Cloud Engineer III

  Cloud Engineer III Business Technology – Systems Engineering | WoodmenLifeLocation: Remote (U.S.) with optional hybrid work from our Omaha officeReports To: Manager, Systems Engineering Why You’ll Love This Role WoodmenLife is seeking an experienced Cloud Engineer III to help design, build, and evolve our Azure cloud platform. This senior technical role is highly impactful—driving platform engineering maturity, advancing our Azure Landing Zone, and enabling secure, scalable cloud solutions across the enterprise. You will partner closely with our Cloud Architect and Enterprise Architecture teams to operationalize cloud standards and deliver reusable engineering patterns. This role combines hands-on engineering with platform ownership, mentorship, and influence on the future direction of our cloud environment. This is a platform engineering role focused on building and evolving the Azure foundation—not just supporting individual application workloads. At WoodmenLife, you’ll also enjoy a culture that values people as much as technology. With Friday afternoons off year-round, a collaborative environment, and a focus on outcomes rather than hours, you’ll find a workplace designed to support both professional impact and personal well-being. About the Team This role is a core contributor of WoodmenLife’s Cloud Center of Excellence (CoE) as part of the Systems Engineering organization. The Cloud CoE (led by the Cloud Architect) defines standards, guardrails, and platform direction, while the Systems Engineering team provides the delivery and operational foundation for the Azure platform. As a Cloud Engineer III, you will bridge strategy and execution—owning platform engineering outcomes while helping operationalize the enterprise cloud model. Role Summary The Cloud Engineer III is a senior platform engineer responsible for designing, building, and evolving WoodmenLife’s Azure cloud platform. This role owns key platform domains, operationalizes cloud standards and guardrails, and delivers secure, scalable, and automated solutions that support enterprise modernization. What You’ll Do Cloud Engineering & Platform Delivery Lead design and engineering of complex Microsoft Azure platform solutions aligned with enterprise architecture standards Own and evolve one or more Azure platform domains such as identity, networking, governance, or DevOps pipelines Integrate hybrid cloud environments leveraging Azure networking and identity services Lead Infrastructure as Code development using Bicep (primary), PowerShell, and Azure CLI Advance Azure Landing Zone components (governance, identity, network, security) to support enterprise-scale, secure-by-default environments Collaborate with Cloud Architects, Enterprise Architects, and cross-functional stakeholders to implement and operationalize approved platform standards, engineering patterns, and cloud guardrails Monitoring, Cost Optimization & Observability Enhance cloud observability using Azure Monitor, Log Analytics, and App Insights to improve proactive detection and response Implement cost optimization and financial transparency practices aligned to business outcomes, including tagging, budgeting, and usage analytics Lead efforts to monitor, analyze, and optimize cloud resource utilization and platform performance Automation, DevOps & Enablement Lead development of CI/CD pipelines using Azure DevOps and modern Git-based workflows Build automation frameworks that streamline provisioning, monitoring, and operational tasks, leveraging AI-assisted engineering tools (e.g., GitHub Copilot, Azure AI services) to improve development efficiency and code quality Develop reusable templates, scripts, and modules to support scalable, self-service platform capabilities and enable development teams through standardized patterns Embed governance controls, policy enforcement, and configuration management into automation workflows Collaboration, Leadership & Mentoring Mentor Systems Engineers and technical peers across the organization, fostering a culture of learning, collaboration, and high performance Support Agile ceremonies and iterative delivery culture for cloud initiatives Contribute to the Cloud Center of Excellence through knowledge sharing, documentation, tooling, and best practices Security, Governance & Compliance Implement Azure governance controls (Azure Policy, RBAC, resource organization) Ensure secure-by-default configurations aligned with enterprise security standards Support identity governance through Entra ID and least-privilege models Resilience, Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery Lead planning and implementation of cloud-based Business Continuity and DR strategies Implement resilient, highly available solutions leveraging availability zones, automated failover, and cloud-native backup strategies Innovation & Continuous Improvement Evaluate emerging Azure capabilities, including AI and automation technologies, and recommend platform enhancements that improve engineering productivity and platform maturity Provide technical guidance and advocacy for cloud engineering best practices, automation-first patterns, and modern architectural approaches What You Bring Minimum Qualifications Bachelor’s degree strongly preferred 10+ years of progressive IT infrastructure or platform engineering experience, including recent, sustained hands-on experience designing and operating enterprise-scale Azure environments Deep expertise in Infrastructure as Code (Bicep preferred; strong scripting and automation experience required) Advanced Windows/Linux, Entra ID/AD, and hybrid networking background Experience building CI/CD pipelines using Azure DevOps and modern Git-based workflows Proven experience with cloud cost management, observability, and performance optimization Demonstrated technical leadership and mentoring skills Extensive governance experience (Azure Policy, RBAC, tagging standards) Expertise with hybrid connectivity technologies (ExpressRoute, VPN, Private Endpoints) Experience supporting modernization, migration, and automation initiatives Exposure to Azure-native application hosting patterns (App Services, Functions, or AKS) preferred Strong preference for candidates with recent, hands-on Azure platform engineering experience in enterprise environments Strong communication, problem-solving, and decision-making skills Familiarity with AI-assisted development tools (e.g., GitHub Copilot) or Azure-native AI capabilities is a plus Scope & Decision Authority Own defined Azure platform domains (e.g., identity, networking, governance, DevOps pipelines) with accountability for engineering quality and outcomes Make design and implementation decisions for cloud solutions within established enterprise standards and cloud guardrails Operationalize architectural direction provided by the Cloud Architect through scalable, reusable engineering solutions Influence platform evolution by providing engineering feedback, prototyping solutions, and identifying improvement opportunities Promote and implement standardized engineering patterns, automation frameworks, and Infrastructure as Code practices Identify and lead resolution of platform-level issues related to performance, cost, reliability, and security Provide engineering input into prioritization of cloud platform work aligned to enterprise modernization and business outcomes Focus on platform engineering and scalable solutions rather than ticket-driven operational work Preferred Certifications AZ-305: Microsoft Certified – Azure Solutions Architect Expert AZ-400: Microsoft Certified – DevOps Engineer Expert AZ-500: Microsoft Certified – Azure Security Engineer Associate Leadership Insight from the Hiring Manager “My leadership style is structured yet empowering. I focus on clarity, operating discipline, and measurable outcomes while building strong technical teams and giving them the autonomy and trust to execute.”  WoodmenLife offers a competitive compensation package and a comprehensive benefits package. More information about our benefits can be found at: https://www.woodmenlife.org/careers/home-office/benefits/ As part of WoodmenLife’s employment process, candidates will be required to complete a criminal background check, credit check (where required for position), fingerprint check (where required for position), drug screen, and reference checks. Any offer of employment will be contingent upon successfully passing the above.  WoodmenLife is welcoming to all regardless of background and beliefs. We respect every associate’s unique perspective and contribution. We are committed to creating an environment that values differences and provides opportunities for growth, leadership, and service. This includes providing equal opportunity in recruitment, employment, promotion, training, and community outreach. WoodmenLife is also dedicated to strengthening the communities where our employees live and work.  APPLICANTS WITH DISABILITIES SHOULD ADVISE THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT AT THE TIME OF APPLICATION IF SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS ARE NEEDED.  Woodmen of the World Life Insurance Society (WoodmenLife) is an Equal Opportunity Employer.