Cloud Security Engineer

LightFeather is seeking a Cloud Security Engineer to join our team in Washington DC. The ideal candidate will have hands-on experience designing and securing AWS environments in compliance with federal regulations. You’ll play a critical role in maintaining the integrity, confidentiality, and availability of our cloud infrastructure by embedding security best practices at every layer—from architecture and automation to compliance and monitoring.

• Location: In-Person (5 days/week) in Washington, DC
• Job Type: Full Time
• Citizenship: U.S. Citizenship Required
• Clearance Requirement: Active Top Secret Security Clearance Required

Responsibilities:

• Design, implement, and maintain secure AWS architectures compliant with federal security frameworks (FedRAMP, FISMA, NIST 800-53).
• Develop and enforce cloud security policies, standards, and baselines to align with organizational and regulatory needs.
• Manage AWS IAM roles, policies, and federated access controls; enforce least privilege principles.
• Configure and continuously monitor AWS-native security tools such as GuardDuty, CloudTrail, Security Hub, Macie, and Inspector.
• Integrate security controls into Infrastructure as Code (IaC) tools such as CloudFormation and Terraform.
• Conduct security reviews of IaC templates; identify and remediate misconfigurations.
• Support the preparation of ATO (Authorization to Operate) documentation and assist with audits and continuous monitoring efforts.
• Maintain security documentation, audit trails, and evidence required for compliance and accreditation.
• Embed security into CI/CD pipelines, utilizing automation tools like GitLab Actions and Terraform.
• Collaborate with developers and DevOps teams to enforce and implement security guardrails throughout the software development lifecycle.

Required Qualifications and Skills:

• US Citizenship.
• Active Top Secret clearance.
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Cyber Security, Information Systems, or a related field.
• Proven experience in cloud security and cybersecurity, with strong understanding of AWS services and security capabilities.
• Experience with federal compliance frameworks (e.g., FedRAMP, FISMA, NIST 800-53).
• Hands-on experience with AWS-native security tools: GuardDuty, CloudTrail, Security Hub, Macie, Inspector.
• Proficiency with Infrastructure as Code tools: CloudFormation, Terraform.
• Experience embedding security into CI/CD pipelines using tools like: GitLab CI/CD, Terraform.
• Familiarity with identity and access management in AWS, including IAM roles, policies, and SSO integrations.
• Strong documentation and communication skills, especially for compliance and audit-related deliverables.

Preferred:

• AWS Security Specialty Certification or similar credentials.
• Experience in a cloud-first government or defense environment.
• Exposure to automated security testing tools and static code analysis.

Why Join LightFeather?
You'll be part of a team dedicated to meaningful impact, working on solutions that address mission-critical needs. Experience variety, fulfillment, and the opportunity to work with some of the best in the industry. We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive environment where everyone is valued and respected.

Commitment to Diversity
LightFeather is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, or disability status.