Position Details

Job Code #: JC-535258
Position #(s): 800-760-1415-003
Working Title:

Cloud Engineer Lead
Classification:: INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SPECIALIST III
$9,507.00 - $12,740.00

New to State candidates will be hired into the minimum salary of the classification or minimum of alternate range when applicable.

# of Positions: 1
Work Location: Sacramento County

Telework: Hybrid
Job Type:: Permanent, Full Time

Department Information Are you interested in making a difference in the lives of fellow Californians while achieving your career goals? Do you set high standards for yourself and enjoy a collaborative and challenging work environment? The mission of the California Department of Social Services is to serve, protect, and support the people of California experiencing need in ways that empower wellbeing and disrupt systemic inequities. The vision of the California Department of Social Services is to provide quality services with a commitment to an inclusive, diverse, and equitable California where all people can thrive.

ISD's mission is to develop, support and promote the business value of IT which comes from the ability to conduct business processes more reliably, faster and at lower cost. ISD creates value by continually improving customer service and providing access to information that enables better decision making by CDSS business units.

ISD accomplishes this by:

effectively managing information systems and equipment;
planning, communicating and implementing responsible information technology policies and solutions; and,
sharing and transferring information technology knowledge and tools.

CDSS Guiding Principles

Diversity. Equity. Inclusion. Accessibility. Belonging. We ensure opportunities for everyone to participate in a meaningful way in fulfilling the mission and vision of CDSS.

Community Engagement We prioritize the lived experiences of community members as a driving force behind the creation, implementation, desired impact, or change of programs and services.

Empowerment We engage, operate, and advocate from the understanding that each community and person have desires and capabilities to lead in their own life.

Quality Services We provide services that align intent and impact by ensuring that they are accessible, community driven, interconnected, and continuously improved.

Data Defined Outcomes We equitably collect and analyze data, take data-driven action, and measure outcomes relevant to those we serve, ensuring transparency and accountability.

Job Description And Duties Are you a technical expert with a passion for building and securing enterprise-scale cloud environments? The California Department of Social Services (CDSS), Information Systems Division (ISD), is seeking a Cloud Engineer Lead (Information Technology Specialist III) to drive the technical execution of our cloud strategy. We are seeking a highly skilled Cloud Engineer to lead the implementation, operation, and continuous improvement of enterprise cloud platforms and services.

Within the Operations and Management Branch of the Information Systems Division, This role serves as a senior technical authority, translating cloud architecture and strategy into secure, scalable, cost-effective, and high-performance cloud solutions that enable operational excellence and support mission-critical business systems.

As a key member of the Operations and Management Branch, the ITS III Cloud Engineer works closely with Cloud Architects, security teams, development teams, and enterprise stakeholders to design, build, govern, and optimize cloud environments. This position emphasizes hands-on engineering leadership, automation, governance enforcement, and operational excellence across cloud platforms.

The ideal candidate demonstrates advanced technical expertise, strong problem-solving abilities, and the ability to collaborate across organizational teams to deliver reliable cloud solutions aligned with enterprise strategy, security, and compliance requirements.

Key Responsibilities:

Engineering Leadership: Lead the deployment of enterprise cloud solutions, overseeing technical recovery, resiliency strategies, and operational readiness.
Automation & DevOps: Build and integrate DevOps pipelines and automation frameworks to support VM-based workloads.
Governance & Security: Implement and enforce cloud governance controls, including identity integrations (MFA, RBAC), resource tagging, and security posture management.
Optimization & Research: Monitor cloud performance, execute cost-management practices, and conduct Proofs of Concept (PoCs) for emerging technologies.
Mentorship: Provide technical guidance and mentorship to junior engineering staff while serving as a key advisor to leadership on cloud capabilities.

The Department of Social Services does not participate in E-Verify for employment authorization purposes. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States without the need for visa sponsorship by the start date of employment.

If you would like to share how you learned about this career opportunity, please take a moment to complete our brief Recruitment Survey.

Need help with applying for positions, taking an examination, or preparing for interviews? Our team is here to support you, reach out anytime at Recruiter@dss.ca.gov . For guidance on applying for a state job, visit Three Steps to a State Job

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You will find additional information about the job in the Duty Statement .

Special Requirements

The position(s) require(s) a Background Investigation be cleared prior to being hired.

Please Note: A Statement of Qualifications or Supplemental Questionnaire must be submitted along with your application to be considered for this position. Applications submitted without an SOQ may be disqualified for this position.

Do not include any confidential information in any documents (i.e., application, resume, or transcripts) you submit for this job vacancy. Confidential information that should be excluded or removed from these documents include but is not limited to: Social Security Number (SSN), birthday and/or age, photos, student/other ID number, driver’s license number (unless required), basis of eligibility, exam results, LEAP status, and marital status. Confidential information submitted via a CalCareer Account (electronic application) is automatically redacted upon submission.

This position requires a background investigation, including a criminal conviction history screening, before hire (IRS Publication 1075). Applicants are required to submit fingerprints via the Live Scan process to the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Background investigation clearance is a condition of employment for this position.

Statement of Qualifications (SOQ):The SOQ must be typed, single-spaced, no more than two (2) pages, in 12-point Arial font, and must include your full name on each page. Please respond to the following two questions:

This position requires a shift from high-level architecture to hands-on technical execution. Describe a time when you were responsible for leading the end to end implementation of a complex enterprise cloud solution. How did you translate architectural designs into a functional, automated environment (IaC, CI/CD), and how did you manage the technical workload to ensure the project stayed on track?
As the Cloud Engineer Lead, you are responsible for ensuring the environment is secure and compliant. Describe your experience implementing cloud governance and security controls. How have you balanced the need for rapid deployment and innovation with strict requirements of state and federal security standards?

Resumes will not take the place of employment history.

You are required to complete employment history on the application form (STD 678). You may be disqualified from the hiring and selection process if the employment history is inaccurate or incomplete. Resumes will not take the place of employment history. If you are meeting minimum qualifications with education, you must include your unofficial transcripts for verification. If selected, you may be required to provide official transcripts at the time of hire.

Candidates who reside outside of the State of California may be admitted to the job interview, but they must provide proof of residence in California prior to being eligible for appointment.

Application Instructions Completed applications and all required documents must be received or postmarked by the Final Filing Date in order to be considered. Dates printed on Mobile Bar Codes, such as the Quick Response (QR) Codes available at the USPS, are not considered Postmark dates for the purpose of determining timely filing of an application.

Final Filing Date: 10/30/2026

Who May Apply

Individuals who are currently in the classification, eligible for lateral transfer, eligible for reinstatement, have list or LEAP eligibility, are in the process of obtaining list eligibility, or have SROA and/or Surplus eligibility (please attach your letter, if available). SROA and Surplus candidates are given priority; therefore, individuals with other eligibility may be considered in the event no SROA or Surplus candidates apply.

Applications will be screened and only the most qualified applicants will be selected to move forward in the selection process. Applicants must meet the Minimum Qualifications stated in the Classification Specification(s).

How To Apply

Complete Application Packages (including your Examination/Employment Application (STD 678) and applicable or required documents) must be submitted to apply for this Job Posting. Application Packages may be submitted electronically through your CalCareer Account at www.CalCareers.ca.gov. When submitting your application in hard copy, a completed copy of the Application Package listing must be included. If you choose to not apply electronically, a hard copy application package may be submitted through an alternative method listed below:

Address for Mailing Application Packages

You may submit your application and any applicable or required documents to:

Department of Social Services

California Department of Social Services

Attn: Classification & Pay Unit

P. O. Box 944243 - MS 8-15-58

Sacramento , CA 94244-2430

Address for Drop-Off Application Packages

You may drop off your application and any applicable or required documents at:

Department of Social Services

California Department of Social Services

Classification & Pay Unit

744 P Street, MS 8-15-58

Sacramento , CA 95814

08:00 AM - 05:00 PM

Required Application Package Documents

The following items are required to be submitted with your application. Applicants who do not submit the required items timely may not be considered for this job:

Current version of the State Examination/Employment Application STD Form 678 (when not applying electronically), or the Electronic State Employment Application through your Applicant Account at www.CalCareers.ca.gov. All Experience and Education relating to the Minimum Qualifications listed on the Classification Specification should be included to demonstrate how you meet the Minimum Qualifications for the position.
Resume is optional. It may be included, but is not required.
Statement of Qualifications - (SOQ) Please see the Special Requirements section of this job advertisement for detailed instructions for the SOQ submission.

Applicants requiring reasonable accommodations for the hiring interview process must request the necessary accommodations if scheduled for a hiring interview. The request should be made at the time of contact to schedule the interview. Questions regarding reasonable accommodations may be directed to the EEO contact listed on this job posting.

Equal Opportunity Employer The State of California is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.

It is an objective of the State of California to achieve a drug-free work place. Any applicant for state employment will be expected to behave in accordance with this objective because the use of illegal drugs is inconsistent with the law of the State, the rules governing Civil Service, and the special trust placed in public servants.

California Department of Social Services jobs

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SPECIALIST III