Senior Cloud Engineer I Reston, VA

Kaizen Lab Inc.; Reston (VA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading cybersecurity firm based in Virginia is seeking a Senior Cloud Engineer I to design and implement secure cloud infrastructures and manage various environments. Candidates must have an active TS/SCI clearance and extensive experience with AWS services. Key responsibilities include automating deployment processes, collaborating with cross-functional teams, and ensuring compliance with security standards. The role involves hands-on engagement with cloud technologies and contributes directly to mission success.

Qualifications

• 4–7 years of experience in designing, deploying, and managing secure cloud infrastructures.
• Proven experience with AWS solutions across multiple classification domains.
• Strong background in cloud security and implementation of security controls.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement secure cloud architectures in AWS.
• Automate deployment and management using Infrastructure-as-Code tools.
• Collaborate with teams to optimize cloud performance.

Skills

AWS core services

Infrastructure-as-Code tools

Cloud security principles

Scripting languages (Python, Bash)

Linux and Windows administration

Education

CompTIA Security+ or equivalent certification

AWS certifications (Solutions Architect Associate/Professional, SysOps Administrator)

Tools

Terraform

CloudFormation

Ansible

Job description

Location: Reston, VA
Clearance Required: Active TS/SCI (CI Poly required)

Rapid Strategy is an award-winning, African‑American‑owned small business providing advanced cybersecurity, cloud engineering, and IT modernization services to federal and commercial clients. Our mission is to deliver secure, high‑impact solutions that protect and enable mission success. We are seeking a Senior Cloud Engineer I to support a classified program, designing and deploying modern, scalable, and resilient cloud environments across multiple classification domains. This role focuses on leading the design, automation, and optimization of enterprise cloud infrastructures while integrating security, compliance, and mission‑critical performance requirements. The ideal candidate is a hands‑on engineer who thrives in secure cloud environments, balancing innovation with operational rigor.

Key Responsibilities

• Analyze system and mission requirements, providing expert‑level input to ensure that program objectives are effectively translated into technical architectures.
• Design and implement secure, scalable, and resilient cloud architectures in AWS, emphasizing performance, reliability, and compliance with DoD and federal standards.
• Evaluate emerging cloud technologies to identify solutions that enhance capability, reduce cost, and strengthen operational resilience.
• Develop and enforce governance frameworks and configuration baselines to ensure compliance with RMF and other applicable federal standards.
• Automate deployment, monitoring, and configuration management using Infrastructure‑as‑Code (IaC) tools such as Terraform, CloudFormation, or Ansible.
• Configure and secure Linux and Windows Server environments, maintaining high availability and compliance across multiple classification domains.
• Implement and manage security controls across cloud environments, ensuring adherence to least privilege, encryption, and auditing best practices.
• Develop automation scripts in Python and Bash to streamline provisioning, monitoring, and maintenance activities.
• Collaborate across engineering, cybersecurity, and operations teams to resolve complex issues and optimize cloud performance.

Required Qualifications

• Active TS/SCI clearance with CI Polygraph.
• 4–7 years of experience designing, deploying, and managing secure cloud infrastructures.
• Proven experience implementing AWS solutions at scale across multiple classification domains (IL5 to IL6+).
• Proficiency with AWS core services including EC2, S3, Lambda, and EBS.
• Experience creating and securing custom OS images (AMIs) and managing lifecycle updates.
• Hands‑on experience with Infrastructure‑as‑Code tools such as Terraform, CloudFormation, or Ansible.
• Strong background in Linux and Windows administration and troubleshooting.
• Demonstrated understanding of cloud security principles and hands‑on implementation of security controls.
• Proficiency in scripting languages such as Python and Bash for task automation.
• Active CompTIA Security+ or equivalent DoD 8140/8570 baseline certification with at least one year of validity remaining.
• AWS certifications such as Solutions Architect Associate/Professional or SysOps Administrator.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting classified AWS, Azure, or GCP environments at IL5–IL6+.
• Knowledge of CI/CD pipelines, DevSecOps automation, and containerized deployments.
• Familiarity with DISA STIGs and continuous compliance tools.

Why Rapid Strategy

At Rapid Strategy, we bring together deep mission expertise and technical innovation to deliver secure, scalable, and forward‑leaning solutions. Our engineers work at the forefront of national security, advancing cloud capabilities that strengthen resilience and operational readiness. If you’re passionate about cloud engineering and thrive in high‑trust, mission‑driven environments, we’d love to hear from you.

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