System Engineer

Location: Near Tinker Air Force Base (Oklahoma City, OK), Hill Air Force Base (Ogden, UT) or Robins Air Force Base (Warner Robins, GA) preferred, remote considered

We are looking for a Systems Engineer with experience in AWS cloud services, system design, and interoperability across distributed environments to support the development and sustainment of scalable, secure, and interoperable systems. This role will contribute to system architecture implementation, integration activities, and operational support within a Digital Depot environment spanning cloud, on-premises, and partner-connected systems.

Key responsibilities for this position include:

• Design and implement scalable system architectures using AWS services such as EC2, S3, RDS, Lambda, and VPC
• Develop and maintain cloud infrastructure using Infrastructure as Code (IaC) tools (i.e. Terraform, CloudFormation)
• Implement and support system integrations, including APIs, data exchanges, and connectivity across internal and external systems
• Monitor system performance, availability, and reliability, and support issue resolution and root cause analysis
• Ensure system interoperability across cloud, on-premises, and partner environments
• Support CI/CD pipelines and automation processes
• Troubleshoot system issues and provide root cause analysis
• Support system security and compliance efforts, including implementation of security controls aligned to NIST/RMF frameworks

Do you have what it takes? Are you driven to implement creative solutions that unravel complex and ever-changing challenges? We value passion, curiosity, and perseverance with an ability to communicate ideas and results to diverse audiences. We look for people who thrive in collaborative and independent assignments, have the aptitude to learn new data quickly, and who are willing to mentor junior team members.

Required Qualifications:

• 4+ years of experience in systems engineering, cloud engineering, or related roles
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or comparable academic discipline
• Must have or be willing to obtain Secret Clearance (this requires US Citizenship)
• Ability to pass required background screening and drug testing
• Experience working across Operational Technology (OT) and Information Technology (IT) environments is preferred
• Hands-on experience with AWS services (EC2, S3, RDS, Lambda, VPC, IAM)
• Experience with Infrastructure as Code (IaC) tools such as Terraform or CloudFormation
• Solid understanding of system architecture concepts, including microservices, distributed systems, and high availability
• Experience with networking fundamentals, including DNS, TCP/IP, routing, and load balancing
• Knowledge of interoperability standards, APIs (REST, SOAP), and data exchange patterns
• Experience with scripting or programming languages like Python, Bash, or Java
• Familiarity with containerization tools (Docker, Kubernetes)
• Awareness of monitoring and logging tools (CloudWatch, Prometheus, Grafana, or similar)
• Knowledge of security frameworks and compliance standards (NIST, RMF, Zero Trust concepts)
• Experience with monitoring tools (CloudWatch, Prometheus, Grafana)
• AWS certifications are a plus
• Outstanding problem-solving and analytical skills
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Experience with DoW or U.S. Air Force environments is a plus

About Illumination Works

At Illumination Works, we know data, and we should, we’ve been doing it since we started in 2006! We specialize in everything data from big data to data science, data engineering, software engineering, and cloud design. We are a trusted technology partner in user-centered digital transformation—delivering impactful business results to clients. We partner with customers to solve their unique technology and data challenges and stay on top of modern technologies and advancements leveraging our Innovation Lab. Check out our website to learn more at www.ilwllc.com .

Why choose us? We invest in our employees in all aspects of their life and we value family. We offer market competitive salary, a generous PTO package, and comprehensive medical, dental, vision and life insurance plans. We also offer 401K, short/long-term disability insurance, a fun and engaging culture, and training opportunities to keep you up to speed on the latest technologies.

Illumination Works is committed to hiring and retaining the best workforce. We hire the best talent for our customers’ needs. We make our hiring decisions without regard to race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class. Acceptable candidates must successfully pass a drug test and background screen.