Lead Cloud Architect (2026-0135)

acclaimtechnicalservices; Chantilly (VA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Acclaim Technical Services is seeking a Cloud Architect with a TS/SCI clearance and polygraph to support a program in Chantilly, VA. In this position, you will design and implement secure, large-scale AWS cloud architectures while collaborating closely with various engineering teams and ensuring automation through Infrastructure-as-Code strategies.

The successful candidate will have extensive experience in cloud architecture and deep knowledge of AWS services. This role offers opportunities for growth and supports a diverse and inclusive workplace.

Qualifications

• 10-15+ years of experience in cloud architecture or infrastructure engineering.
• Deep expertise in AWS core services and secure architectures.
• Ability to travel internationally up to 10%.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement reference architectures for AWS and hybrid environments.
• Build and maintain Terraform modules for AWS infrastructure.
• Collaborate with application teams to provide standardized environments.

Skills

AWS Architecture

Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC)

Terraform

Cloud Environments

Networking

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience

Tools

Terraform

VMware/vSphere

Job description

Acclaim Technical Services, founded in 2000, is a leading cyber operations, intelligence solutions and operations, network infrastructure, engineering and business enablement and enterprise operations company supporting a wide range of U.S. Federal agencies. We are an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) company, which is uncommon within our business sector. We see this as a significant strength, and it shows: ATS is consistently ranked as a top workplace among DC area firms and continues to grow.

We are actively hiring a Cloud Architect with a TS/SCI clearance and polygraph to support a program in Chantilly, VA. In this role, you will design, build, and evolve a large-scale, globally distributed mission system operating across both AWS cloud environments and on-premises virtualized infrastructure.

You will lead the architecture and implementation of secure, repeatable Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) patterns to deploy and operate compute fleets, network connectivity, and platform services across multiple environments (development, test, staging, production, and lab). This role requires close collaboration with engineering, operations, security, and networking teams to improve reliability, standardize deployments, and accelerate delivery through automation.

What You'll Be Doing:

• Design and implement reference architectures for AWS and hybrid environments (cloud + on-prem virtualization).
• Define deployment patterns for multi-account and multi-environment separation, network segmentation, and scalable compute/storage stacks.
• Establish standardized “landing zone” practices, including account structure, guardrails, logging, tagging, and cost controls.
• Build and maintain Terraform modules and reusable IaC patterns for AWS infrastructure, including VPCs, IAM roles/policies, load balancing, and logging foundations.
• Architect and support virtualized compute fleets using VMware/vSphere patterns for on-prem environments, including golden images, patching baselines, and provisioning workflows.
• Partner with security teams to implement secure-by-design architectures, including least privilege IAM, encryption, and centralized audit logging.
• Design for resilience and continuity with backup/restore strategies, disaster recovery considerations, and multi-AZ patterns.
• Support CI/CD enablement for infrastructure deployments using Git-based workflows integrated with Terraform plans/applies.
• Collaborate with application teams to provide standardized environments and deployment blueprints.
• Produce clear architecture documentation, including logical/physical diagrams, environment definitions, and “as-built” artifacts.

Required Skills:

• Bachelor's degree in related field. 4 additional years of experience will substitute in lieu of degree.
• 10-15+ years of experience in cloud architecture, systems engineering, or infrastructure engineering, including 3+ years as a hands-on AWS architect/lead.
• Deep expertise with AWS core services and secure architectures (networking, IAM, logging, compute, storage).
• Hands-on expertise with Terraform for production-grade IaC (modules, state management, promotion strategies, drift detection).
• Experience designing and operating hybrid environments (cloud + on-prem virtualization).
• Ability to translate requirements into scalable, maintainable, and secure architectures while providing implementation guidance.
• Ability to travel internationally up to 10%.
• Must possess an active Passport or obtain one upon hire.

Desired Skills:

• AWS certifications (Solutions Architect Professional preferred).
• Experience with VMware/vSphere architecture and operations (templates, clusters, networking, storage).
• Familiarity with configuration automation tools (Ansible, Packer) and GitOps-style workflows.
• Experience with observability patterns (metrics/logs/traces) and integrating monitoring into operations.
• Experience implementing multi-account AWS governance (Organizations, SCPs) and cost controls (tagging, budgets).

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY (EEO) STATEMENT

ATS is committed to a program of equal employment opportunity without regard to race, color, ethnicity, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, sex, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, age, religion/creed, hairstyles and hair textures, handicap/disability, genetic information/history, military/veteran status, or any other characteristic or condition protected by applicable law. We support the employment and advancement in employment of individuals with disabilities and of protected veterans, and we treat qualified individuals without discrimination on the basis of their physical or mental disability or veteran status.