2026-01-A Cloud Engineer

1st-edge-llc; Huntsville (TN); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equal opportunity employer

Job summary

1st Edge is seeking a highly skilled Azure Cloud Engineer in Huntsville to join our government-focused team. This role focuses on daily administration, management, and health of a hybrid‑cloud infrastructure, with a strong emphasis on Azure services and on‑prem integration.

The ideal candidate has hands-on cloud experience, a DoD-level security mindset, and the ability to automate deployment with Terraform and related IaC tools while maintaining security controls and documentation.

Qualifications

• Clearance & Citizenship: U.S. Citizenship; Active DoD security clearance.
• Education & Experience: Bachelor’s degree in a technical field + 3+ years in sysadmin with cloud experience.
• Core Cloud Skills: Storage/backup/DR, container management, Azure Monitor, Log Analytics, Entra ID RBAC, Defender for Cloud, Cost Management, Azure Update Management.
• Automation Tools: IaC with Terraform, OpenTofu, Ansible, or AWS CloudFormation.
• Certifications: CompTIA Security+ CE (or other IAT Level II). Cloud certs (Azure Fundamentals/Admin/Security/Architect, AWS Architect/Developer, CCSP, or GCSA).

Responsibilities

• Provision, configure, and maintain cloud and on‑prem VMs; support migrating on‑prem apps to Azure.
• Automate resource deployment and infrastructure management using Terraform.
• Manage Azure Storage and backup/disaster recovery workflows.
• Configure virtual networks, subnets, and NSGs.
• Apply DISA STIGs and manage identity/secrets with Entra ID and Key Vault.
• Manage Azure DevOps Server repos and AKS deployment, scaling, and orchestration.
• Monitor system performance and maintain architecture documentation.

Skills

Azure Cloud

IaC

Terraform

OpenTofu

Ansible

RBAC

Entra ID

Key Vault

Azure Monitor

Security+ CE

Disaster Recovery

Networking

DevOps

Containers

Education

Bachelor’s degree in a technical field

Tools

Terraform

Azure DevOps

Azure

Kubernetes

PowerShell

Job description

1st Edge is a growing business seeking top performers to join in our mission of developing Artificial Intelligence solutions for our Government customers. We offer technically advanced, challenging work in an employee-centered environment driven by the desire to contribute to a meaningful purpose. Our employees work closely with Space and Missile Defense Command (SMDC), Missile Defense Agency (MDA), and The U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM).

We believe in a balanced, quid pro quo relationship between the company and its employees, providing all benefits at no cost plus generous time off. This balanced culture allows employees to do their best work and contributes to our extraordinary success rate. From an excellent benefits package to job autonomy with challenging work, 1st Edge cultivates an innovative and collaborative environment with meaningful work.

1st Edge is seeking a highly skilled and hands‑on Azure Cloud Engineer to join our team. This is a deeply technical role focused on the daily administration, management, and operational health of hybrid‑cloud infrastructure. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in traditional administration with proven, hands‑on experience in a cloud environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Server & Cloud Admin: Provision, configure, and maintain cloud and on-prem VMs; support migrating on‑prem apps to Azure.
• IaC & Automation: Automate resource deployment and infrastructure management using Terraform.
• Storage & Recovery: Manage Azure Storage (Blob, File, Queue) and maintain backup/disaster recovery workflows.
• Networking:Configure virtual networks, subnets, and Network Security Groups (NSGs).
• Security & Compliance: Apply DISA STIGs, handle data encryption, configure Azure Group Policies, and manage identity/secrets with Entra ID and Key Vault.
• DevOps & Containers: Manage Azure DevOps Server repositories and deploy, scale, and orchestrate AKS clusters.
• Operations & Support: Monitor system performance, support developers/cyber teams/users, and maintain operational and architecture documentation.

Required Qualifications

• Clearance & Citizenship: U.S. Citizenship; Active DoD security clearance.
• Education & Experience: Bachelor’s degree in a technical field (or equivalent experience) + 3+ years in sysadmin, with significant cloud experience.
• Core Cloud Skills: Strong knowledge of storage/backup/DR, container management, Azure Monitor, Log Analytics, Entra ID (with RBAC), Defender for Cloud, Cost Management, and Azure Update Management.
• Automation Tools: Hands‑on experience with IaC tools (Terraform, OpenTofu, Ansible, or AWS CloudFormation).
• Certifications (Required/Obtainable before start): * CompTIA Security+ CE (or other IAT Level II cert).
• Cloud cert (e.g., Azure Fundamentals/Admin/Security/Architect, AWS Architect/Developer, CCSP, or GCSA).

Preferred Qualifications

• Scripting & CI/CD: PowerShell, Azure CLI, and Azure DevOps or Jenkins pipelines.
• Advanced Networking: VNet peering, VPN Gateway, and ExpressRoute.
• Advanced Cloud: AWS experience, hybrid cloud infrastructure, and enclave federation.
• Terraform Expertise: Terraform HCS, Enterprise, and CLI.

Bonus Qualifications

• HashiCorp Certified: Terraform Associate.
• Multi-cloud cost optimization and management.

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. However, please note, based on the requirements of our Government contracts, you must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position.