AWS Security Engineer

Peraton; Reston (VA); On-site; USD 86,000 - 138,000; Full time

Job summary

Peraton is seeking an AWS Security Engineer to safeguard our cloud-based infrastructure and to partner with Cloud Engineering, DevOps and Applications teams to embed security into CI/CD pipelines and IaC practices.

The role emphasizes hands-on work with AWS security services, vulnerability management, threat modeling, and runbooks. A US citizen able to obtain a Public Trust clearance is preferred, with strong Terraform and scripting skills.

Qualifications

• 8+ years in security or cybersecurity with cloud focus.
• Hands-on with ECS/EKS/EC2/Lambda and Terraform.
• Strong scripting in Python and Bash; IAM policy audits.

Responsibilities

• Lead vulnerability scanning and remediation for cloud resources.
• Manage IAM roles, policies, and secrets management.
• Develop IaC for AWS infrastructure using Terraform.
• Support incident response and root-cause analysis.
• Maintain cloud security documentation and runbooks.

Skills

Python

Bash

Cloud security

Communication

Education

BS/BA in Computer Science or related field

MS/MA in related field

HS Diploma/equivalent

Tools

Terraform

Git & CI/CD

AWS IAM / KMS

CloudWatch

Job description

Job Locations

US

Responsibilities

The AWS Security Engineer is responsible for ensuring the security, compliance and protection of our cloud-based infrastructure. The ideal candidate will have hands‑on experience with AWS security services, cloud risk assessments, incident response and continuous security monitoring. This role partners with Cloud Engineering, DevOps and Application teams to maintain a secure and resilient cloud environment.

Day to Day Work Responsibilities:

• Lead and support vulnerability scanning and remediation efforts for cloud resources
• Strong understanding of IAM Roles/Policies and Identity Federation, Encryption, KMS, secrets management
• Provision and manage AWS infrastructure using infrastructure as code (IaC) using tools such as Terraform
• Write custom scripts for CloudWatch custom metrics and alarms based on application specific probes
• Implement alerting and remediation automation based on probe output
• Assist in incident response, investigation and root cause analysis of cloud security events.
• Develop and maintain security architecture documentation, runbooks and procedure documents
• Run AWS security posture assessments using automated tools
• Experience with AWS cloud security monitoring and detection tooling
• Contribute to best practices around DevOps, automation and deployments and work with teams to embed security best practices into CI/CD pipelines and infrastructure as code
• Implement and improve AWS security controls, guardrails and baseline configurations
• Continuously evaluate AWS environments for cost-effective security improvements
• Conduct threat modeling, vulnerability analysis and remediation coordination
• Support internal and external audits by gathering evidence, validating configurations and preparing documentation
• Maintain cloud compliance requirements, NIST, FISMA and FedRAMP
• Assist in risk assessments and security control testing
• Support change control and documentation to reflect accurate system and process ownership
• Evaluate merging cloud security tools and recommend security enhancements
• Keep cloud environments compliant with security standards and best practices
• Participate in on‑call rotations to support 24/7 production systems and respond to incidents as they arise

Qualifications

Basic Qualifications:

• Minimum of 8 years with BS/BA; Minimum of 6 years with MS/MA or 12 years of experience with HS Diploma/equivalent
• 6 years of experience in cloud security or cybersecurity
• Proficient in scripting languages like Python and Bash
• Hands‑on experience with ECS, EKS, EC2, Lambda
• Proficient in Git and CI/CD pipelines
• Strong Terraform proficiency, writing modules, variables and workspaces
• Deep knowledge of AWS security services, including IAM, KMS, GuardDuty, Security Hub, CloudTrail and Config Rules
• Perform IAM policy and permissions audits to enforce least privilege
• Ability to read and interpret access logs, cloud account configurations and IAM policies
• Strong written and verbal communication skills for technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills
• Must be a US Citizen.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a Public Trust clearance

Preferred Qualifications:

• Cloud certification (AWS Cloud Practitioner, Security Specialty)
• Security compliance or audit certification

Peraton Overview

Peraton is a next‑generation national security company that drives missions of consequence spanning the globe and extending to the farthest reaches of the galaxy. As the world's leading mission capability integrator and transformative enterprise IT provider, we deliver trusted, highly differentiated solutions and technologies to protect our nation and allies. Peraton operates at the critical nexus between traditional and nontraditional threats across all domains: land, sea, space, air, and cyberspace. The company serves as a valued partner to essential government agencies and supports every branch of the U.S. armed forces. Each day, our employees do the can't be done by solving the most daunting challenges facing our customers. Visit peraton.com to learn how we're keeping people around the world safe and secure.

Target Salary Range

$86,000 - $138,000. This represents the typical salary range for this position. Salary is determined by various factors, including but not limited to, the scope and responsibilities of the position, the individual's experience, education, knowledge, skills, and competencies, as well as geographic location and business and contract considerations. Depending on the position, employees may be eligible for overtime, shift differential, and a discretionary bonus in addition to base pay.

EEO

EEO: Equal opportunity employer, including disability and protected veterans, or other characteristics protected by law.