Job Description
RESPEC is hiring a mid-level Cloud Engineer to design, build, migrate, and operate secure AWS environments for multiple private and public-sector projects. You’ll lead environment buildouts, support migrations, implement automation and monitoring, and collaborate closely with security and engineering. AWS is the priority; Azure is secondary and exposure to GCP is a bonus.
Responsibilities
- Architect, build, and operate AWS environments (dev/test/UAT/prod) for web, data, and GIS workloads.
- Execute migrations (lift-and-shift/re-platform); plan cutovers, validations, and rollback strategies.
- Implement automation using IaC (CloudFormation or Terraform) and scripting (PowerShell/Bash/Python).
- Manage core AWS services: EC2, VPC, S3, IAM, ALB/NLB, Auto Scaling, Systems Manager, CloudWatch/CloudTrail.
- Configure networking: VPCs, subnets, routing, security groups/NACLs, DNS; support VPN/Direct Connect concepts.
- Establish reliability: monitoring/alerting, patching, backup/restore, performance tuning, capacity planning.
- Apply security best practices: least-privilege IAM, encryption, key/secret management, logging/guardrails.
- Stand up basic databases (Oracle/SQL Server/Postgres on RDS or EC2), manage connectivity, and perform backups/restores.
- Optimize cost with tagging, budgets, lifecycle policies, and rightsizing.
- Create documentation (diagrams, runbooks, SOPs) and share knowledge with the team.
- Engage with PMs and stakeholders to clarify requirements, report status, and mitigate risks.
- Provide occasional Tier II/Tier III escalation support during cutovers or incidents.
Qualifications
- 5–7 years of IT/cloud engineering experience with production AWS workloads.
- Hands-on with IaC (CloudFormation or Terraform) and scripting (PowerShell/Bash/Python).
- Strong grasp of AWS operations, networking fundamentals (TCP/IP, DNS, VPN concepts), and observability.
- Foundational DBA skills for Oracle/SQL Server/Postgres (deploy, configure, connectivity, backup/restore).
- Clear communicator with solid troubleshooting and documentation habits.
- Able to work onsite in Albuquerque 3 days per week.
**Preferred Qualifications**
- AWS certification (Solutions Architect Associate, SysOps Administrator, or Developer) or willingness to obtain within 6 months.
- Exposure to Azure; familiarity with GCP helpful.
- Experience with containers (Docker, ECS/EKS basics) and CI/CD (GitHub Actions/Azure DevOps/Jenkins).
- Knowledge of HA/DR patterns (multi-AZ, read replicas, snapshots) and cost/performance trade-offs.
- Familiarity with ITSM environments (ServiceNow) and ITIL practices.
- Collaborative, documentation-first approach; comfortable explaining trade-offs to technical and non-technical audiences.
**Work Arrangement and Support**
- Hybrid model: 3 days onsite in Albuquerque for collaboration and knowledge sharing.
- Occasional after-hours work for migrations, maintenance windows, or incidents; primary help desk covered by others with escalation to this role as needed.
Additional Information
Work Schedule
- Hybrid schedule: 3 days/week in office; 2 days remote
Compensation: Salary depends on experience and expertise. Compensation includes a comprehensive fringe-benefits package. RESPEC is a 100% employee-owned company and employees are eligible for participation in the Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) after a qualifying period.
Featured Benefits Include
- Flexible Work Schedules
- Paid Parental Leave
- 401(k) & ESOP (with company match up to 4%)
- Professional Development and Training
- Tuition Reimbursement
- Employee Assistance Program
- Medical/Dental/Vision Insurance Plans
All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.
