Senior Cloud Engineer (AWS)

Remote from: USA
Salary, yearly, USD: 107,900 - 195,050
Department: DevOps & Infrastructure
Employment type: Full Time,
Job posted: 26 May 2026
Apply before: 26 Jun 2026
Experience level: Senior
Views / Applies: 90 / 5

Making the world safer, healthier, and more efficient through technology, engineering, and science.

AI Summary

Leidos is seeking a Senior Cloud Engineer to support NIH in Bethesda, MD, focusing on AWS networking, security, and compliance with federal mandates like FedRAMP and Zero Trust. The role involves managing multiple VPCs, implementing IaC, and participating in an on-call rotation. Candidates need 10+ years of AWS experience, relevant certifications, and must be US citizens or Green Card holders. The position offers a competitive salary range and requires expertise in cloud architecture, automation, and collaboration.

Role DNA

Job Complexity

Easy Hard

Pace & Pressure

Relaxed Fast-paced

Autonomy Level

Guided Full Ownership

Communication Load

Independent Highly Collaborative

AI Insight The role requires deep AWS expertise, federal compliance knowledge, and 10+ years of experience, making it challenging. The on-call rotation and need for certifications add to the difficulty.

Salary Analysis

AI Insight The offered salary range of $107,900 - $195,050 aligns well with the US market for senior cloud engineers, where the median is around $150,000. The upper end is competitive for top talent with federal experience.

Key Skills

AWS CloudFormation Terraform Ansible Python Bash FedRAMP NIST 800-53 Zero Trust Networking

Cover Letter Sample

I am excited to apply for the Senior Cloud Engineer position at Leidos, supporting the NIH client. With over 10 years of hands-on experience architecting and securing AWS environments, I bring deep expertise in VPC design, IaC, and federal compliance frameworks like FedRAMP and NIST 800-53. My background includes leading cloud network transformations and ensuring zero-trust architecture principles are implemented effectively.

I hold an AWS Certified Solutions Architect certification and have a proven track record of collaborating with cross-functional teams to deliver mission-critical systems. I am adept at balancing multiple priorities and thrive in fast-paced, 24/7 operational environments.

I am drawn to Leidos’ commitment to innovation and mission-driven work. I am eager to contribute my skills to ensure the stability and security of NIH’s enterprise systems.

Possible Interview Questions

Can you describe your experience with designing and managing multiple VPCs in AWS, including security groups and load balancers?

I have designed and managed multi-VPC architectures using transit gateways, with fine-grained security groups and ALBs/NLBs for traffic distribution. I ensure segmentation for compliance and performance.

How have you implemented Infrastructure as Code in previous roles?

I have used Terraform and CloudFormation to automate the provisioning of AWS resources, including VPCs, subnets, and security policies. I also use Ansible for configuration management and Python scripts for automation.

What experience do you have with federal compliance frameworks like FedRAMP and NIST 800-53?

I have experience hardening cloud environments to meet FedRAMP Moderate/High controls, implementing logging, encryption, and access controls. I have also conducted gap analyses and risk assessments.

Describe a time you resolved a critical network issue in a production environment. What steps did you take?

In a previous role, I diagnosed a connectivity issue caused by a misconfigured security group. I used AWS CloudWatch and VPC Flow Logs to identify the problem, then applied a fix with minimal downtime, documenting the incident for future prevention.

How do you stay updated with AWS changes and ensure your designs incorporate best practices?

I regularly follow AWS blogs, attend re:Invent sessions, and hold certifications. I also participate in internal knowledge-sharing and use AWS Well-Architected Framework reviews to validate designs.

The Health and Services Operation of Leidos is seeking a Senior Cloud Engineer to support our NIH (National Institutes of Health) client in Bethesda, MD, in architecting, securing, and operating enterprise AWS networking environments supporting mission-critical NIH systems. This role requires deep AWS expertise combined with a strong working knowledge of federal cybersecurity mandates, compliance frameworks, and zero-trust architecture principles.

Candidates MUST:

US Citizen or Green Card holder with the ability to obtain and maintain HHS Public Trust clearance
Be currently located in the UNITED STATES for the CURRENT three consecutive years

Primary Responsibilities:

Provide AWS network administration, security, configuration management, and maintenance of MULTIPLE VPCs, Security Groups, Load Balancers, Web Application Firewalls, and related cloud-based network architecture for a custom-built enterprise system
Implement network configuration changes using Infrastructure-as-a-Service model, develop network designs, and implement cloud security best practices
Maintain and ensure the ongoing stability and continuous operations of internal and external connections, including Direct Connect (DX)
Harden cloud networking environments to ensure compliance with FedRAMP Moderate/High, NIST 800-53, and Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) requirements
Provide technical expertise in all areas of network and software interconnection and interfacing, such as ALBs, NLBs, Security Groups, gateways, etc.
Perform requirements gathering, gap analysis, technical studies, risk assessments, and vendor selection for cloud networking projects and system enhancements
Collaborate with Security, DevOps, and Systems Engineering teams to ensure compliance and performance
Participate in a 24×7 365 days a year on-call rotation for Production systems, investigate, mitigate, and resolve network related issues in accordance with SLA’s
Maintain processes and technical documentation, network diagrams, etc.

Education:

Minimum of Bachelor’s degree, or higher, in a System Engineering, Computer Science, Information Systems or other related field
MUST hold an AWS Certified Solutions Architect or AWS Certified Advanced Networking Certification

Qualifications:

10+ years of relevant work experience in managing and designing AWS-based networks for large, enterprise-level systems
Expert-level experience working in AWS (VPC, VPN Gateways, EC2 Instances, Route53) and a deep understanding of AWS network architecture, AWS concepts, API’s, HTTP protocol, and its extensions (SOAP, REST, etc.)
Strong Infrastructure-as-Code (CloudFormation, Terraform, Ansible) and scripting (Python, Bash) skills and knowledge of AWS Lambda
Expertise in designing and implementing VPCs, VPC routing, and VPC security for enterprise systems
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with experience working in a highly collaborative environment
Proven in-depth, hands-on experience with Agile/Scrum/Lean software development methods
Proven experience preparing and presenting technical documentation to various audiences
Ability to work on multiple assignments in parallel, balancing time and schedule based on the business priorities of the organization

If you’re looking for comfort, keep scrolling. At Leidos, we outthink, outbuild, and outpace the status quo — because the mission demands it. We’re not hiring followers. We’re recruiting the ones who disrupt, provoke, and refuse to fail. Step 10 is ancient history. We’re already at step 30 — and moving faster than anyone else dares.

Original Posting:

April 6, 2026

For U.S. Positions: While subject to change based on business needs, Leidos reasonably anticipates that this job requisition will remain open for at least 3 days with an anticipated close date of no earlier than 3 days after the original posting date as listed above.

Pay Range:

Pay Range $107,900.00 – $195,050.00

The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline only and not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.

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