Posted May 29, 2026
LightFeather is seeking a Cloud Engineer specializing in Microsoft Azure to design, implement, and manage secure cloud solutions for federal IT environments. You’ll play a key role in supporting Azure infrastructure, automation, and security, applying DevOps best practices to drive performance, strengthen compliance, and improve operational efficiency. - Location: Hybrid, On-site 4 days/week in Washington, D.C. 20036 and 1 day Telework
Key Responsibilities
Design, deploy, and maintain Azure cloud infrastructure including VMs, VNets, Storage, Azure AD, and PaaS services. - Manage and optimize Azure networking components (VNets, NSGs, Load Balancers, VPN/ExpressRoute connectivity). - Develop and maintain Terraform templates as the primary IaC tool (critical requirement emphasized by hiring managers). - Support automation via PowerShell, Bash, YAML/JSON, and GitLab pipelines. - Deploy, configure, and manage AVD environments including host pools, session hosts, FSLogix profile containers, and Azure AD/M365 integrations. - Provide troubleshooting and performance optimization for AVD users (explicit customer requirement). - Build, maintain, and troubleshoot CI/CD pipelines in GitLab. - Automate cloud operations, system configuration, and monitoring tasks. - Implement secure cloud practices aligned with federal requirements (RBAC, Key Vault, IAM, encryption standards). - Ensure compliance with NIST, RMF, FedRAMP, and agency-specific controls. - Use Azure Monitor, Log Analytics, and related tools to analyze system health, diagnose issues, and enforce SLAs. - Work with engineering, security, and program staff to support ongoing cloud modernization efforts. - Support onsite collaboration with customer stakeholders (note: role cannot be performed remotely long-term).
Active Secret or higher clearance
3+ years of experience with Azure Cloud Engineering
3+ years of experience with CI/CD pipelines
3+ years of experience using Terraform for IaC
3+ years of experience using GitLab
Minimum of 4 years experience with PowerShell scripting
5+ years of experience in Cloud Engineering, DevOps, or Systems Engineering (mid-level target). - Strong hands-on experience with Microsoft Azure core services and architecture. - Proficiency with Terraform (high priority), PowerShell, and GitLab CI/CD. - Experience supporting Azure networking (VNets, routing, NSGs, VPN/ExpressRoute). - Hands-on experience with Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) in production environments. - Understanding of federal cloud security frameworks (FedRAMP, NIST, RMF). - Ability to work on-site in Washington, DC four days per week. Preferred Qualifications
Experience supporting DoD or federal agency cloud environments. - Experience with Docker/Kubernetes (AKS). - Azure serverless tools (Functions, Logic Apps, Event Grid). - Cost optimization using Azure Cost Management / FinOps practices. Why Join LightFeather? At LightFeather, you're not just taking a job—you're joining a purpose-driven team that delivers innovative, mission-critical solutions to make a real difference. You'll work on diverse, meaningful projects that challenge and inspire you, alongside some of the best minds in the industry.
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