Cloud Systems Engineer – Active Directory and Windows

ECS Tech Inc•Fairfax, VA

1d•$130,000 - $165,000•Onsite

About The Position

Everforth ECS is seeking a Cloud Systems Engineer to work in its Fairfax, Virginia office. The engineer will join a team that manages and maintains multiple network enclaves supporting the DoD community. The role designs, operates, and improves identity and Windows Server services in a multicloud environment spanning Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services (AWS), supporting cloud-hosted directory services, Windows workloads, and integrations across cloud environments. The position focuses on secure, reliable operations and automation. It requires innovative approaches to network, hardware, and software problems, along with strong communication, initiative, customer-service orientation, and an interest in career growth. The position administers Active Directory Domain Services and Windows Server environments, supports identity integrations, and manages directory, authentication, access, security, monitoring, recovery, and automation needs. It also includes building and maintaining Windows workloads and Azure Virtual Desktop environments, applying DoD security requirements, documenting operational processes, and working with cloud, security, and application teams.

Requirements

U.S. citizen.
Active DoD Secret security clearance.
Bachelor’s degree in a related field and 5 or more years of experience, or a high school diploma and 9 or more years of relevant experience.
Ability to obtain DoD 8140 IAT Level II Security+ (or higher) within 60 days of hire.
Experience administering Microsoft Active Directory Domain Services and Windows Server in production environments.
Experience with Microsoft Entra ID, including synchronization or identity integration concepts, single sign-on, enterprise applications, and conditional access.
Experience using PowerShell scripting for administration and automation.
Experience building, maintaining, patching, and versioning standardized Windows OS images for cloud deployments, including AWS AMIs and custom Azure virtual machine images.
Experience applying DoD STIGs to Windows Server images and workloads, validating compliance, remediating findings, and documenting approved exceptions.
Experience designing, deploying, and maintaining Azure Virtual Desktop environments, including host pools, session hosts, application groups, workspaces, and user access.
Experience managing AVD session host images, including creation, updates, patching, testing, and deployment.
Experience documenting technical procedures and participating in incident and change management.
Strong knowledge of DNS, Group Policy, domain controller management, directory replication, OU design, site design, authentication, and access management.
Strong knowledge of networking concepts relevant to cloud-hosted directory services, including VPCs or virtual networks, routing, firewalls, and name resolution.
Hands-on experience supporting Windows workloads in at least one major cloud platform: Azure or AWS.
Hands-on experience with FSLogix profile containers and troubleshooting user profile, sign-in, and session issues.
Ability to troubleshoot identity, authentication, single sign-on, Windows operating systems, and connectivity issues.
Knowledge of AVD identity, access, and networking requirements, including Microsoft Entra ID, Active Directory integration, role-based access control, and connectivity to required services.
Strong communication skills and ability to work across infrastructure, security, and application teams.
Strong problem-solving and decision-making capabilities, including weighing the relative costs and benefits of potential actions and identifying an appropriate solution.
Highly developed interpersonal and oral and written communication skills, with the ability to interact effectively and professionally with diverse stakeholders, from peers and end users to executive management.

Nice To Haves

Experience configuring autoscaling or host-pool scaling for Azure Virtual Desktop.

Responsibilities

Administer and maintain cloud-hosted Active Directory Domain Services and Windows Server environments in Azure and AWS.
Design and support identity integrations among Active Directory, Microsoft Entra ID, AWS services, Keycloak, and AppGate.
Manage directory objects, organizational units, group policy, DNS, domain controllers, trusts, and access controls.
Build, configure, patch, harden, and troubleshoot Windows Server and desktop workloads.
Implement and maintain identity lifecycle, authentication, authorization, and privileged access controls.
Monitor directory and Windows services for availability, performance, security events, and capacity.
Automate routine administration and configuration using PowerShell and infrastructure-as-code tools.
Apply security baselines, vulnerability remediation, logging, and audit requirements to Windows and directory services.
Develop backup, recovery, and business continuity procedures for directory services and Windows workloads.
Collaborate with cloud, security, and application teams to plan changes, resolve incidents, and support deployments.
Maintain technical documentation, operational procedures, diagrams, and change records.
Perform other duties as assigned.
Build, maintain, patch, and version standardized Windows operating system images for cloud deployments, including AWS AMIs and custom Azure virtual machine images.
Apply DoD Security Technical Implementation Guides (STIGs) to Windows Server images and workloads, validate compliance, remediate findings, and document approved exceptions.
Design, deploy, and maintain Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) environments, including host pools, session hosts, application groups, workspaces, and user access.
Manage AVD session host images, including image creation, updates, patching, testing, and deployment.
Monitor and troubleshoot AVD performance, availability, capacity, and user experience.
Document technical procedures and participate in incident and change management.