System Engineer - 2 (Cloud Infrastructure Architect )

Akina • Annapolis Junction, MD

20h • $200,000 - $240,000

About The Position

We just got the keys to the kingdom: approval to move our CNO development environment to the cloud! You'll be the technical pioneer architecting how we leap from a patchwork legacy environment to a modern, cloud-native backbone that can support AI-enabled development, FVEY collaboration, and the next generation of CNO development - all while the mission keeps running.

Requirements

• 5+ years of deep systems engineering and cloud architecture experience, with a proven track record of building, breaking, and rebuilding complex enterprise infrastructure.
• Demonstrated expertise in AWS production environments, including hands-on experience with serverless technologies (AWS Lambda, AWS Fargate, Route 53, API Gateway, Amazon Cloudwatch, S3) and cloud storage tiers.
• Prior experience leading infrastructure modernization and technical transformations, specifically executing incremental migrations rather than "lift and shift" approaches.
• Familiarity with agency-specific cloud compliance nuances, particularly the processes surrounding ATO (Authority to Operate) and operations within the WANDS environment.
• Strong background in corporate services and stakeholder management, with the ability to build ROI models and translate technical decisions for executives, security teams, and mission developers.
• Service-Oriented Mindset: You view yourself as a customer-service professional first, ensuring technology choices always serve the mission needs.
• Mission-Driven Pragmatist: You build toward a strategic vision while solving today's most pressing issues, designing for optionality and rapid, incremental wins.
• Collaborative Leader: You value collaboration over "heroics," thriving in an embedded position where you can share knowledge generously and empower teammates to grow.
• 8 yrs., B.S. in a technical discipline or 4 additional yrs. in place of B.S.
• TS/SCI - Polygraph required

Nice To Haves

• AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate (or Professional).
• CNO experience - experience in CNO spaces or similar high-side environments is highly valued.
• CNO development experience - understanding what developers actually need makes you a more effective infrastructure architect.
• Enclave experience - you understand what makes restricted environments different - the constraints, the processes, and how security controls impact architecture decisions.
• Cost optimization expertise - experience right-sizing cloud resources, building FinOps practices, or making defensible recommendations about when cloud implementations actually save money vs. when managed service costs spiral.
• While we highly value traditional infrastructure backgrounds like VMware or MASH expertise, this specific role is deeply focused on native cloud environments. Because of this, we are looking for candidates who bring at least four years of hands-on experience, specifically with AWS.
• During the interview, we look forward to diving into some high-level AWS architecture discussions to hear more about the solutions you've built!

Responsibilities

• Lead cloud architecture strategy, designing the technical roadmap and reusable patterns that enable teams to leverage cloud solutions where it makes sense.
• Starting with high-ROI pilots, you'll develop "easy button" templates and common resources for teams to adopt while preserving the flexibility for organizations to continue managing their own on-premise infrastructure when the mission demands it.
• Architect end-to-end solutions for complex CNE services, tackling challenges like moving 90%+ capacity services to cloud storage, creating integration patterns between legacy systems and cloud-native services, and ensuring solutions maintain security controls while improving performance and scalability.
• Conduct technical assessments of existing infrastructure, working with stakeholders to unpack services running on aging platforms, document dependencies, evaluate utility, and build prioritization frameworks based on EOL dates, mission impact, cost efficiency, and user pain points.
• Partner with cloud professional services and mission stakeholders, working alongside AWS ProServe teams to scope engagements, validate architectures, and ensure cloud solutions meet the unique requirements of CNE development, testing, and collaboration while reporting directly to the Y12 technical director.
• Design modernized workflows and user experiences, reimagining how CNE developers interact with their development environment - from implementing unified SSO across disparate clients to architecting solutions for large-scale datasets.
• Above all ... make CNO the best place for software development at the agency. Create a development environment that will attract the best talent and keep them here, instead of chasing them away.

Benefits

• We offer a generous compensation package that includes 24 days PTO accrued annually and 11 federal holidays.
• Our 401k is 100% vested on your start date and the company makes a direct contribution worth 10% of your salary.
• Akina covers 100% of healthcare costs for employees and 50% toward dependents.
• We offer educational assistance towards college classes and will cover costs associated with job related training and certifications
• Akina is committed to excellence and creating innovative and flexible solutions for our clients.
• We are a small company with an open ear to our employees' needs in order to attract and retain quality talent that enables our customer's mission.
• We are an equal employment opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

What This Job Offers

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