Data Scientist Cloud - SME

Leidos; Odenton (MD); On-site; USD 154,000 - 278,000; Full time

Job summary

Leidos seeks a Cloud SME in Odenton, MD to architect and secure hybrid, multi-cloud environments spanning AWS GovCloud and Azure Government for cyber operations tools and mission apps.

You will lead enterprise designs, drive IaC with Terraform/CloudFormation/Ansible, implement Zero Trust with ICAM, and collaborate on GPU-accelerated AI/ML pipelines while guiding FinOps and RMF/ATO activities.

Qualifications

• 12+ years in IT/Engineering with 6+ years in DoD/IC cloud design.
• Experience with AWS GovCloud and/or Azure Government.
• Expert Kubernetes or similar container orchestration (K8s, EKS, AKS).
• Proficient in building CI/CD pipelines with automated security testing (SAST/DAST).
• Bachelor’s or Master’s in CS, Cloud Computing, or related field.
• IAT Level III (CISSP, CASP+, or CISM) per DoD 8570/8140.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design and implementation of large-scale cloud architectures for Defensive and Offensive mission enclaves.
• Drive IaC transitions using Terraform, CloudFormation, or Ansible for repeatable, auditable environments.
• Implement Zero Trust Architecture within cloud environments with ICAM and micro-segmentation.
• Partner with AI SME to architect GPU compute clusters and fast storage for data processing and model inference.
• Provide SME-level FinOps guidance to optimize cloud spend while ensuring burst capacity during engagements.
• Lead RMF & ATO documentation efforts to accelerate authorization for new cloud services and mission apps.

Skills

Cloud architecture

Hybrid/Multi-Cloud

Kubernetes / containerization

IaC

DevSecOps / CI/CD

Zero Trust / ICAM

RMF/ATO

FinOps

AWS GovCloud

Azure Gov

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in CS/Cloud Computing

Tools

Terraform

CloudFormation

Ansible

Kubernetes (K8s)

Job description

Description

Role Overview

As the Cloud SME, you will be the primary architect for USCYBERCOM’s hybrid and multi-cloud environments (AWS GovCloud, Azure Government, and MilCloud). You will design the secure "terrain" that hosts both theCyber Operations Integrated Planning (COIP)tools and theJoint Cyber Warfighting Architecture (JCWA). Your goal is to ensure high availability, rapid scalability, and ironclad security for global mission sets.

Key Responsibilities

• Enterprise Architecture:Lead the design and implementation of large-scale cloud architectures that support both Defensive (DCO) and Offensive (OCO) mission enclaves.

• Infrastructure as Code (IaC):Drive the transition to automated provisioning usingTerraform, CloudFormation, or Ansibleto ensure environments are repeatable, auditable, and disposable.

• Cloud Security & Zero Trust:ImplementZero Trust Architecture (ZTA)within cloud environments, ensuring strict identity-based access (ICAM) and micro-segmentation of mission data.

• Cloud Native AI/ML Support:Partner with the AI SME to architect the specialized GPU-compute clusters and high-speed storage required for large-scale data processing and model inference.

• Cost & Resource Optimization:Provide SME-level guidance onFinOps, optimizing cloud spend while ensuring the Command has the burst capacity needed during active cyber engagements.

• RMF & ATO Acceleration:Lead the technical documentation and engineering efforts to achieveAuthority to Operate (ATO)for new cloud services and custom-built mission applications.

Required Qualifications

• Experience:12+ years in IT/Engineering, with6+ yearsof dedicated experience architecting DoD or Intelligence Community (IC) cloud environments.

• Technical Proficiency:

  • Multi-Cloud Mastery:Deep expertise inAWS GovCloudand/orAzure Government.

  • Containerization:Expert-level knowledge ofKubernetes (K8s), EKS, or AKS for orchestrating microservices.

  • DevSecOps:Proficiency in building CI/CD pipelines that integrate automated security scanning (SAST/DAST).

• Education:Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Cloud Computing, or related field.

• Compliance:IAT Level III (e.g., CISSP, CASP+, or CISM) per DoD 8570/8140.

Preferred Skills Section

• Hybrid-Cloud & Connectivity SME:Expert knowledge in architecting and maintaining hybrid-cloud connectivity solutions (e.g.,AWS Direct Connect, Azure ExpressRoute) to bridge on-premises DoD data centers with GovCloud environments while maintaining strict low-latency and high-security requirements.

• Cloud R&D:Experience prototyping "Edge" cloud capabilities and tactical cloud nodes for forward-deployedCyber Mission Teams (CMTs)operating in disconnected or bandwidth-constrained environments.

• Operational Sustainment:Proven ability to lead the full lifecycle of complex cloud migrations, transitioning legacy mission tools from on-premise hardware to modern, scalable serverless or containerized architectures.

• Cross-Domain Solutions (CDS):Technical familiarity with managing secure data transfers and service orchestration between different classification levels (NIPR/SIPR/JWICS).

• Professional Certifications:High-level credentials such asAWS Certified Solutions Architect – ProfessionalorAzure Solutions Architect Expert.

Original Posting:

July 31, 2026

For U.S. Positions: While subject to change based on business needs, Leidos reasonably anticipates that this job requisition will remain open for at least 3 days with an anticipated close date of no earlier than 3 days after the original posting date as listed above.

Pay Range

Pay Range $154,050.00 - $278,475.00

The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline onlyand not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.

About Leidos

Leidos is an industry and technology leader serving government and commercial customers with smarter, more efficient digital and mission innovations. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, with 47,000 global employees, Leidos reported annual revenues of approximately $16.7 billion for the fiscal year ended January 3, 2025. For more information, visit www.Leidos.com.

Pay and Benefits

Pay and benefits are fundamental to any career decision. That's why we craft compensation packages that reflect the importance of the work we do for our customers. Employment benefits include competitive compensation, Health and Wellness programs, Income Protection, Paid Leave and Retirement. More details are available at www.leidos.com/careers/pay-benefits.

Securing Your Data

Beware of fake employment opportunities using Leidos’ name. Leidos will never ask you to provide payment-related information during any part of the employment application process (i.e., ask you for money), nor will Leidos ever advance money as part of the hiring process (i.e., send you a check or money order before doing any work). Further, Leidos will only communicate with you through emails that are generated by the Leidos.com automated system – never from free commercial services (e.g., Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail) or via WhatsApp, Telegram, etc.

If you received an email purporting to be from Leidos that asks for payment-related information or any other personal information (e.g., about you or your previous employer), and you are concerned about its legitimacy, please make us aware immediately by emailing us at [e-mail].

If you believe you are the victim of a scam, contact your local law enforcement and report the incident to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission.

Commitment to Non-Discrimination

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, ethnicity, age, national origin, citizenship, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, pregnancy, family structure, marital status, ancestry, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran or military status, or any other basis prohibited by law. Leidos will also consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories consistent with relevant laws.