Principal Cloud Security Architect

Placements24; Durban; Hybrid; ZAR 2,200,000 - 3,000,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Remote work

Medical & wellness programs

Long-term incentive plans

Certification support

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Principal Cloud Security Architect to design and implement robust cloud security for a Durban-based multi-cloud environment (AWS, Azure, GCP). The role demands 10+ years in cybersecurity with a senior focus on cloud security, translating complex business needs into scalable security designs.

The candidate will define security roadmaps, establish architectural standards, and guide engineering teams to build secure cloud-native applications.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in Computer Science, Information Security, or a related field.
• 10+ years of cybersecurity with strong cloud security architecture focus (minimum 5 years in cloud).
• Deep expertise in security principles for AWS, Azure and GCP.
• Experience designing secure microservices, containers and serverless architectures.

Responsibilities

• Design secure cloud architectures across AWS, Azure, and GCP.
• Define and enforce security policies, standards, and best practices for cloud environments.
• Lead security reviews of cloud-based applications and infrastructure; remediate risks.
• Develop and maintain security controls for IAM, data protection, and network security in the cloud.
• Architect and implement security solutions for Docker, Kubernetes, and serverless computing.
• Collaborate with DevOps to integrate security into the CI/CD pipeline (DevSecOps).
• Evaluate and recommend new security technologies to enhance cloud posture.
• Provide guidance and mentorship to security and engineering teams on cloud security.

Skills

Cloud security

AWS

Azure

GCP

IAM

Data encryption

Kubernetes

Docker

DevSecOps

Terraform

CloudFormation

Security monitoring

Education

Master's degree in Computer Science or Information Security

Tools

Terraform

CloudFormation

Kubernetes

Docker

Job description

About the Role

Our client is seeking a Principal Cloud Security Architect to design and implement state-of-the-art security solutions for their cloud infrastructure in **Durban, KwaZulu-Natal**. This is a senior-level position requiring extensive experience in cloud security best practices, architecture design, and threat mitigation across multi-cloud environments (AWS, Azure, GCP). You will be responsible for defining the security roadmap, setting architectural standards, and guiding engineering teams to build secure and resilient cloud-native applications. The ideal candidate is a thought leader in cloud security, capable of translating complex business requirements into robust, scalable security designs. This role offers a significant opportunity to influence the security strategy of a major organization, ensuring the protection of critical data and services in the cloud. Join a forward-thinking team in **Durban** and help shape the future of cloud security.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and implement secure cloud architectures across AWS, Azure, and GCP.
• Define and enforce security policies, standards, and best practices for cloud environments.
• Lead security reviews of cloud-based applications and infrastructure, identifying and remediating risks.
• Develop and maintain security controls for identity and access management (IAM), data protection, and network security in the cloud.
• Architect and implement security solutions for containerization (Docker, Kubernetes) and serverless computing.
• Collaborate with DevOps and engineering teams to integrate security into the CI/CD pipeline (DevSecOps).
• Evaluate and recommend new security technologies and services to enhance cloud security posture.
• Provide expert guidance and mentorship to security and engineering teams on cloud security matters.
• Develop incident response plans and playbooks specifically for cloud environments.

Requirements

• Master's degree in Computer Science, Information Security, or a related field.
• 10+ years of experience in cybersecurity, with a strong focus on cloud security architecture (minimum 5 years in cloud).
• Deep expertise in security principles and best practices for AWS, Azure, and GCP.
• Proven experience in designing and implementing secure solutions for microservices, containers, and serverless architectures.
• Strong understanding of cloud networking, IAM, data encryption, and security monitoring tools.
• Experience with infrastructure as code (IaC) tools like Terraform or CloudFormation with a security focus.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and strategic thinking skills.
• Exceptional communication and presentation skills, with the ability to influence stakeholders at all levels.
• Relevant cloud security certifications (e.g., AWS Certified Security – Specialty, Azure Security Engineer Associate, GCP Professional Cloud Security Engineer) are essential.
• Familiarity with the **KwaZulu-Natal** business landscape is a plus.

Benefits

• Highly attractive salary and performance bonus structure.
• Comprehensive medical aid and wellness programs.
• Generous long-term incentive plans.
• Extensive professional development and certification support.
• Opportunity to work with cutting-edge cloud technologies.
• Fully remote work arrangement, offering ultimate flexibility.
• Collaborative and innovative work culture.
• Retirement fund contributions.