run_pod_watcher(self):
         w = k8s.watch.Watch()
@@ -107,6 +101,10 @@ 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..f8e706d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/villas/controller/components/managers/kubernetes_simple.py
@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+from villas.controller.components.managers.kubernetes import KubernetesManager
+from villas.controller.components.simulators.kubernetes import KubernetesJob
+
+parameters_simple = {
+    'type': 'kubernetes',
+    'category': 'simulator',
+    'uuid': None,
+    'name': '',
+    'properties': {
+        'job': {
+            'apiVersion': 'batch/v1',
+            'kind': 'Job',
+            'metadata': {
+                'name': ''
+            },
+            'spec': {
+                'activeDeadlineSeconds': 3600,
+                'backoffLimit': 2,
+                'template': {
+                    'spec': {
+                        'restartPolicy': 'Never',
+                        'containers': [
+                            {
+                                'image': '',
+                                'imagePullPolicy': 'Always',
+                                'name': 'jobcontainer',
+                                'securityContext': {
+                                    'privileged': False
+                                }
+                            }
+                        ]
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+
+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 = parameters_simple
+        parameters['name'] = sim_name
+        job = parameters['properties']['job']
+        job['metadata']['name'] = jobname
+        job['spec']['activeDeadlineSeconds'] = adls
+        job_container = job['spec']['template']['spec']['containers'][0]
+        job_container['image'] = image
+        job_container['securityContext']['privileged'] = privileged
+
+        parameters['job'] = job
+
+        if name:
+            parameters['name'] = name
+
+        if uuid:
+            parameters['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..82fa682 100644
--- a/villas/controller/components/simulators/kubernetes.py
+++ b/villas/controller/components/simulators/kubernetes.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING
 import json
 import signal
+import time
 
 import kubernetes as k8s
 
@@ -28,6 +29,7 @@ def __init__(self, manager: KubernetesManager, **args):
 
         self.job = None
         self.pods = set()
+        self.cm_name = ''
 
         self.custom_schema = props.get('schema', {})
 
@@ -65,6 +67,7 @@ def _owner(self):
     def _prepare_job(self, job, payload):
         # Create config map
         cm = self._create_config_map(payload)
+        self.cm_name = cm.metadata.name
 
         # Create volumes
         v = k8s.client.V1Volume(
@@ -173,6 +176,9 @@ def _delete_job(self):
         self.job = None
         self.properties['job_name'] = None
         self.properties['pod_names'] = []
+        # job isn't immediately deleted
+        # let the user see that something is happening
+        time.sleep(7)
 
     def start(self, payload):
         # Delete prior job
@@ -194,9 +200,9 @@ 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 +233,8 @@ def resume(self, payload):
         self.change_state('running')
 
     def reset(self, payload):
+        self.change_state('resetting', True)
+        self.mixin.drain_publish_queue()
         self._delete_job()
         super().reset(payload)
 
diff --git a/villas/controller/controller.py b/villas/controller/controller.py
index 177f851..0bdcc98 100644
--- a/villas/controller/controller.py
+++ b/villas/controller/controller.py
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ def add_managers(self):
     def publish(self, body, **kwargs):
         self.publish_queue.put((body, kwargs))
 
-    def _drain_publish_queue(self):
+    def drain_publish_queue(self):
         try:
             while msg := self.publish_queue.get(False):
                 body = msg[0]
@@ -84,10 +84,12 @@ 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
-        self._drain_publish_queue()
+        self.drain_publish_queue()
 
         # Update components
         added = self.components.keys() - self.active_components.keys()
@@ -136,7 +138,7 @@ def shutdown(self):
             c.on_shutdown()
 
         # Publish last status updates before shutdown
-        self._drain_publish_queue()
+        self.drain_publish_queue()
         self.should_terminate = True
 
     @property
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'