Cloud Engineer

About

The Cloud Engineer plays a critical role in supporting a federal government program by focusing primarily on migrating sensitive workloads to the cloud. This hands-on position requires expertise in designing, implementing, and maintaining cloud architectures, with an emphasis on security, scalability, and compliance.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and implement secure, scalable, and highly available cloud solutions on Azure Government, utilizing PaaS/IaaS services and containerization (Kubernetes, Docker, AKS).
• Create and execute detailed cloud migration plans while ensuring security and compliance throughout the process.
• Drive enhancements for cloud management platforms, evaluating their performance and making necessary improvements.
• Develop infrastructure as code (IAC) using CI/CD pipelines with tools such as Terraform and ARM templates.
• Lead cloud consulting engagements, providing strategic insights on cloud architecture, technology deployments, and portfolio management.
• Educate and guide stakeholders and engineering teams on effective cloud solutions, security best practices, and cost optimization strategies.
• Participate in technical project reviews to ensure designs meet operational and security requirements.
• Maintain technical documentation and stay updated on emerging tools and best practices.

Required Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor's degree and 12+ years relevant experience, or Master's degree and 10+ years relevant experience, or 7+ years with PhD. A degree in one of the following fields of study is highly desired: Information Technology, Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Information Systems, Software Engineering, or Data Science. However, an additional 4 years of relevant experience or specialized training may be considered in lieu of Bachelor's degree.
• Certifications:
  • Required: Active IAT Level II (CompTIA Security+ preferred)
• Security Clearance: Minimum active Secret.
• Knowledge of computer networking concepts and protocols, and network security methodologies.
• Knowledge of risk management processes.
• Knowledge of cybersecurity principles, cyber threats, and vulnerabilities.
• Knowledge of cloud computing service models Software as a Service (SaaS), Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), and Platform as a Service (PaaS).
• Knowledge of cloud computing deployment models in private, public, and hybrid environments.
• A minimum of 3 years of experience specifically within Microsoft Azure Government.
• Proven experience in designing flexible, scalable, and highly-available cloud architectures and systems.
• Expertise in containerization technologies (Kubernetes, Docker) and IAC tools (Terraform, ARM templates).
• Familiarity with DevOps concepts and tools (GitLab, JIRA, Jenkins).

Desired Qualifications

• Familiarity with NIST 800-53, FedRAMP, security tools, and principles.
• In-depth expertise with DAF CLOUDWorks (multi-cloud environments).
• Experience with data visualization tools (e.g., Power BI) and cyber threat intelligence platforms.
• Knowledge of AI/ML concepts and tools.

Highly Desired Certifications

Cloud:

• Azure Administrator Associate, AWS Certified SysOps Administrator.
• AWS Solutions Architect Professional or Azure Solutions Architect Expert

Cloud Security:

• CCSP (Certified Cloud Security Professional), Cloud+ (CompTIA Cloud Plus), GCLD (GIAC Cloud Security Essentials), GCSA (GIAC Cloud Security Automation).

Project Management:

• Project Management Professional (PMP) certification, PMI-Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP), Certified Scrum Master (CSM).

Location

This position is fully on-site M-F in the Baltimore-Metropolitan area.