Junior Cloud Engineer (4818)

SMX; Huntsville (TN); On-site; USD 61,000 - 101,000; Full time

Job summary

SMX is seeking a Junior Cloud Engineer to support a government client in Huntsville, AL. The role focuses on operational excellence, quality, clear communication, and measurable results in a cloud environment.

You will work in an Agile IT setting to implement cloud-based capabilities, assist with cloud strategy, and contribute to secure DevSecOps practices. Relevant DoD guidance and certifications are preferred.

Qualifications

• Clearance required: Secret.
• Bachelor’s degree and 1+ year cloud-related support experience.
• DoD 8570/8140 aligned certification such as CompTIA Security+.
• Cloud experience with AWS or Azure.
• Knowledge of RMF, DoD guidance, and SCCA.
• Core system administration in Linux or Windows; IAM, STIG remediation.
• Experience with IaC and container tech (Kubernetes, Docker).
• CI/CD tooling and GitOps with Terraform.
• Strong communication and problem-solving skills.

Responsibilities

• Operate in an Agile IT environment to implement cloud-based tech in a government hybrid cloud.
• Support customer cloud strategy using DoD approved providers for IaaS, PaaS, DaaS, and SaaS.
• Act as trusted advisor for technical decisions during client engagements; develop action plans using cloud best practices.
• Assist architecture, design, and requirements analysis with a focus on cloud-native services.
• Develop and utilize deployment automation and IaC (Terraform, Ansible) for repeatable, scalable processes.
• Produce clear documentation including design artifacts and as-built/user guides for enterprise cloud environments.

Skills

Cloud engineering

DevSecOps

Terraform

Ansible

Kubernetes

Docker

CI/CD tools

Security+

Linux/Windows admin

RMF/DoD guidance

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Git

Jenkins

AWS CodePipeline

ACAS

PowerShell

Bash

GitHub Actions

Job description

SMX is actively searching for a dynamic and adept Junior Cloud Engineer to support our government client in Huntsville, AL.

This role emphasizes operational excellence, championed by a commitment to quality, articulate communication, client success, and measurable results, aligning with the essential duties and required skills for the position.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

• Working in an Agile IT environment establishing a cloud-based technology in a government provided hybrid cloud environment with security, performance, operability, and scale for customers
• Support and facilitate the customer cloud strategy to utilize DoD approved cloud service providers to provide information technology services and capabilities to include Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), Data as a Service (DaaS), and Software as a Service (SaaS) and Cloud Service Offerings (CSOs) within the Agency supported cloud architecture
• Assist with defining and engineering solution capabilities that satisfy customer business drivers / requirements
• Act as a trusted advisor for technical decisions during client engagements; Develop courses of action using innovative and Cloud best practices
• Assist with architecture, design, and requirements analysis using systems engineering. Focus on cloud-native services and optimizing the customer landscape through adoption of these services
• Develop and utilize deployment and process automation capabilities (scripts, applications, platforms, cloud native services, APIs) to ensure processes are defined, repeatable, scalable, and able to be published for wider utilization; may include capabilities such as Ansible, PowerShell, Bash, Python, etc.
• Utilize DevSecOps capabilities utilizing IaC tools (Terraform, Cloud Formation, etc) to Operate and sustain a fully integrated DevSecOps environment to support development, test and deployment of infrastructure and applications utilizing Ci/CD pipelines
• Take ownership of issues and act with a high sense of urgency when required providing direct support to customers providing advanced technical support, troubleshooting direction, and complex problem resolution.
• Produce clear and concise documentation including program-level, design artifacts, as-built documents, and user level documentation to fully capture technical baselines and operational capabilities to guide operations and activities associated to enterprise scale cloud environments.

Required Skills/Experience:

• Clearance Required: Secret
• Bachelor’s degree and 1+ years of experience providing cloud-related support
  • 4 additional years of experience may be substituted for the degree requirement
• Must have a DoD 8570/8140 aligned certification such as CompTIA Security+
• Cloud experience/knowledge in Amazon Web Services (AWS) or Microsoft Azure
• Delivery experience and working knowledge utilizing key Department of Defense guidance and governance including DoD Cloud Computing Security Requirements Guide, Risk Management Framework (RMF), and Secure Cloud Computing Architecture (SCCA)
• Skills in delivery areas of Cloud, IT Infrastructure, Architecture, and Security as well as hands on core system administration skills in Linux or Windows
• Problem determination skills from design issues through detail level inspection to determine root causes of issue
• Core System Administration skills in Linux or Windows with demonstrated skills in Security, Active Directory, ACAS, Identity and Access Management, Zero Trust, and STIG remediation experience
• Knowledge of, and hands on with, DoD Enterprise networks and understanding how those solutions translate to a cloud environment
• Experience with Infrastructure as Code using appropriate tooling
• Understanding of Kubernetes (EKS), ECS, and Docker container fundamentals
• Proficient command of CI/CD tools (Terraform, Ansible, Git, Jenkins, AWS CodeCommit, AWS CodePipeline, etc.) with an understanding of GitOps methodologies and best practices in Terraform

Desired Skills/Experience:

• Possess cloud-related certifications such as AWS Certified Solutions Architect, SysOps Administrator, Developer, etc.

#cjpost #LI-ONSITE

The SMX salary determination process takes into account a number of factors, including but not limited to, geographic location, Federal Government contract labor categories, relevant prior work experience, specific skills, education and certifications. At SMX, one of our Core Values is to Invest in Our People so we offer a competitive mix of compensation, learning & development opportunities, and benefits. Some key components of our robust benefits include health insurance, paid leave, and retirement.

The proposed salary for this position is:

$60,800—$101,400 USD

At SMX® is a team of technical and domain experts dedicated to enabling your mission. From priority national security initiatives for the DoD to highly assured and compliant solutions for healthcare, we understand that digital transformation is key to your future success.

We share your vision for the future and strive to accelerate your impact on the world. We bring both cutting edge technology and an expansive view of what’s possible to every engagement. Our delivery model and unique approaches harness our deep technical and domain knowledge, providing forward-looking insights and practical solutions to power secure mission acceleration.

SMX is an Equal Opportunity employer including disabilities and veterans.

Selected applicant may be subject to a background investigation and/or education verification.

SMX does not sponsor a new applicant for employment authorization or immigration related support for this position (i.e. H1B, F-1 OPT, F-1 STEM OPT, F-1 CPT, J-1, TN, E-2, E-3, L-1 and O-1, or any EADs or other forms of work authorization that require immigration support from an employer).