Lead Cloud Security Engineer (Remote-First)

Placements24; Cape Town; Hybrid; ZAR 1,200,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Remote-first environment

Competitive salary

Medical aid

Life insurance

Retirement savings plan

Budget for training & certifications

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Lead Cloud Security Engineer to architect, implement, and govern secure cloud infrastructures across AWS, Azure, and GCP in a remote-first organization. You will guide a distributed security team, set strategic direction, and drive security across the SDLC.

You will create policy, enforce best practices, and lead incident response while mentoring engineers and collaborating with product and operations to embed security at every stage of development.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Cybersecurity, or a related field; Master's degree preferred.
• 7+ years of experience in cybersecurity, with at least 4 years focused on cloud security engineering.
• Deep expertise in securing AWS, Azure, and GCP across IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS security models.
• Proven experience with infrastructure as code (IaC) tools like Terraform or CloudFormation for security automation.
• Strong understanding of container security (Docker, Kubernetes).
• Experience with SIEM and security analytics tools in a cloud context.
• Familiarity with DevSecOps principles and practices.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and collaboration skills, with remote-team experience.
• Relevant cloud security certifications (e.g., AWS Security Specialty, Azure Security Engineer) are a strong plus.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and maintain secure cloud infrastructure across AWS, Azure, and GCP.
• Develop and enforce cloud security policies, standards, and best practices.
• Implement and manage cloud-native security tools and services (WAFs, encryption, key management).
• Conduct regular security audits and penetration tests of cloud environments.
• Lead incident response for cloud-based security incidents.
• Develop and automate security controls and compliance checks within CI/CD pipelines.
• Mentor and guide junior security engineers and cloud engineers on security best practices.
• Collaborate with development and operations teams to embed security in the SDLC.
• Stay updated on the latest cloud security threats, vulnerabilities, and compliance requirements.
• Develop and maintain documentation for cloud security architecture and procedures.

Skills

Cloud security engineering

Leadership

DevSecOps

Terraform

CloudFormation

Docker

Kubernetes

SIEM

Security analytics

Remote team management

Education

Bachelor's in Computer Science or related

Master's degree preferred

Tools

Terraform

CloudFormation

Docker

Kubernetes

SIEM tools

Job description

About the Role

Our client is pioneering a remote-first approach and is seeking an exceptional Lead Cloud Security Engineer to architect, implement, and manage robust security solutions for their cloud infrastructure. This role is critical for ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of our client's cloud-based assets and services, operating across major cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP). As a Lead, you will guide a talented team, set strategic security direction for cloud environments, and foster a security-first culture. You will be at the forefront of protecting our expanding digital footprint, identifying emerging threats, and implementing advanced defensive measures. This position offers unparalleled autonomy and the opportunity to shape the future of cloud security for a forward-thinking organization, all from the comfort of your home office. We are looking for a visionary leader who thrives in a distributed team setting.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, build, and maintain secure cloud infrastructure across AWS, Azure, and/or GCP.
• Develop and enforce cloud security policies, standards, and best practices.
• Implement and manage cloud-native security tools and services, including WAFs, security groups, encryption, and key management.
• Conduct regular security audits and penetration tests of cloud environments.
• Lead incident response efforts for cloud-based security incidents, ensuring swift and effective resolution.
• Develop and automate security controls and compliance checks within CI/CD pipelines.
• Mentor and guide junior security engineers and cloud engineers on security best practices.
• Collaborate with development and operations teams to embed security throughout the software development lifecycle (SDLC).
• Stay updated on the latest cloud security threats, vulnerabilities, and compliance requirements.
• Develop and maintain comprehensive documentation for cloud security architecture and procedures.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Cybersecurity, or a related field; Master's degree preferred.
• 7+ years of experience in cybersecurity, with at least 4 years focused on cloud security engineering.
• Deep expertise in securing major cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP), including IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS security models.
• Proven experience with infrastructure as code (IaC) tools like Terraform or CloudFormation for security automation.
• Strong understanding of containerization security (Docker, Kubernetes).
• Experience with SIEM and security analytics tools in a cloud context.
• Familiarity with DevSecOps principles and practices.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and collaboration skills, with experience managing remote teams.
• Relevant cloud security certifications (e.g., AWS Certified Security - Specialty, Azure Security Engineer Associate) are a strong plus.

Benefits

Our client champions a remote-first work environment, offering significant flexibility and work-life balance. This role comes with a highly competitive salary and performance-based incentives. We provide a comprehensive benefits package including medical aid, life insurance, and a retirement savings plan. Continuous learning and professional development are strongly encouraged, with a budget allocated for training and certifications. You will have access to state-of-the-art cloud security technologies and the opportunity to work with a globally distributed, talented team. This is a chance to significantly influence the security of our client's cloud operations from anywhere.