Cloud Engineer

Symmetric Recruitment Ltd; Lincoln; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

Symmetric Recruitment Ltd in Lincoln is seeking a Microsoft 365 & Cloud Engineer to design, implement and secure Microsoft 365 and Azure environments. You will own tenant configuration, security hardening and ongoing improvements, acting as senior escalation for complex cloud issues and driving automation and standardisation across platforms.

The role focuses on Conditional Access, Defender/Sentinel implementation and FinOps governance, with hands-on IaC and policy design.

Qualifications

• Configuring and securing Microsoft 365 and Azure in production.
• Deep knowledge of Microsoft Entra ID and Conditional Access.
• Hands-on with Defender, Sentinel, Purview or Intune.
• Strong PowerShell scripting and automation using Graph API.
• Cloud governance, tenant hardening and operational best practices.
• Clear communication with technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Configure, secure and optimise Microsoft 365 services across Exchange Online, Teams, SharePoint Online and OneDrive.
• Administer and harden Azure infrastructure with a security-first approach.
• Own identity and access: Entra ID, Conditional Access, and MFA policy design.
• Implement and manage security tooling: Defender, Purview, DLP, Intune endpoint management.
• Lead escalation for complex M365, Azure and identity incidents; drive permanent fixes.
• Build automation for provisioning and configuration using PowerShell, Graph API and IaC.
• Set governance standards and configuration baselines; drive FinOps insights.
• Lead migrations and deployments with other engineers; align with security controls.
• Provide technical leadership and mentoring to Cloud Engineers.

Skills

Microsoft 365

Azure

Identity & Access

Automation

Conditional Access

PowerShell scripting

Graph API

Tools

PowerShell

Graph API

Terraform

Bicep

Intune

Defender

Sentinel

Purview

Job description

Microsoft 365 & Cloud Engineer

Location: Lincoln, Hybrid
Employment type: Full time, permanent
Salary: £40,000 - £48,000, depending on experience

This is a hands-on, cloud-first engineering role for someone who builds and secures Microsoft 365 and Azure, rather than someone who supports it from a service desk. You will own the configuration, hardening and continual improvement of our tenant, act as the senior escalation point for complex cloud and identity issues, and set the standard for how our platforms are run.

If your strongest work is configuring Conditional Access policies, deploying and tuning Microsoft Defender, standing up Sentinel, automating with PowerShell and Infrastructure as Code, and driving Secure Score in the right direction, this role is built for you.

What you will do

• Configure, secure and optimise Microsoft 365 services across Exchange Online, Teams, SharePoint Online and OneDrive.
• Administer and harden Azure infrastructure, with a security-first approach throughout.
• Own identity and access: Microsoft Entra ID, Conditional Access, and MFA policy design and enforcement.
• Implement and manage Microsoft security tooling: Defender for Endpoint, Defender for Office 365, Purview and data loss prevention, and Intune endpoint management.
• Act as the senior escalation point for complex M365, Azure and identity incidents, leading root cause investigation and permanent fixes.
• Build automation for provisioning, configuration and operations using PowerShell, Graph API and Infrastructure as Code.
• Own governance, tenant standards and configuration baselines, and champion FinOps for cost visibility and efficiency.
• Lead M365 and Azure migrations, upgrades and deployments, working closely with our Network and Cyber Security Engineers to keep everything inside our security controls.
• Provide technical leadership and mentoring to Cloud Engineers, and shape the cloud roadmap.

What we need from you

• Demonstrable experience configuring and securing Microsoft 365 and Azure in production, not first-line support exposure.
• Real depth in Microsoft Entra ID, Conditional Access and identity and access management.
• Hands-on experience with Microsoft security tooling such as Defender, Sentinel, Purview or Intune.
• Strong PowerShell scripting and automation, ideally with Graph API.
• A track record of cloud governance, tenant hardening and operational best practice.
• Sound judgement under pressure, and clear communication with technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Nice to have

• Microsoft certifications such as SC-200, SC-300, SC-100, AZ-500, AZ-104, MS-102 or MS-500.
• Infrastructure as Code with Bicep or Terraform.
• FinOps and cloud financial management.
• Experience in an ITIL service management environment