Systems Administrator – AWS GovCloud (DoD Classified Environments)

NV5; St. Louis (MO); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Life insurance

401(k)

Professional development

Job summary

NV5 Geospatial seeks a mission-focused Systems Administrator with active DoD Secret Clearance to manage AWS GovCloud (US) environments supporting classified DoD workloads. The role requires strict compliance with RMF, STIGs, FedRAMP High, and NIST 800-53 controls.

You will implement Zero Trust Architecture, manage patching, logging, and monitoring, and support ATO packages and continuous monitoring with IA teams. On-site at a DoD facility with travel <20%.

Qualifications

• Active DoD Secret Clearance with ability to obtain Top Secret/TS/SCI.
• 3+ years of hands-on systems administration in AWS GovCloud.
• Proficiency with Windows Server environments.
• Understanding of RMF, DISA STIGs, and NIST 800-53 control families.
• Automation experience with Bash, Python, PowerShell, Terraform, CloudFormation.

Responsibilities

• Administer and maintain AWS GovCloud (US) infrastructure for DoD workloads at IL4/IL5/IL6 levels.
• Ensure compliance with DoD cybersecurity standards (RMF, STIGs, FedRAMP High, NIST 800-53).
• Design and manage EC2, S3, RDS, IAM, CloudTrail, CloudWatch, and VPC in classified environments.
• Implement Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) with strong IAM, MFA, and RBAC.
• Manage patching, backups, logging, and compliance scans using DoD-approved tools (SCAP, ACAS).
• Collaborate on ATO packages, POA&Ms, and continuous monitoring with IA teams.
• Implement logging/alerting with CloudWatch, AWS Config; integrate with SIEM tools (Splunk/ELK).
• Provide Tier 3 support and root-cause analysis for escalated issues; document SOPs.
• Maintain detailed documentation and diagrams for GovCloud operations.

Skills

Scripting & IaC

Zero Trust Security

Documentation & Troubleshooting

DoD Compliance

Tools

AWS GovCloud

EC2

S3

RDS

IAM

VPC

CloudWatch

KMS

SIEM (Splunk/ELK)

Job description

We are seeking a mission-focused and security-cleared Systems Administrator with deep experience in AWS GovCloud (US) to support classified Department of Defense (DoD) cloud infrastructure. The successful candidate will architect, manage, secure, and maintain resilient systems and services operating within AWS GovCloud, ensuring compliance with DoD regulations and security frameworks.

• Location: Scott Air Force Base - Belleville, IL (This is not a remote position)
• Security Clearance: Active DoD Secret Clearance with the ability to obtain Top Secret or TS/SCI
• Travel <20%

NV5 is a global technology solutions and consulting services company with a workforce of over 4,500 professionals in more than 100 offices worldwide. NV5’s continued growth has been spurred through strategic investments in firms with unique capabilities to help current and future customers solve the world’s toughest problems. The NV5 family brings together talent across a wide range of markets and fields, including Professional Engineers, Professional Land Surveyors, Architects, Photogrammetrists, GIS Professionals, Software Developers, IT, Project Management Professionals, and more.

At NV5 Geospatial , we are a collaboration of intelligent, innovative thinkers who care for each other, our communities, and the environment. We value both heart and head, the diversity of our people, and their experiences because that is how we continue to grow as a leader in our industry and expand our individual and collective potential.

Responsibilities

• Administer and maintain AWS GovCloud (US) infrastructure supporting DoD classified workloads at IL4/IL5/IL6 levels.
• Ensure full compliance with DoD cybersecurity standards including RMF, DISA STIGs, FedRAMP High, and NIST SP 800-53 controls.
• Design and manage EC2, S3, RDS, IAM, CloudTrail, CloudWatch, VPC configurations, and other AWS GovCloud services in classified environments.
• Implement and enforce Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) principles within AWS environments, including robust IAM, multi-factor authentication, and role-based access control.
• Manage system patching, backups, logging, and compliance scans using SCAP, ACAS, and other DoD-approved tools.
• Collaborate with Information Assurance teams to support ATO (Authority to Operate) packages, Plan of Action and Milestones (POA&Ms), and continuous monitoring activities.
• Implement logging and alerting using CloudWatch, AWS Config, and Security Hub, integrating with SIEM tools like Splunk or ELK stack as needed.
• Provide Tier 3 support for escalated infrastructure issues; perform root cause analysis and contribute to incident response as required.
• Maintain detailed documentation, diagrams, and SOPs for all AWS GovCloud system operations.

Requirements:

• IAT Level II or III certification (e.g., Security+ CE, CASP+, CISSP).
• 3+ years of hands-on systems administration experience, with experience managing secure workloads in AWS GovCloud.
• Working knowledge of AWS GovCloud services, including EC2, IAM, S3, RDS, VPC, CloudWatch, and KMS.
• Proficiency in Windows Server environments.
• Understanding of DoD cybersecurity requirements including RMF, DISA STIGs, and NIST 800-53 control families.
• Automation experience with scripting and IaC tools (e.g., Bash, Python, PowerShell, Terraform, CloudFormation).
• Experience with centralized logging, monitoring, and alerting in AWS environments.
• Excellent documentation, communication, and troubleshooting skills.

Preferred (in addition to requirements):

• Experience with IL5/IL6 workloads or classified enclaves in AWS GovCloud.
• Familiarity with AWS Organizations, Service Control Policies (SCPs), in classified environments.
• Knowledge of CCRI, or experience working with DISA and other government assessment teams.
• Exposure to DevSecOps pipelines, CI/CD tools, and containerized deployments (e.g., ECS, EKS).

Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a background check and drug screening.

NV5 offers a competitive compensation and benefits package including medical, dental, life insurance, FTO, 401(k) and professional development/advancement opportunities.

NV5 provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, amnesty, or status as a covered veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws. NV5 complies with applicable state and local laws governing non-discrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.