Senior Cloud Network Engineer

Simplesense builds, deploys, and sustains the Installation Resilience Platform that enables mission operators to rapidly adapt and respond. The Platform protects critical infrastructure from cyber attack while unlocking previously siloed information to monitor, diagnose, and improve response times to incidents. Our adversaries rapidly adopt the latest technology: we help defense users respond in kind.

Simplesense is a non-traditional defense contractor and prime on the Air Force's Installation Resilience Operations Command and Control (IROC) program, which is now expanding to five additional Air Force, Space Force, and Army installations from the one prototype installation, Tyndall Air Force Base.

Our team combines over 100 years of direct mission experience solving hard problems with 50 years technical expertise deploying DevSecOps, cybersecurity, and cloud infrastructure, giving us a deep appreciation for our customers’ mission and end users’ priorities. We build for scale, architecting and prioritizing technical work for long term sustainability.

Senior Cloud Network Engineer

Location: We prioritize candidates who reside in the Denver, CO area (hybrid as needed) but we are open to exceptional remote talent.

Department: Engineering

About Simplesense

Simplesense keeps military installations mission-ready. The infrastructure their operations depend on - power, water, fuel, facilities, security, and communications - runs continuously, often under strain. When it fails without warning, mission readiness is at risk, and the people who run these installations need to see what’s happening in time to act. That’s the foundation of Continuous Mission Assurance.

We securely integrate Operational Technology and Control Systems (OT/CS) from the building edge to the cloud, applying Zero Trust principles to protect critical infrastructure from cyber and physical threats. By unlocking previously siloed data, we put timely awareness in front of the decision-makers who need it. As prime on the Air Force’s Installation Resilience Operations Command and Control (IROC) program, we hold a continuous Authority to Operate (ATO) and have proven the capability at scale at Tyndall Air Force Base. That work is now expanding across the Air Force, Space Force, and Army.

Our team pairs over a century of boots-on-the-ground mission experience with deep technical expertise across DevSecOps, cybersecurity, and cloud infrastructure. We engineer resilient infrastructure - the software, integration, and operational backbone behind it - for the operators who depend on it in the field. Persistent resilience, built for the mission.

About the Role

As a Senior Cloud Network Engineer, you are responsible for leading the deployment and operation of a distributed cloud network infrastructure and interface to on-premise connectivity. You will act as the technical owner for cloud network components and drive improvements to ensure reliability, scalability and security. This role is a critical member of the team helping to ensure that our hybrid platform meets the demanding expectations of our customers.

Work Model: We prioritize candidates who reside in the Denver, CO area, (hybrid as needed) but we are open to exceptional remote talent.

• Locals: Onsite as needed for collaborative workspace time.
• Remote: Quarterly travel to hub locations for team syncs and alignment.

Our Performance Culture

We measure performance across two key dimensions: How you perform your role (Our Core Values) and What your role entails (Your Execution).

How You’ll Work - Our Core Values

At Simplesense, we value high-trust autonomy. We look for builders who can comfortably navigate ambiguity and are deeply driven by our shared national security mission.

• People Always - Win as One Team: We foster a culture of psychological safety and mutual support. We operate as an integrated team where we assume noble intent as our default setting, ensuring that even the toughest feedback is rooted in trust. We trade our silos for a shared mission because collective impact always outweighs individual achievement.
• Empathize - Obsess Over the Customer: We don't just solve technical problems; we empathize and advocate for the operators using our products. We look beyond the surface to build what our customers-both internal and external-actually need to succeed, not just what they asked for.
• Focus - Ruthlessly Prioritize with Urgency: We focus on the highest-impact work and ruthlessly say no to distractions. We build resilient systems so that our solutions can repeat and scale under pressure.
• Let’s Go - Catalyze the Change You Seek: We don't wait for the industry to change; we drive it. We seek to understand why things are the way they are, but we never use “the way it’s always been” as an excuse. We aren't afraid to change course when the data or our mission demands it.

What You’ll Do

• Solution Ownership: Collaborate across engineering and user success teams to understand desired system level outcomes and operational requirements. Investigate, design, test, deploy and support cloud network infrastructure to ensure a resilient and secure platform.
• Network Infrastructure Design: Manage scalable cloud network topologies, including transit gateways, VPCs, subnets, security groups, and route tables, ensuring low-latency and secure communication between distributed services.
• Build for Resilience: Design and maintain  through the use of infrastructure-as-code, CI/CD pipelines and configuration automation to ensure repeatable and scalable deployments.
• Technical Design: Provide technical input and guidance during planning and design sessions with Principal and Staff Engineers to ensure the success of the larger integrated system (e.g., service and resource deployment patterns, security controls, cost optimization).
• Individual Contributor: Provide hands-on technical contributions to the deployment and operation of cloud network infrastructure with a time allocation of approximately 80% on solving technical problems (coding IaC, system design, reviews, troubleshooting) and 20% mentoring, coordinating with Staff and Principal Engineers, and supporting planning efforts.
• Tier 3 Support & RCA: Act as the second escalation point for complex incidents, leading thorough root cause analysis (RCA) and implementing systemic, long-term fixes.

What You Bring

Required Qualifications:

• Experience: 5+ years in cloud network engineering.
• Expertise: Deep understanding of VPC design, subnetting, Route53, transit gateways, PrivateLink and related AWS technologies; experience troubleshooting complex connectivity issues across multi-account or hybrid on-prem/cloud environments.
• IaC and Automated Deployment: Experience deploying network infrastructure with CloudFormation or Terraform, and CI/CD tools such as GitHub Actions.
• Ownership: Demonstrated ability to take ownership of a problem and deliver a production-ready solution.
• Observability: Strong experience with observability as applied to cloud network environments.
• Travel: Ability to travel quarterly to Product Increment planning and team syncs
• Compliance: Must be a U.S. Citizen and capable of obtaining a DoD NIPR network account and Common Access Card (CAC).
• Privileged Access Requirements: Ability to meet privileged access requirements through degree or approved technical certifications within 90-days.
• Security Clearance: Must have, or be able to obtain, a DoD Secret Clearance.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Strongly prefer candidates residing in the Denver, CO metro area.
• Prior experience working within DoD, Air Force, Space Force, or fast-paced Federal contractor/dual-use startup environments.
• Relevant technical certifications AWS Solutions Architect, AWS Advanced Networking, CloudOps, DevOps or similar AWS certification or an advanced degree in a related field.

What Success Looks Like:

30 Days: Onboard and develop a familiarization with the current engineering and development process and code base. Establish relationships with the Platform team.

60 Days: Provide technical contributions to existing projects through commits and code reviews while developing a full understanding of the existing and planned Platform feature set and roadmap.

90 Days: Assume ownership of select feature development, existing repositories, and deployment workflows. Partner with Engineering leadership, Product, Security, and cross functional teams to build and deliver high quality solutions that advance the Platform team.

Compensation and Benefits

Pay Range: $155k-195k per year. Compensation is determined based on experience, skill level, and location. We review ranges regularly to ensure market competitiveness.

Competitive Benefits

• Equity
• Medical, Life, Short-Term Disability, and AD&D insurance
• Medical travel coverage
• Dental coverage
• Vision coverage
• 401k matching

Our Typical Hiring Process

• Find Your Fit: Your journey starts here. Explore and apply to our open positions to find the right role for your skills.
• Initial Chat: A brief call with our recruiting team to learn about your background and answer your initial questions about Simplesense.
• Values & Vision: A conversation with a hiring manager to discuss how your aspirations align with our mission and goals of the team.
• Show Your Skills: Complete a technical assessment that reflects the work you’d be doing.
• Team Interview: Interview with the team to discuss your experience and see if we’re a great match.
• Final Handshake: A final conversation to ensure we’ve answered all your questions before making a decision.
• Welcome to Simplesense!

Simplesense is an equal opportunity employer committed to a policy of merit-based employment. All employment decisions-including recruitment, hiring, promotion, compensation, benefits, training, and termination-are made based on individual qualifications, performance, and business needs. We strictly prohibit discrimination or harassment of any kind on the basis of protected characteristics as recognized by federal, state, or local law. As a U.S. government contractor, Simplesense complies with all applicable equal employment opportunity laws, Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act, and the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA). If you need a reasonable accommodation to complete the application or take part in the interview process, please contact People Operations at [email protected].