Principal Cloud Security Engineer - Remote

Placements24; Upington; Hybrid; ZAR 1,800,000 - 2,800,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Performance bonuses

Health benefits

Retirement plan

Training budgets

Remote work from anywhere in SA

Job summary

Placements24 seeks a Principal Cloud Security Engineer to lead cloud security strategy and operations. You will design and enforce security controls across AWS, Azure, and GCP, and guide incident response and threat modeling initiatives.

You will partner with engineering and DevOps to embed security into the development lifecycle, mentor teams, and stay ahead of evolving threats and compliance requirements. This remote South Africa role enables global impact.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in cybersecurity with cloud focus.
• Proven track record securing multi-cloud deployments.
• Experience with IAM, VPC, KMS, GuardDuty, Security Hub.

Responsibilities

• Design and maintain cloud security architecture across AWS, Azure, GCP.
• Lead incident response for cloud security incidents.
• Enforce cloud security policies, standards, and best practices.
• Oversee threat modeling, risk assessments, and audits.
• Collaborate with Dev teams to embed security in CI/CD (DevSecOps).

Skills

Cloud security

Threat modeling

Incident response

Leadership

Communication

DevSecOps

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field

Master's degree in Cybersecurity or related field

Tools

AWS

Azure

GCP

IAM

VPC

KMS

GuardDuty

Security Hub

WAFs

IDS/IPS

SIEM

Vulnerability management

IaC

Job description

About the Role

Our client is seeking a highly experienced and strategic Principal Cloud Security Engineer to lead their security initiatives within their cloud environments. This is a fully remote position, offering the unique opportunity to work from anywhere in South Africa while making a significant impact on our client's security posture. You will be responsible for designing, implementing, and managing advanced security controls, policies, and procedures to protect our cloud infrastructure and data. This role requires deep expertise in cloud security principles, threat modeling, incident response, and compliance. The ideal candidate is a visionary leader with a proven track record of securing complex cloud deployments and driving security best practices across an organization.

Key Responsibilities

Design, implement, and maintain robust security architecture for cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP). Develop and enforce cloud security policies, standards, and best practices. Conduct regular security assessments, vulnerability scans, and penetration testing. Lead incident response efforts for security breaches and cyber threats in the cloud. Implement and manage security tools such as firewalls, intrusion detection/prevention systems, SIEM, and endpoint security solutions. Ensure compliance with relevant industry regulations and standards (e.g., GDPR, ISO 27001). Collaborate with engineering and operations teams to integrate security into the development lifecycle (DevSecOps). Provide security awareness training and guidance to technical teams. Stay abreast of emerging security threats, vulnerabilities, and technologies.

Requirements

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Cybersecurity, or a related field, or equivalent extensive experience. Minimum of 10 years of experience in cybersecurity, with at least 5 years focused on cloud security. Extensive experience securing major cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP), including services like IAM, VPC, KMS, GuardDuty, Security Hub, etc. Deep understanding of security frameworks, threat modeling, risk assessment, and incident response. Proficiency with security tools and technologies, including WAFs, IDS/IPS, SIEM, and vulnerability management tools. Experience with infrastructure as code (IaC) and automation for security configurations. Strong knowledge of networking protocols, cryptography, and security best practices. Excellent leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills. Relevant certifications such as CISSP, CCSP, AWS Certified Security – Specialty, or Azure Security Engineer are highly desirable.

Benefits

Our client offers an industry-leading salary package, performance bonuses, comprehensive health and wellness benefits, and a retirement savings plan. This fully remote position provides unparalleled flexibility and the opportunity to work with a global team on critical security challenges. We are committed to fostering a culture of continuous learning and provide budgets for training, certifications, and conferences. Join our client and help safeguard critical assets from Upington, Northern Cape and beyond.