Principal Cloud Engineer

Unum Group • Portland, ME

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

Unum is seeking a Principal Cloud Engineer to lead enterprise cloud architecture and strategy across AWS, Azure, Terraform, and DevSecOps. The role partners with senior leaders to advance cloud transformation, modernization, and optimization, translating strategy into technical roadmaps and enterprise-wide solutions that improve security, scalability, resilience, and cost efficiency. The engineer leads adoption of cloud infrastructure, automation, security, and operational best practices, and mentors engineers while fostering innovation and continuous improvement.

The position guides the design of cloud landing zones, identity and access management, networking, observability, automation, and disaster recovery. It champions Terraform, CI/CD, DevSecOps, and FinOps practices to deliver reliable, secure, and business-aligned solutions. This is a campus-based position requiring four days onsite each week.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, information systems, engineering, or a related field, or equivalent specialized experience, skills, knowledge, or training.
• At least 8 years of related work experience, including significant hands-on experience designing and operating cloud environments.
• Advanced hands-on expertise in public cloud platforms, with depth in both AWS and Azure.
• Advanced proficiency in Terraform and Infrastructure as Code, including modular design, remote state, and pipeline-driven deployment.
• Strong DevSecOps experience, including CI/CD tooling, security automation, policy-as-code, container and workload security, and secrets management.
• Hands-on experience with scripting and development tools such as Python, PowerShell, or Bash.
• Strong understanding of cloud networking, including VPC/VNet, routing, DNS, hybrid connectivity, and load balancing; identity and access management; and security best practices.
• Experience with containers and orchestration such as Kubernetes, EKS, or AKS, and observability or monitoring tooling.
• Working knowledge of Windows and Linux operating platforms, Active Directory/Entra ID, storage, and database management.
• Knowledge of applicable data privacy practices and laws.
• Experience developing strategic plans, gathering business requirements, and designing enterprise-scale systems.
• Leadership and interpersonal skills to direct, influence, and motivate within a matrixed organization.
• Project planning and management experience across multiple medium-to-large initiatives, with the ability to prioritize in a high-pressure environment.
• Strong analytical, conceptual, and problem-solving abilities and the ability to quickly comprehend new technologies.
• Excellent written and oral communication, technical documentation, and presentation skills, including the ability to explain ideas in user-friendly language to senior leaders and vendors.
• Ability to provide effective mentorship, training, and technical leadership across the organization.
• Self-motivated and detail-oriented, with a collaborative, team-oriented approach.
• Ability to work onsite four days per week.

Nice To Haves

• GCP experience.
• Industry certifications such as AWS Certified Solutions Architect (Professional), Microsoft Azure Solutions Architect Expert, HashiCorp Certified: Terraform Associate or Professional, or a security certification such as AWS Security Specialty, Azure Security Engineer, or CISSP.

Responsibilities

• Define and own enterprise cloud architecture, reference patterns, and standards across AWS and Azure, including landing zones, networking, identity, account and subscription structures, and resilience.
• Translate the Digital Transformation Office’s cloud adoption vision into an executable technical roadmap aligned with corporate strategy.
• Lead large-scale cloud migration and modernization initiatives and the technical teams delivering them.
• Provide architectural consulting and direction to IT and business partners; clarify requirements and build support for cloud plans.
• Contribute to enterprise business strategy by identifying opportunities and impacts of emerging cloud technologies.
• Lead adoption of Terraform Infrastructure as Code, including module standards, state management, and reusable, version-controlled patterns across AWS and Azure.
• Automate provisioning, configuration, and operations to reduce delivery time and manual effort.
• Establish CI/CD pipelines and infrastructure engineering practices, including code review, testing, and policy-as-code.
• Embed security in the delivery lifecycle through automated scanning, secrets management, vulnerability management, and compliance-as-code.
• Define and enforce cloud security standards for identity and access management, network segmentation, encryption, logging, and monitoring.
• Partner with Security, Risk, and Compliance teams to address regulatory, audit, and data privacy requirements.
• Assist in developing IT policies and procedures for architecture, security, disaster recovery, standards, purchasing, and service provision.
• Develop, document, communicate, and enforce cloud technology standards and policies.
• Manage cloud capacity planning and lead FinOps practices, including cost visibility, optimization, and cost reduction.
• Develop and recommend plans for cloud infrastructure investment.
• Design and execute tests of performance, resilience, and disaster recovery; report findings and recommend improvements.
• Serve as the enterprise subject matter expert and technical authority for cloud platforms and infrastructure technologies.
• Mentor and train engineers and promote best practices in cloud architecture, engineering, and support.
• Research emerging technologies and recommend those that improve cost effectiveness, security, and flexibility.
• Propose technical solutions to enterprise business needs.
• Work effectively in outsourced and matrixed environments and assist with vendor, outsourcer, and consultant contracts and service agreements.
• Document and maintain in-depth knowledge of the company’s IT architecture, infrastructure, and technology portfolio.

Benefits

• Healthcare benefits, including health, vision, and dental coverage.
• Short- and long-term disability insurance benefits.
• Performance-based incentive plans.
• Paid time off.
• 401(k) retirement plan with an employer match up to 5% and an additional 4.5% contribution whether or not the employee contributes.
• Onsite fitness facilities.
• Employee professional development programs.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Principal