Senior AWS Cloud Architect

Job A
Date Posted:
January 27, 2026

SDL Strategic Military Space Division is seeking a highly experienced Senior Cloud Architect to lead the design, integration, and evolution of cloud-enabled satellite ground system solutions. This role is ideal for a technical leader who is motivated by more than maintaining the status quo. You will shape modern cloud architectures that support mission-critical space operations, bridge legacy and emerging systems, and help evolve secure, scalable infrastructure to meet future operational demands.

You will work closely with a broad community of stakeholders—including customer Program Offices, internal engineering teams, FFRDCs/UARCs, SETA personnel, and industry partners—to architect, deploy, and sustain trusted cloud and information systems. The Strategic & Military Space Division delivers advanced satellite and sensor systems that support the Department of Defense and the Intelligence Community. Our division is a key component of national security, providing technological solutions and expert mission support.

Become part of a team dedicated to making a tangible contribution to our nation's defense capabilities.

• Lead the design and implementation of secure, high-performing cloud architectures for satellite ground systems
• Define cloud architecture strategy, evaluate alternatives, and recommend best-fit solutions
• Architect and implement mission data flow and processing frameworks with built-in monitoring and escalation tooling
• Design and template Infrastructure as Code (IaC) for repeatable, automated deployments
• Architect and govern security and compliance frameworks, including NIST control implementation and automated evidence generation
• Architect cloud networking solutions for internal and external system integration
• Lead containerization and orchestration strategies and best practices
• Design and manage cloud data storage and data management solutions
• Evaluate cloud performance, reliability, and cost, and recommend continuous improvements
• Provide architectural oversight for system integration, operations, sustainment, and lifecycle management to ensure alignment with strategic goals
• Serve as a technical leader and trusted advisor to customers and program leadership
• Mentor and guide senior and junior engineering staff, establishing best practices for cloud engineering and ensuring technical excellence across the team

• U.S. citizenship with the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government security clearance
• Bachelor's degree with 15+ years of experience, master's with 13+ years, or PhD with 9+ years (engineering or science discipline)
• AWS Core Infrastructure & Compute:
  Expert-level knowledge of AWS compute and container services (EC2, ECS, EKS, Lambda, Fargate), and storage solutions (S3, EBS, Storage Gateway)
• AWS Data & Database Technologies:
  Advanced proficiency with AWS database services including RDS, Aurora, Dynamo
  
  DB, Elasti Cache, and Redshift for enterprise-scale data management
• AWS Networking & Security:
  Deep expertise in VPC design, Transit Gateway, Direct Connect, Route 53, and comprehensive security services including IAM, KMS, Secrets Manager, WAF, Shield, Guard Duty, and Security Hub
• Infrastructure Automation & Dev Ops:
  Advanced experience with Terraform for AWS infrastructure automation
• Monitoring, Observability & Cost Optimization:
  Proven expertise with AWS monitoring tools (Cloud Watch, X-Ray, Cloud Trail) and demonstrated ability to implement cost optimization strategies using Cost Explorer, Budgets, and Savings Plans
• Communication
  
  Skills:
  
  Strong verbal and written communication abilities to explain complex technical concepts to diverse technical and business audiences
• AWS Solutions Architect - Professional certification required; equivalent Azure certifications accepted
• Demonstrated ability to lead projects, manage risk, and deliver solutions from concept to deployment
• Ability to build and maintain trusted customer relationships
• High attention to detail with a proactive, solution-oriented mindset

• Experience working in Agile development environments
• Experience supporting national security,…