NLM Sr. Cloud Engineer

Are you passionate about building secure, scalable cloud infrastructure that supports groundbreaking biomedical research and public health initiatives? Do you thrive in a collaborative environment where your cloud engineering expertise can directly impact national health data systems and scientific discovery?

Ripple Effect is looking for a Cloud Engineer with 12+ years of experience in designing and supporting secure and scalable cloud infrastructure to support our client's mission. The Cloud Engineer will play a pivotal role in supporting the National Library of Medicine (NLM)—a global leader in biomedical research and data science—in its efforts to accelerate biomedical discovery and improve public health through data-powered research. Serving as the senior technical expert, this role will be responsible for designing, implementing, and maintaining secure, scalable, and high-performance cloud infrastructure across Azure, AWS, and GCP platforms. The engineer will support a wide range of initiatives, including scientific computing, data analytics, DevOps automation, and cybersecurity compliance.

If this position sounds of interest, there’s a place for you here at Ripple Effect! We offer a diverse and engaging work environment, with a multitude of incentives and flexible work options that work for you and your lifestyle. 

General Information 

• Job Code: CIT-EQ-05T
• Location: Client/NIH Main Campus
• Employee Type: Exempt, Full-Time Regular
  (Ask our recruiters about flexible work arrangements) 
• Telework : None/Client Site
• Clearance: Public Trust
• Number of Openings: may have multiple openings
• Salary Range: $129,985 - $149,483 per year (how we pay and promote) 

Responsibilities 

• Cloud Infrastructure Engineering : Design and deploy cloud-native and hybrid infrastructure solutions that meet performance, scalability, and security requirements. Architect and implement network infrastructure and technical solutions that support biomedical computing workloads.
• DevOps & Automation : Develop and maintain CI/CD pipelines using tools such as GitLab, GitHub, Jenkins, Kubernetes, and Ansible. Automate infrastructure provisioning and configuration using Infrastructure as Code (IaC) tools like Terraform, Puppet, and CDK.
• Security & Compliance : Integrate and enforce security best practices, including FISMA and FedRAMP compliance, into all cloud operations. Support the development and maintenance of Authority to Operate (ATO) documentation and System Security Plans (SSPs).
• Monitoring & Performance Optimization : Implement and manage monitoring and logging solutions (e.g., Prometheus, Grafana, EFK stack) to ensure system reliability and performance. Analyze cloud usage and cost models to optimize resource allocation and reduce operational expenses.
• Collaboration & Documentation : Work closely with developers, system administrators, and cybersecurity teams to support application development and deployment. Maintain comprehensive documentation using tools like Confluence and JIRA.
• Database & System Integration : Provide technical support for systems and database design, including integration of open-source software and cloud-native services. Administer databases such as MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, and ElasticSearch.

Requirements

Minimum Education and Experience 

• High School Diploma
• 12 years of relevant professional experience

Basic Requirements 

• Experience in designing, developing, and deploying complex cloud infrastructures using Azure, AWS, and Google Cloud Platform (GCP)
• Ability to architect and implement network infrastructure and technical solutions at scale
• Experience with CI/CD pipelines, DevOps practices, and Infrastructure as Code (IaC) tools such as Terraform, Ansible, Puppet, and Cloud Development Kit (CDK).
• Understanding of monitoring and logging tools such as Prometheus, Grafana, and the EFK stack.
• Experience supporting cloud operations across SaaS, PaaS, and IaaS environments.
• Proficiency in database technologies such as MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, MS SQL, RDS, and ElasticSearch.
• Knowledge and application of Federal Information Security Modernization Act (FISMA) and FedRAMP compliance requirements.
• Ability to implement and manage firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and disaster recovery strategies.
• Ability to provide technical support and guidance to development teams and stakeholders.
• Experience using tools like JIRA, ServiceNow, and Confluence for issue tracking and documentation.
• Strong communication skills for working in a highly technical environment and translating complex issues into plain language.
• Must be able and willing to work onsite multiple days per week in Bethesda, MD.

To be successful at Ripple Effect, you must be able to pay attention to details, clearly communicate, work independently, and have an eagerness to learn. Learn more about what makes Ripple so great check out our capabilities.

Skills That Set You Apart 

• Strong background in containerization and orchestration technologies including Docker, Kubernetes, Anthos, and OpenShift
• Previous experience developing and maintaining System Security Plans (SSPs) and Authority to Operate (ATO) documentation
• Experience using vulnerability scanning and penetration testing tools like Tenable, Prowler, OWASP ZAP, and Netspark.
• Previous experience with NIH or NLM (highly desirable)
• Additional years of experience
• Undergraduate or advanced degrees

If you don’t have all of the skills above, don’t be discouraged—no resume paints a complete picture of a person. There’s a good chance you’re more wonderful than you think, so please apply! 

About Ripple Effect 

Ripple Effect is an award-winning women-owned small business providing professional consulting and exceptional talent for federal, private, and non-profit clients. We deliver multi-disciplinary solutions across Communications & Outreach, Research & Evaluation, Program Management & Policy, Digital Transformation, and Technical & Scientific Support solutions with a focus on science, research, and healthcare domains. 

Hiring Process | Life at Ripple

Benefits

Ripple Effect rewards our employees for their contributions to our mission in many ways, from competitive pay and exceptional benefits to a range of work/life programs based on your employment classification and personalized preferences. 

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Ripple Effect is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, political affiliation, or Veteran status. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation during the hiring process, please let us know by contacting our HR department at View email address on click.appcast.io or your recruiter. Eligibility for employment will be verified using E-verify.