Principal Cloud Engineer

About the role

This is a senior individual contributor position focused on defining the technical standards for FedRAMP reference architectures. You will serve as the primary design authority, establishing the frameworks that engineering teams use to build secure environments across major cloud providers.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Manage the technical integrity of FedRAMP reference architectures across AWS, Azure, and GCP.
• Define engineering standards for automation frameworks, security baselines, and evidence collection.
• Evaluate and approve custom architecture requests, integrating recurring patterns back into the standard reference models.
• Act as a technical escalation point for delivery teams regarding security design and architecture.
• Update reference architectures to align with FedRAMP mandates, including continuous monitoring and machine-readable compliance formats like OSCAL or JSON.
• Mentor senior engineers and engagement architects to improve technical delivery.
• Collaborate with sales teams on solution design for strategic client pursuits.
• Represent the company in FedRAMP industry forums and working groups.

Requirements

• Bachelor degree in an IT field or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 10+ years of experience in cloud security architecture and engineering, including work at a principal or staff level.
• Hands-on experience building, operating, or assessing FedRAMP environments.
• Proven experience as a design authority, including setting standards and documenting decisions for others to follow.
• Proficiency in infrastructure-as-code tools like Terraform, CI/CD pipelines, policy-as-code, and compliance automation.
• Deep architecture knowledge in at least two of the following: AWS, Azure, or GCP.
• Fluency in NIST 800-53, the FedRAMP control framework, CMMC, and DoD compliance standards.
• Professional or expert-level certification in AWS, Azure, or GCP.
• U.S. citizenship is required for this role.

Nice to have

• Experience with FedRAMP 20x, Key Security Indicators, and OSCAL or JSON machine-readable evidence.
• Background in creating repeatable delivery models for professional services.
• Public contributions to the field, such as conference speaking, open-source projects, or published writing.
• CISSP, CISM, or CISA certifications.
• Knowledge of configuration standards such as DISA STIG and CIS Benchmarks.

Skills & tools

• AWS, Azure, GCP
• Terraform
• CI/CD
• Policy-as-code
• NIST 800-53
• FedRAMP
• OSCAL/JSON

Practical notes

• Travel is required approximately 10-15% of the time.
• The company offers a flexible work model allowing for remote or office-based work.
• Benefits include paid parental leave, flexible time off, certification and training reimbursement, mental health support, and comprehensive insurance.
• For reasonable accommodation requests during the application or interview process, contact HumanResourcesMB@coalfire.com.

About the company

Apax Partners LLP is a British private equity firm headquartered in London. The company operates globally through additional offices in New York, Hong Kong, Mumbai, Tel Aviv, Munich and Shanghai. As of March 2024 the firm had raised and advised funds of approximately US$77 billion. Apax Partners is one of the oldest and largest private equity firms operating on an international basis. The firm focuses its investment activity across three primary sectors. These sectors are technology, internet and consumer, and services. Apax typically targets investments with an enterprise value between $100 million and $5 billion. The firm raises capital for its investment funds from a diverse base of institutional investors. This investor base includes corporate and public pension funds. It also includes university and college endowments, foundations and fund of funds vehicles. Apax applies deep sector expertise to identify and scale market-leading businesses. The firm works closely with management teams to drive long-term value creation. Its global network supports portfolio companies through strategic guidance and operational resources. Apax maintains a disciplined approach to deal sourcing and due diligence. The firm seeks to partner with businesses positioned for sustainable growth. Its track record spans multiple economic cycles and market environments. Apax continues to expand its presence in key innovation hubs worldwide.