IT034 Principal Systems Engineer - Cloud Engineer

ADNET Systems, Inc.
life insurance, paid holidays, sick time, tuition reimbursement, 401(k), remote work
United States, Maryland, Greenbelt
Jan 07, 2026
IT034 Principal Systems Engineer - Cloud Engineer ADNET is seeking a Principal Systems Engineer - Cloud Engineer to join our dynamic team building next-generation cloud computing infrastructure for scientific research. The Cloud Systems Engineer will serve as a critical liaison between the Science Cloud Infrastructure Project (SCIP), the Core Data and Compute Services (CDCS) Program, and the sister projects within the CDCS. This role is responsible for transforming high-level mission objectives into detailed, verifiable technical requirements and translating those requirements into practical, reference cloud implementations for scientific computing systems and services within the SCIP environment. The position requires experience working at the intersection of traditional NASA systems engineering standards and agile/Scrum methodologies to ensure compliance while enabling iterative development. NASA's Science Cloud Infrastructure Project (https://science.data.nasa.gov/science-cloud) is a cloud computing platform that enables NASA science teams to access, analyze, and share research data more effectively. This work directly supports NASA's mission to make scientific discoveries accessible to researchers and the public under the Computational and Information Sciences and Technology Office (CISTO) at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) in Greenbelt, MD. CISTO provides high-end information technology systems and services for science, including assessment and evaluation of new information technologies, hardware, and software and manages one of two NASA High Performance Computer systems. Key Responsibilities: Methodology Integration: Apply structured NASA systems engineering processes while operating in an agile development environment, ensuring traceability and compliance without sacrificing flexibility. Requirements Translation: Translate mission objectives into system specifications, interface control documents, and testable acceptance criteria. Reference Implementation and Prototyping: Collaborate with the system architect and engineering team to design reference implementations and prototypes of cloud services using Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC). Traceability: Ensure traceability between user needs, system requirements, architecture design, and final implementation/testing. Security and Compliance: Embed security principles and compliance requirements (FISMA, NIST SP 800-53, and NIST SP 800-160 Rev 1) into design and implementation patterns from the start (Security by Design). Integration: Serve as the technical liaison between SCIP and other Science Mission Directorate (SMD) projects, ensuring architectural alignment and integration of SCIP services within the broader SMD cloud ecosystem. Required Qualifications: Systems Engineering: Proven experience applying structured systems engineering processes to IT or cloud systems, with familiarity in agile/Scrum practices. Requirements Management: Use of Jira for requirements management, traceability, and verification. Cloud Platforms: Strong practical experience with major commercial cloud services (AWS, Azure, or GCP) for compute, networking, and data storage. Implementation: Hands-on proficiency with Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC), such as Terraform, to translate architecture into working, repeatable cloud environments. Security Awareness: Understanding of security engineering principles and standards, including NIST SP 800-53 and NIST SP 800-160 Rev 1. Communication: Exceptional ability to communicate technical requirements and implementation status to diverse stakeholders, including non-technical scientists and senior architects. A BS degree and 9+ years' experience or a MS degree and 7+ years' experience in relevant work areas. US Citizenship required. Ability to obtain and maintain a Tier 1 or Tier 2 Investigation through NASA. Desired Qualifications: Background supporting scientific computing or research environments. Experience with multi-cloud architectures. Familiarity with federal security frameworks (FISMA, NIST, etc.) and cloud security compliance requirements. Experience in NASA's High-End Computing (HEC) environment. Work Environment: Onsite work at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland is preferred but hybrid onsite/remote work will be considered. No travel requirements but willingness and ability to travel to onsite meetings or conferences if requested. Opportunity to work on cutting-edge technology supporting groundbreaking scientific research. Team ADNET brings over 30+ years of experience to information systems and professional services for the federal government. With a history of expertise in software development, computer network design, IT security, mission operations support, and educational outreach, Team ADNET is deeply embedded in the Space and Earth Science at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) in Greenbelt, MD. ADNET Systems, Inc. is working with Goddard Space Flight Center to fulfill NASA's vision for space exploration, and working with the Science and Exploration Directorate to fulfill its many missions. ADNET Systems, Inc. is an employee-centric company, committed to providing premier benefits that support our employees and their families. With affordable medical and dental plans coupled with leading disability and life insurance options, ADNET offers our employees the benefits most sought after by today's professional candidate. Furthermore, our benefits package features the extras that distinguish us from other small businesses, ensuring our high employee retention that our customers appreciate. Some features of our compensation plans and environment perks include: Annual Leave/Sick Leave Military and Family Emergency Leave Paid Holidays Performance Bonuses Medical, Dental and Vision Plans Direct Deposit Payroll 401K Plan with Company Matching Tuition Reimbursement Swag bags