Cloud Services Architect

This is a U.S. based position. All of the programs we support require U.S. citizenship to be eligible for employment. All work must be conducted within the continental U.S.

Who we are:

Raft () is a customer‑obsessed non‑traditional small business with a purposeful focus on Distributed Data Systems, Platforms at Scale, and Complex Application Development, with headquarters in McLean, VA. Our range of clients includes innovative federal and public agencies leveraging design thinking, cutting‑edge tech stack, and cloud‑native ecosystem. We build digital solutions that impact the lives of millions of Americans.

About the role:

As a Cloud Services Architect
, you will provide direct cloud architect and engineering support to deliver cybersecurity capabilities protecting the USSF's Operational Enterprise. You will develop and maintain cloud environments, including simulation environments, for DoD customers. You will design, plan, and integrate cloud computing and virtualization systems, translating customer requirements into hardware and software specifications.

• Design and build hybrid cloud‑based environments ensuring high availability and disaster recovery
• Translate customer requirements into hardware and software specifications
• Develop and conduct testing of cloud and virtualization systems
• Maintain expertise in cloud computing technologies including cloud service provider architecture, deployment models (public, community, private, hybrid), and delivery models (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS)
• Implement automation, hypervisors, containers, virtual compute, storage, networks, and virtual infrastructure management
• Evaluate and report on new cloud and virtualization technologies
• Define requirements throughout SDLC including integrating, upgrading, and sustaining hybrid cloud environments
• Guide migration of legacy systems to modern cloud platforms
• Design enterprise and systems security throughout cloud development lifecycle
• Perform systems activities:
  Concept of Operations, Requirements Definition, System Architecting, System Analysis and Design, Interface and Data Architectures, Validation and Verification, System Integration, Performance Analysis, Lifecycle Cost Analysis, Decision Analysis, and PCA

• Bachelor's & 14+ years experience, Master's & 12+ years, or PhD & 9+ years
• Cloud architecture knowledge (OS, multi‑tenancy, virtualization, orchestration, elastic scalability)
• Experience deploying to DoD Cloud Service Providers (AWS, Microsoft, Google, Oracle)
• Dev Sec Ops  tool chains and Infrastructure as Code knowledge
• Automation, hypervisors, containers, virtual compute, storage, networks experience
• Virtual infrastructure management, self‑provisioning, and scaling experience
• Application migration and Agile development experience
• Security+ or IAT II certification (within 90 days of employment)
• Big Data experience (Hadoop, NiFi, Spark, PySpark, Dask, etc.)

• Space Systems Command and Cyber Operations Branch (SSC/SZWO) experience
• Team leadership and mentoring abilities
• Cloud Security Implementation experience
• SCIF/SAPF security procedures familiarity
• Azure Solutions, Google Professional Cloud, AWS Certified Solutions, and/or Red Hat Certified Architect certifications

• Active Top Secret with ability to obtain and maintain SCI

• Onsite in Annapolis Junction, MD
• May require up to 15% travel

• $145,000 - $175,000
• The determination of compensation is predicated upon a candidate's comprehensive experience, demonstrated skill, and proven abilities

• Highly competitive salary
• Fully covered healthcare, dental, and vision coverage
• 401(k) and company match
• Take as you need PTO + 11 paid holidays
• And More!

We bridge the gap between humans and data through radical transparency and our obsession with the mission.

We will approach every deliverable like it's a product. We will adopt a customer‑obsessed mentality. As we grow, and our footprint becomes larger, teams and employees will treat each other not only as teammates but customers. We must live the customer‑obsessed mindset, always. This will help us scale and it will translate to the interactions that our Rafters have with their clients and other product teams that they integrate with.

Our culture will enable our success and set us apart from other companies.

We’re an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.