Senior Cloud Systems Engineer (AWS / Terraform) -

Job Title: Systems Engineering Services Specialist ( Senior Cloud Systems Engineer (AWS / Terraform)) Location: Austin, TX (On-site 3 days/week)
Duration: 6 months (ASAP start)
Client: Thales

Project Overview

Thales, a global leader in Identity and Biometric Solutions, is seeking a qualified Systems Engineering Services Specialist to support deployment and operational activities within their cloud environments. The role focuses on provisioning and configuring AWS infrastructure, enhancing deployment automation, and authoring Infrastructure as Code (IaC) using Terraform to streamline system operations.

This position requires a hybrid working model with approximately 60% on-site presence at Thales Austin, TX location.

Key Responsibilities

• Infrastructure Deployment:
  • Build and configure VPCs, including routing to internal services.
  • Deploy Network Load Balancers (NLBs) and Application Load Balancers (ALBs).
  • Configure and deploy infrastructure using GitLab CI/CD pipelines and Terraform.
• System Monitoring:
  • Develop Datadog dashboards and alerts for proactive system monitoring.
• Operational Documentation:
  • Author system operational playbooks and troubleshooting guides.
  • Document infrastructure details including data flows, IAM roles, Active Directory groups, and more.
• Cost Optimization:
  • Identify opportunities and implement measures to optimize AWS cloud costs.

Expected Deliverables

• Deployed and configured VPCs, ALBs, NLBs, and domain controllers.
• Comprehensive troubleshooting and maintenance documentation.
• Detailed infrastructure documentation covering IAM roles, KMS keys, and Active Directory groups.
• Scalable and resilient infrastructure solutions tailored for AWS environments.

Required Skills and Qualifications

Technical Expertise:

• Proficient in AWS cloud services: EC2, ALBs, NLBs, FSX clusters, EKS.
• Strong experience with Infrastructure as Code (IaC) tools, especially Terraform.
• Familiarity with CI/CD pipeline creation and management in GitLab.
• Knowledge of system monitoring tools such as Datadog.

Systems Engineering:

• Proven ability to design and deploy scalable, resilient infrastructure.
• Hands-on experience with networking concepts: VPC creation, routing, DNS configuration.
• Expertise in Active Directory and domain controller deployment and management.

Security and Compliance:

• U.S. Citizenship required for security clearance.
• Familiarity with CFIUS clearance and background screening processes.

Soft Skills:

• Excellent documentation and communication skills.
• Collaborative mindset and ability to work effectively with cross-functional teams.

Experience

• Minimum 6+ years of relevant systems engineering experience, with the ability to work independently.

Work Location

• Thales Premises 9442 North Capital of Texas Hwy, Building II, Suite 400, Austin, TX 78759
• Hybrid schedule: 3 days on-site, 2 days remote

Security Clearance Requirements

• Standard Criminal Background Screening
• U.S. Citizenship Verification
• CFIUS Clearance

Provided by Thales

• Necessary IT hardware (e.g., laptop)
• Access to required environments (AWS, DFW) and tools (Confluence, Jira, GitLab)