AWS Cloud DevOps Architect

Description
This individual will work with the NAEP Team @ ETS. NAEP stands for National Assessment of Educational Progress. The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is the largest national assessment provider for American students. NAEP academic assessments are the "Nation's Report Card" and are leveraged by local, state and federal agencies to measure and act upon a clear picture of student academic progress year over year.
ETS (Educational Testing Service) has developed applications, services, interactive 'item' (test question) development and reporting on behalf of the NCES since 1983 and is looking to upgrade the current NAEP website, NAEP Data Explorers and reporting to provide improved features, as well as, a tablet optimized user experience.
;br>;br>ETS has been engaged for another multi-year project to build a brand new platform and migrate the entire NAEP work in to the cloud. This innovative development will be known as "next generation" for NAEP. It will basically be building a new cloud domain for test delivery. This won't necessarily be like for like migration and may include new features, functionality and enhancements to what is existing. There may be additional NAEP resources needed so ETS will be looking to hire several candidates for this huge initiative. The NAEP contract requires resources to deal with external vendors in an "agency" type of environment, complete on-going NAEP content development, and keep up with/not be bothered by the constant change requests for the project.
We are seeking a talented and experienced AWS DevOps Engineer to join our dynamic team supporting large-scale, cloud-native applications in a secure, high-performance AWS environment. In this role, you will help architect, automate, and maintain modern application infrastructure using Infrastructure as Code (IaC) and DevSecOps best practices using FedRAMP complaint services. You will play a key role in enabling our teams to deliver robust, scalable, and innovative solutions that meet stringent performance, security and compliance standards. This position is ideal for a hands-on engineer who is passionate about automation, cloud architecture, and continuous improvement within collaborative Agile teams.
Key Responsibilities
Architect and build scalable, secure, and highly available AWS-based application environments.
Implement and manage Infrastructure as Code (IaC) using AWS CDK
Design, maintain, and optimize GitLab CI/CD pipelines for automated build, test, and deployment workflows.
Manage and integrate AWS services including Lambda, RDS/Aurora, SQS, SNS, S3, DynamoDB, and EKS to support both serverless and containerized applications.
Support the deployment, scaling, and monitoring of application infrastructure across multiple environments.
Collaborate with development, QA, and operations teams to improve build, integration, and release processes for high-quality and fast delivery.
Apply the AWS Well-Architected Framework to ensure security, reliability, performance efficiency, and cost optimization.
Configure and maintain monitoring, alerting, and observability using AWS CloudWatch, X-Ray, and related tools.
Implement blue/green and A/B deployment strategies to achieve zero-downtime releases.
Continuously improve automation, tooling, and operational excellence across the DevOps lifecycle.
Preferred Skills (Good to Have)
Understanding of SecDevOps principles and compliance automation in AWS.
Experience with tools such as SonarQube, Artifactory, or NodeJS build management (npm/yarn).
Background in Agile development and collaborative DevOps culture.
Big Plus: Familiarity with FISMA, FedRAMP, and NIST SP 800-53 frameworks and security control alignment.
Additional Skills & Qualifications
Candidate must be eligible to obtain a Public Trust Background investigation required for this project.
Per the manager: A Public Trust investigation is a standard U.S. government process for roles involving sensitive work. This process is initiated after a qualified candidate starts. ETS or the government will cover all associated costs. Applicants should be aware of and willing to go through this process
Job Type & Location
This is a Contract position based out of Princeton, NJ.
Pay and Benefits
The pay range for this position is $77.00 - $82.00/hr.
Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: Medical, dental & vision Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital 401(k) Retirement Plan - Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) Short and long-term disability Health Spending Account (HSA) Transportation benefits Employee Assistance Program Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)
Workplace Type
This is a hybrid position in Princeton,NJ.
Application Deadline
This position is anticipated to close on Jan 21, 2026.
>About TEKsystems:
We're partners in transformation. We help clients activate ideas and solutions to take advantage of a new world of opportunity. We are a team of 80,000 strong, working with over 6,000 clients, including 80% of the Fortune 500, across North America, Europe and Asia. As an industry leader in Full-Stack Technology Services, Talent Services, and real-world application, we work with progressive leaders to drive change. That's the power of true partnership. TEKsystems is an Allegis Group company.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regards to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

About TEKsystems and TEKsystems Global Services

We're a leading provider of business and technology services. We accelerate business transformation for our customers. Our expertise in strategy, design, execution and operations unlocks business value through a range of solutions. We're a team of 80,000 strong, working with over 6,000 customers, including 80% of the Fortune 500 across North America, Europe and Asia, who partner with us for our scale, full-stack capabilities and speed. We're strategic thinkers, hands-on collaborators, helping customers capitalize on change and master the momentum of technology. We're building tomorrow by delivering business outcomes and making positive impacts in our global communities. TEKsystems and TEKsystems Global Services are Allegis Group companies. Learn more at TEKsystems.com.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.