Senior Cloud Security Operations Analyst/Engineer

ZipStaff Inc.; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

401(k) + 401(k) matching

Paid time off

Referral Program

Job summary

ZipStaff is seeking an experienced Senior Cloud Security Operations Analyst/Engineer to support cloud security operations for a major transportation organization in Washington, DC. On-site contract (W2 through ZipStaff) focusing on maintaining, monitoring, and enhancing cloud security postures across AWS environments.

You will work with senior engineers to remediate vulnerabilities, manage IAM configurations, respond to security alerts, and support automated infrastructure deployments using

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years IT with broad architecture, infrastructure, networking, OS; databases.
• 3+ years cloud infrastructure experience with AWS security tools (IAM, Control Tower, Security Hub, GuardDuty, Config, CloudTrail, KMS, Secrets Manager).
• Networking concepts (firewalls, security groups, VPCs) and scripting (Python/PowerShell/Bash).
• Strong communication and ability to work independently or in a team.
• On-site work in Washington, DC.

Responsibilities

• Monitor and respond to alerts from GuardDuty, Security Hub, CloudWatch, and SIEM tools; assist investigations and evidence gathering.
• Perform daily IAM administration (users, roles, policies) following least-privilege.
• Remediate vulnerabilities identified via AWS Inspector; manage Config rules, security baselines, and audits.
• Implement AWS security controls and configurations; maintain security docs and patching routines.
• Assist with deployments and automation using Terraform and CloudFormation across EC2, S3, VPC, RDS, Lambda.

Skills

Cloud security

IAM administration

Vulnerability remediation

Automation scripting

Incident response

Tools

AWS GuardDuty

Security Hub

AWS Config

CloudTrail

KMS

Terraform

CloudFormation

Job description

Job Title: Senior Cloud Security Operations Analyst / Engineer
Location: Washington, DC (On-site)
Employment Type: Contract (W2 through ZipStaff — No C2C or 1099)

About the Opportunity

ZipStaff is seeking an experienced Cloud Security Operations Analyst / Engineer to support cloud security operations for a major transportation organization.

In this role, you will maintain, monitor, and enhance cloud security postures across AWS environments, ensuring continuous compliance with established security baselines and operational standards. You will collaborate closely with senior security engineers to execute vulnerability remediation, manage IAM configurations, respond to security alerts, and support automated infrastructure deployments.

What You’ll Do

• Monitor, analyze, and respond to alerts from GuardDuty, Security Hub, CloudWatch, and SIEM tools; assist with incident response investigations and evidence gathering.
• Execute daily IAM administration, including user, role, and policy management following least-privilege access principles.
• Perform vulnerability remediation activities identified through AWS Inspector; assist in managing AWS Config rules, security baselines, and audit compliance reviews.
• Implement AWS security controls and configurations under guidance from senior engineers; maintain operational security tasks, security documentation, and patching routines.
• Assist with infrastructure deployments and automation using Terraform and CloudFormation across core AWS services (EC2, S3, VPC, RDS, Lambda).

Required Qualifications

• Minimum of 5 years in IT with broad knowledge across architecture, infrastructure, networking, operating systems (Linux administration/troubleshooting), and databases.
• 3+ years of hands-on experience in cloud infrastructure and applications, with deep familiarity with AWS security tools (IAM, Control Tower, Security Hub, GuardDuty, Config, CloudTrail, KMS, Secrets Manager).
• Practical knowledge of networking concepts (firewalls, security groups, VPCs) and scripting capability in Python, PowerShell, or Bash.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, self-motivated, and comfortable working both independently and collaboratively within an integrated team environment.
• Ability to work on-site in Washington, DC.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience supporting AWS security operations in a large enterprise or transportation environment.
• Hands-on experience with Terraform and CloudFormation for security-related infrastructure deployments.
• Background assisting with incident response, vulnerability management, and compliance activities in cloud environments.
• Exposure to additional AWS security or monitoring services beyond the core tools listed.

Benefits

• Health Insurance.
• Dental Insurance.
• Vision Insurance.
• 401(k) + 401(k) matching.
• Paid time off.
• Referral Program.

About ZipStaff

ZipStaff partners with leading organizations to connect skilled technology professionals with high-impact contract opportunities. We focus on quality matches, clear communication, and long-term success for candidates and clients.