diff --git a/nemo_run/config.py b/nemo_run/config.py
index 34a7d162..8bccfc36 100644
--- a/nemo_run/config.py
+++ b/nemo_run/config.py
@@ -49,6 +49,9 @@
 RUNDIR_SPECIAL_NAME = "/$nemo_run"
 SCRIPTS_DIR = "scripts"
 
+# Metadata keys
+USE_WITH_RAY_CLUSTER_KEY = "use_with_ray_cluster"
+
 
 def get_nemorun_home() -> str:
     """
diff --git a/nemo_run/run/ray/cluster.py b/nemo_run/run/ray/cluster.py
index e955af7a..e165adea 100644
--- a/nemo_run/run/ray/cluster.py
+++ b/nemo_run/run/ray/cluster.py
@@ -14,32 +14,41 @@
 # limitations under the License.
 
 from dataclasses import dataclass
-from typing import Optional
+from typing import Optional, Type
 
 from nemo_run.core.execution.base import Executor
-from nemo_run.core.execution.kuberay import KubeRayExecutor
 from nemo_run.core.execution.slurm import SlurmExecutor
-from nemo_run.run.ray.kuberay import KubeRayCluster
 from nemo_run.run.ray.slurm import SlurmRayCluster
 
-USE_WITH_RAY_CLUSTER_KEY = "use_with_ray_cluster"
+# Import guard for Kubernetes dependencies
+try:
+    from nemo_run.core.execution.kuberay import KubeRayExecutor
+    from nemo_run.run.ray.kuberay import KubeRayCluster
+
+    _KUBERAY_AVAILABLE = True
+except ImportError:
+    KubeRayExecutor = None
+    KubeRayCluster = None
+    _KUBERAY_AVAILABLE = False
 
 
 @dataclass(kw_only=True)
 class RayCluster:
-    BACKEND_MAP = {
-        KubeRayExecutor: KubeRayCluster,
-        SlurmExecutor: SlurmRayCluster,
-    }
-
     name: str
     executor: Executor
 
     def __post_init__(self):
-        if self.executor.__class__ not in self.BACKEND_MAP:
+        backend_map: dict[Type[Executor], Type] = {
+            SlurmExecutor: SlurmRayCluster,
+        }
+
+        if _KUBERAY_AVAILABLE and KubeRayExecutor is not None and KubeRayCluster is not None:
+            backend_map[KubeRayExecutor] = KubeRayCluster
+
+        if self.executor.__class__ not in backend_map:
             raise ValueError(f"Unsupported executor: {self.executor.__class__}")
 
-        backend_cls = self.BACKEND_MAP[self.executor.__class__]
+        backend_cls = backend_map[self.executor.__class__]
         self.backend = backend_cls(name=self.name, executor=self.executor)  # type: ignore[arg-type]
 
         self._port_forward_map = {}
diff --git a/nemo_run/run/ray/job.py b/nemo_run/run/ray/job.py
index b0ed2548..2abe6f6c 100644
--- a/nemo_run/run/ray/job.py
+++ b/nemo_run/run/ray/job.py
@@ -14,35 +14,45 @@
 # limitations under the License.
 
 from dataclasses import dataclass
-from typing import Any, Optional
+from typing import Any, Optional, Type
 
 from nemo_run.core.execution.base import Executor
-from nemo_run.core.execution.kuberay import KubeRayExecutor
 from nemo_run.core.execution.slurm import SlurmExecutor
-from nemo_run.run.ray.kuberay import KubeRayJob
 from nemo_run.run.ray.slurm import SlurmRayJob
 
+# Import guard for Kubernetes dependencies
+try:
+    from nemo_run.core.execution.kuberay import KubeRayExecutor
+    from nemo_run.run.ray.kuberay import KubeRayJob
+
+    _KUBERAY_AVAILABLE = True
+except ImportError:
+    KubeRayExecutor = None
+    KubeRayJob = None
+    _KUBERAY_AVAILABLE = False
+
 
 @dataclass(kw_only=True)
 class RayJob:
     """Backend-agnostic convenience wrapper around Ray *jobs*."""
 
-    BACKEND_MAP = {
-        KubeRayExecutor: KubeRayJob,
-        SlurmExecutor: SlurmRayJob,
-    }
-
     name: str
     executor: Executor
     pre_ray_start_commands: Optional[list[str]] = None
 
     def __post_init__(self) -> None:  # noqa: D401 – simple implementation
-        if self.executor.__class__ not in self.BACKEND_MAP:
+        backend_map: dict[Type[Executor], Type[Any]] = {
+            SlurmExecutor: SlurmRayJob,
+        }
+
+        if _KUBERAY_AVAILABLE and KubeRayExecutor is not None and KubeRayJob is not None:
+            backend_map[KubeRayExecutor] = KubeRayJob
+
+        if self.executor.__class__ not in backend_map:
             raise ValueError(f"Unsupported executor: {self.executor.__class__}")
 
-        self.backend = self.BACKEND_MAP[self.executor.__class__](
-            name=self.name, executor=self.executor
-        )
+        backend_cls = backend_map[self.executor.__class__]
+        self.backend = backend_cls(name=self.name, executor=self.executor)
 
     # ------------------------------------------------------------------
     # Public API
diff --git a/nemo_run/run/torchx_backend/packaging.py b/nemo_run/run/torchx_backend/packaging.py
index 92008db9..e915e9b0 100644
--- a/nemo_run/run/torchx_backend/packaging.py
+++ b/nemo_run/run/torchx_backend/packaging.py
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 import fiddle._src.experimental.dataclasses as fdl_dc
 from torchx import specs
 
-from nemo_run.config import SCRIPTS_DIR, Partial, Script
+from nemo_run.config import SCRIPTS_DIR, USE_WITH_RAY_CLUSTER_KEY, Partial, Script
 from nemo_run.core.execution.base import Executor
 from nemo_run.core.execution.dgxcloud import DGXCloudExecutor
 from nemo_run.core.execution.launcher import FaultTolerance, Torchrun
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@
 from nemo_run.core.execution.slurm import SlurmExecutor
 from nemo_run.core.serialization.yaml import YamlSerializer
 from nemo_run.core.serialization.zlib_json import ZlibJSONSerializer
-from nemo_run.run.ray.cluster import USE_WITH_RAY_CLUSTER_KEY
 from nemo_run.run.torchx_backend.components import ft_launcher, torchrun
 
 log: logging.Logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
diff --git a/nemo_run/run/torchx_backend/schedulers/slurm.py b/nemo_run/run/torchx_backend/schedulers/slurm.py
index f20778fd..f0d4f6f0 100644
--- a/nemo_run/run/torchx_backend/schedulers/slurm.py
+++ b/nemo_run/run/torchx_backend/schedulers/slurm.py
@@ -50,12 +50,11 @@
 )
 from torchx.specs.api import is_terminal
 
-from nemo_run.config import RUNDIR_NAME, from_dict, get_nemorun_home
+from nemo_run.config import RUNDIR_NAME, USE_WITH_RAY_CLUSTER_KEY, from_dict, get_nemorun_home
 from nemo_run.core.execution.base import Executor
 from nemo_run.core.execution.slurm import SlurmBatchRequest, SlurmExecutor, SlurmJobDetails
 from nemo_run.core.tunnel.client import LocalTunnel, PackagingJob, SSHTunnel, Tunnel
 from nemo_run.run import experiment as run_experiment
-from nemo_run.run.ray.cluster import USE_WITH_RAY_CLUSTER_KEY
 from nemo_run.run.ray.slurm import SlurmRayRequest
 from nemo_run.run.torchx_backend.schedulers.api import SchedulerMixin