Cloud Computing Engineer I

Graduate and Research Information Technology (GRIT):

Graduate and Research Information Technology (GRIT) is the dedicated information technology organization supporting UCF’s research enterprise. GRIT delivers specialized technology services, enterprise solutions, and strategic guidance to faculty, staff, and research administration units across the university. Operating within the Office of Research, GRIT encompasses key functional areas such as research administration systems, data and analytics, application development, systems integration, and customer support.

GRIT partners closely with academic and administrative stakeholders through established governance structures and collaborative working groups to ensure that technology initiatives align with UCF’s research priorities. With a commitment to innovation, security, and excellent service delivery, GRIT advances the university’s mission by enabling efficient research operations, supporting compliance and reporting needs, and strengthening technology capabilities that empower discovery and institutional growth.

The Opportunity:

The GRIT team within UCF's Office of Research is seeking a Cloud Computing Engineer I to assist in building, deploying, monitoring, and supporting secure, resilient, and cost-effective cloud computing environments that support and enhance research productivity and reliability while following established best practices. This customer-focused position works closely with researchers, systems architects, and other systems team members to support cloud-based research environments and applications.

Responsibilities:

Research Cloud Consultation:

• Work closely with researchers to help set up research project environments in the cloud, including provisioning and de-provisioning, deploying, managing, operating cloud resources, and supporting research applications hosted in cloud environments.
• Develop an understanding of research activities through regular engagement with researchers.
• Assist in estimating cloud costs for research projects.
• Monitor cloud resources and service health; identify and escalate issues when necessary.
• May work with research projects with highly restricted data like Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), electronic Protected Health Information (ePHI), personally identifiable information (PII), ITAR-restricted and other protected information as it pertains to various federal agencies and sub-agencies.

Software Development:

• Support the UCF Research Cloud Environment by developing, deploying, operating, and maintaining cloud services and applications, troubleshooting issues, and helping ensure efficient and reliable cloud-based storage and computing resources.
• Assist in maintaining Infrastructure as Code templates and deployment automation.
• Write scripts to automate cloud operations and routine administrative tasks.
• Perform testing and validation of cloud services and configurations prior to deployment.
• Apply and maintain security best practices in cloud environments.
• Follow defined project plans and scopes of work, tracking progress against assigned milestones.

Partnership/Collaboration:

• Work collaboratively with other team engineers and researchers to build and maintain the applications and services that sit on top of the cloud infrastructure.
• Assist researchers in gathering and refining technical requirements for cloud-based research projects.
• Participate in project meetings and technical discussions with researchers and stakeholders to support project objectives.
• Provide regular communications to project leads with updates.

Documentation/Training:

• Maintain internal guides and documentation for future contributors.
• Assist in creating training materials for researchers about the use of cloud environments and related best practices.
• Support virtual and in-person training events by facilitating logistics, introducing speakers, moderating discussions and participant interactions, providing attendee support, gathering feedback, and assisting with post-event surveys and assessment activities.
• Develop and apply expertise in specific technologies to support research initiatives and create custom solutions that address researcher needs.
• Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree; or High School Diploma (or equivalent) and 4 years of relevant work experience in lieu of degree or an equivalent combination of education and experience pursuant to Fla. Stat. 112.219(6).

Preferred Qualifications:

• Technical knowledge or hands-on experience - gained through coursework, academic projects, internships, or other applied work - with scripting or programming languages (e.g., Python, JavaScript/TypeScript, or Bash), Linux environments, version control tools (e.g., Git), Infrastructure as Code frameworks (e.g., Terraform), and/or cloud computing platforms (e.g., AWS, Microsoft Azure, or Google Cloud).
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to explain technical concepts clearly to non-technical audiences such as researchers and faculty.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a team-oriented environment, collaborating across technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Hands-on experience deploying, configuring, or supporting applications or services in a cloud environment (e.g., AWS, Microsoft Azure, or Google Cloud) - including through coursework, academic projects, or personal work.
• Familiarity with cloud security principles and best practices, such as identity and access management (IAM), data encryption, or network security configurations in cloud environments.
• Experience creating or maintaining technical documentation, process guides, or user-facing instructional materials, as well as hosting workshops for non-technical stakeholders.
• Familiarity with or exposure to research, academic, or scientific computing environments - including through academic programs, lab work, or support roles.

Special Instructions to the Applicants:

• The anticipated salary range for this position is $56,030 to $68,636.50. The final salary will be determined based on the candidate's qualifications, experience, and internal equity considerations.
• This role requires the successful candidate to maintain residence within driving distance of UCF and be available to report to campus as needed. On-site presence for occasional meetings, special projects, and other business-related activities is an essential function of this role.
• If you are selected as the final candidate for an employment opportunity, both your position and salary will be significantly based upon the information that you have provided in your application for employment. We urge you to please take the time to complete the application in its entirety.
• All applicants must be authorized to work for any U.S. employer. Visa sponsorship is not available for this position, and the university cannot accommodate H-1B transfers or employment-based visa processing for individuals currently sponsored by another employer.

Are you ready to unleash YOUR potential?

As a next-generation public research university and Forbes-ranked top employer in Florida, we are a community of thinkers, doers, creators, innovators, healers, and leaders striving to create broader prosperity and help shape a better future. No matter what your role is, when you join Knight Nation, you’ll play an integral role at one of the most impactful universities in the country. You’ll be met with opportunities to connect and collaborate with talented faculty, staff, and students across 12 colleges and multiple campuses, engaging in impactful work that makes a positive difference. Your time at UCF will provide you with many meaningful opportunities to grow, you’ll work alongside talented colleagues on complex projects that will challenge you and help you gain new skills, and you’ll have countless rewarding experiences that go well beyond a paycheck.

Working at UCF has its perks! UCF offers:

• Benefit packages, including Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, Flexible Spending, and Employee Assistance Program
• Paid time off, including annual and sick time off and paid holidays
• Retirement savings options
• Employee discounts, including tickets to many Orlando attractions
• Education assistance
• And more... For more benefits information, view the UCF Employee Benefits Guide.

Dive into our Total Rewards Calculator to discover the diverse selection available to you, giving you a glimpse into the benefits that together shape your comprehensive rewards package at UCF.

Unless explicitly stated on the job posting, it is UCF’s expectation that an employee of UCF will reside in Florida as of the date the employment begins.

Additional Requirements related to Research Positions:

Pursuant to Florida State Statute 1010.35, prior to offering employment to certain individuals in research-related positions, UCF is required to conduct additional screening. Applicants subject to additional screening include any citizen of a foreign country who is not a permanent resident of the U.S., or who is a citizen or permanent resident but is affiliated with or has had at least 1 year of education, employment, or training in China, Cuba, Iran, Russia, North Korea, Syria, or Venezuela.

The additional screening requirements only apply to research-related positions, including, but not limited to faculty, graduate positions, individuals compensated by research grants or contract funds, postdoctoral positions, undergraduate positions, visiting assistant professors, and visiting research associates.

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The University of Central Florida is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment based on any characteristic protected by law. The University maintains programs for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities in accordance with all applicable federal and state laws.

As a Florida public university, the University of Central Florida makes all application materials and selection procedures available to the public upon request.

UCF is proud to be a smoke-free campus and an E-Verify employer.

For general application or posting questions, please email [email protected].

If an accommodation due to a disability is needed to apply for this position, please email [email protected].