#07092025.1 - Lead AWS Cloud Engineer

Join a Trusted Leader in National Security & Federal IT

At Next Phase Solutions and Services, Inc., we are a recognized federal contractor delivering mission-critical cybersecurity, cloud computing, and Health IT solutions. Our team supports top federal agencies with innovative, security-first approaches.

We are seeking a highly skilled and hands-on Lead AWS Cloud Engineer to join our team. In this role, you will lead technical efforts while actively contributing to the design, development, and implementation of cloud solutions. You will guide infrastructure and integration teams, ensuring compliance with technical, security, and IT policy guidelines, while remaining deeply engaged in engineering work.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a technical lead while maintaining active, hands-on involvement in building and delivering solutions.
• Oversee requirements gathering, design, development, testing, implementation, and documentation of enhancements.
• Guide infrastructure and integration teams using expertise in:
• Java, CI/CD (Jenkins), Kubernetes
• Infrastructure and code automation
• Monitoring and alerting tools
• Application and infrastructure logging
• Security tools, GitHub, code quality tools, and secrets management
• AWS services suite
• Apply Site Reliability Engineering (SRE) principles to enhance system reliability, scalability, and performance.
• Evaluate technical trends and make architecture and technology recommendations aligned with business objectives.
• Champion innovation and continuous improvement within the technical landscape.

Employment Type & Proposal Support Commitment

This position is contingent upon contract award and intended as a full-time, salaried role with comprehensive benefits. (Upon award, candidates who demonstrate strong performance during the part-time proposal support phase may be considered for full-time salaried employment, contingent on final business needs.)

Prior to contract award, selected candidates will be required to support an active development task on a part-time, hourly basis to contribute directly to the proposal effort. This work includes:

• Providing technical input and subject matter expertise to strengthen proposal technical volumes.
• Supporting coding, architecture, or system design contributions for live development prototypes or demonstration environments.
• Collaboration with proposal team members to refine solution approaches and ensure alignment with customer requirements.
• Participating in technical discussions and reviews to help finalize proposed solutions.

The part-time pre-award effort will be compensated on an hourly basis and is expected to be flexible, depending on proposal needs and schedules.

Location:

This is not a remote opportunity. Primary work will be performed on-site at either the Next Phase Solutions & Services office in Columbia, MD, or at a designated government facility within the region, as directed by the client.

Requirements

• U.S. Citizenship required.

• Experience supporting federal agencies (e.g., USCIS, DHS).
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field (Master’s preferred).
• Proven experience leading and contributing hands-on to cloud engineering projects, with strong expertise in AWS services.
• In-depth experience with Java, Kubernetes, CI/CD pipelines, infrastructure automation, and cloud security practices.
• Strong understanding of federal security and IT compliance requirements.
• Excellent problem-solving, communication, and team collaboration skills.

Highly Preferred Qualifications

• AWS or Kubernetes certifications.

General:

• Strong organizational and communication skills
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and prioritize workload based on the needs of the client
• Ability to deal with ambiguity and frequent changes in priorities
• Ability to work with minimal supervision
• Excellent technical writing skills and proven experience in systems with complex requirements
• Excellent teamwork and interpersonal skills with the ability to team with others to meet project objectives
• Understanding of the system development lifecycle as implemented with Agile; SAFe knowledge a plus

Physical Requirements:

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer
• Must be able to navigate in an office setting unassisted
• Must be able to lift up to 10 pounds
• Strong speaking skills, including the ability to articulate thoughts in a clear manner and excellent word enunciation skills, are required

Additional Information about this opening:

• Employees of Next Phase shall, as an enduring obligation throughout their term of employment, adhere to all information security requirements as documented in company policies and procedures
• Enjoy the flexibility of a hybrid work environment, with three days in the office per week (Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday) and two days working remotely
• We are committed to your professional growth, providing opportunities for advancement and exposure to exciting projects and initiatives
• This position is suited for candidates within commuting distance to Columbia, MD, and not eligible for a fully remote schedule
• We offer a competitive salary, a comprehensive benefits package, and professional growth and development opportunities. If you meet the above requirements and are looking for a challenging and rewarding career opportunity, please submit your application for consideration.
• The pay range for this job level is a general guideline only, not a compensation or salary guarantee. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, abilities, internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other laws.

Salary Range:

• $170,000 - $195,000

We anticipate offering a base salary in the range of $170,000 - $195,000, depending on relevant expereince, technical expertise, and qualifications. Additional performance-based incentives and comprehensive benefits are also included.

ABOUT NEXT PHASE SOLUTIONS AND SERVICES, INC.

Innovation. It’s What Defines Us.

Next Phase Solutions and Services, Inc. provides insights and solutions for healthcare, engineering, and science research. Next Phase commits to creating an environment where our employees achieve their full potential, increase productivity, and expand their professional and personal horizons. We look for bright, innovative people who achieve results, understand the importance of being productive and supportive team members, and prioritize customer satisfaction. Next Phase leadership is looking for new leaders, scientific and technical subject matter experts, and technically savvy people interested in putting forth the effort and commitment needed to grow our company.

Will you join us to share in the success?

Benefits

Benefits include, but are not limited to:

HEALTH AND WELLNESS BENEFITS

• Choose from three medical healthcare plans.
• Dental and Vision Insurance plans.
• Enjoy a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and Health Savings Account (HSA), and a company-sponsored Wellness Program.

PERSONAL INSURANCE BENEFITS

• Next Phase offers life insurance, accidental death, and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance, as well as short-term and long-term disability insurance, all of which are paid for by the company.

PAID LEAVE

• Employees receive competitive paid time off, including 11 holidays and maternity leave for recovering mothers.

RETIREMENT

• Next Phase contributes 5% to a 401K plan without requiring employee contributions.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

• Employees can be reimbursed for professional development expenses such as classes, books, technical certification/testing fees, professional dues/subscriptions, and professional licenses required for their position.

PET INSURANCE

• You have two options to ensure the happiness and health of your pets.

COMPETITIVE BONUS PROGRAM

• At Next Phase, we believe in sharing our success with the employees who make it happen!

Next Phase Solutions and Services, Inc. offers all qualified candidates and employees equal employment opportunities. We strictly prohibit any form of discrimination and harassment based on race, color, religion, age, sex, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic safeguarded by federal, state, or local laws. Our commitment at Next Phase Solutions and Services, Inc. is to hire and promote the most qualified individuals for our positions.

"EOE, including disability/vets"

NEED ASSISTANCE?

If you are a person with a disability who requires assistance with the electronic submission process, please email us at HRDirector@npss-inc.com.