Cloud Engineer III

WoodmenLIfe•Omaha, NE

1d•Remote

About The Position

WoodmenLife is seeking a senior platform engineer to design, build, and evolve its Azure cloud platform. The role owns key platform domains and operationalizes cloud standards and guardrails to deliver secure, scalable, automated solutions supporting enterprise modernization. It combines hands-on platform engineering with platform ownership, mentorship, and influence over the future direction of the cloud environment. The focus is on building and evolving the Azure foundation rather than supporting individual application workloads. The position is part of the Cloud Center of Excellence within the Systems Engineering organization. The Cloud CoE defines standards, guardrails, and platform direction, while Systems Engineering provides the delivery and operational foundation. The Cloud Engineer III bridges strategy and execution and partners with the Cloud Architect, Enterprise Architecture teams, and cross-functional stakeholders. The role leads Azure platform design and engineering, Infrastructure as Code development, cloud observability and cost optimization, CI/CD and automation, security and governance, and cloud resilience and disaster recovery. It also mentors engineers, contributes to the Cloud CoE, evaluates emerging Azure and AI capabilities, and recommends platform improvements. The position is remote and reports to the Manager, Systems Engineering. WoodmenLife notes that Friday afternoons are off year-round and describes its environment as collaborative and outcomes-focused.

Requirements

10 or more years of progressive IT infrastructure or platform engineering experience.
Recent, sustained hands-on experience designing and operating enterprise-scale Azure environments.
Deep expertise in Infrastructure as Code; Bicep is preferred, with strong scripting and automation experience required.
Advanced Windows/Linux, Entra ID/Active Directory, and hybrid networking background.
Experience building CI/CD pipelines using Azure DevOps and modern Git-based workflows.
Proven experience with cloud cost management, observability, and performance optimization.
Demonstrated technical leadership and mentoring skills.
Extensive governance experience, including Azure Policy, RBAC, and tagging standards.
Expertise with hybrid connectivity technologies such as ExpressRoute, VPN, and Private Endpoints.
Experience supporting modernization, migration, and automation initiatives.
Strong communication, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis; WoodmenLife will not sponsor work visas.
Applicants must submit a resume containing their full name, current residential address, email address, and phone number.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree strongly preferred.
Exposure to Azure-native application hosting patterns such as App Services, Functions, or AKS.
Familiarity with AI-assisted development tools such as GitHub Copilot or Azure-native AI capabilities.
AZ-305: Microsoft Certified – Azure Solutions Architect Expert.
AZ-400: Microsoft Certified – DevOps Engineer Expert.
AZ-500: Microsoft Certified – Azure Security Engineer Associate.

Responsibilities

Lead the design and engineering of complex Microsoft Azure platform solutions aligned with enterprise architecture standards.
Own and evolve one or more Azure platform domains, such as identity, networking, governance, or DevOps pipelines.
Integrate hybrid cloud environments using Azure networking and identity services.
Lead Infrastructure as Code development using Bicep, PowerShell, and Azure CLI.
Advance Azure Landing Zone components, including governance, identity, networking, and security.
Work with architects and cross-functional stakeholders to implement and operationalize approved platform standards, engineering patterns, and cloud guardrails.
Enhance cloud observability using Azure Monitor, Log Analytics, and App Insights.
Implement cloud cost optimization and financial transparency practices, including tagging, budgeting, and usage analytics.
Monitor, analyze, and optimize cloud resource utilization and platform performance.
Lead development of CI/CD pipelines using Azure DevOps and modern Git-based workflows.
Build automation frameworks for provisioning, monitoring, and operational tasks, including use of AI-assisted engineering tools where appropriate.
Develop reusable templates, scripts, and modules for scalable self-service platform capabilities and standardized patterns.
Embed governance controls, policy enforcement, and configuration management into automation workflows.
Mentor Systems Engineers and technical peers and support Agile ceremonies and iterative delivery.
Contribute knowledge, documentation, tooling, and best practices to the Cloud Center of Excellence.
Implement Azure governance controls such as Azure Policy, RBAC, and resource organization, and support identity governance through Entra ID and least-privilege models.
Lead planning and implementation of cloud-based business continuity and disaster recovery strategies.
Implement resilient, highly available solutions using availability zones, automated failover, and cloud-native backup strategies.
Evaluate emerging Azure capabilities, including AI and automation technologies, and recommend platform enhancements.
Provide technical guidance and advocacy for cloud engineering best practices, automation-first patterns, and modern architectural approaches.
Make design and implementation decisions within established enterprise standards and cloud guardrails, and operationalize direction provided by the Cloud Architect.
Identify and lead resolution of platform-level performance, cost, reliability, and security issues.