Associate Cloud AI Engineer - TS/SCI clearance - Travel
The Associate Cloud AI Engineer supports deployment, security, and management of Google Cloud environments for U.S. federal clients, working onsite with travel across the continental U.S. This entry-level role involves assisting with cloud migrations, infrastructure automation, AI platform implementations, and compliance in secure government settings, offering mentorship and growth toward advanced cloud engineering roles.
About Careertakes
👉 Important disclosure: Careertakes is a third-party recruiting platform supporting this hiring process. If selected, you will be employed directly by an organization delivering enterprise IT modernization, cloud transformation, and AI solutions supporting U.S. Federal Government agencies.
Applicants for this role may also receive access to additional matched opportunities through the Careertakes platform.
Role Overview
Confidential Client is hiring an Associate Cloud AI Engineer in Tampa, FL. This entry-level cloud engineering role supports secure government cloud environments, requires an active TS/SCI (or eligibility), and involves travel to customer sites across the continental U.S. The position offers strong mentorship, hands-on experience with Google Cloud Platform (GCP), and professional growth toward cloud engineer and architect career paths.
Key Responsibilities
- Assist with deploying and configuring Google Cloud Platform (GCP) environments
- Configure resource hierarchies, IAM roles, Cloud Identity, and organizational policies
- Support Google Cloud Assured Workloads implementations and federal security controls
- Deploy and manage Compute Engine VMs, Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE), Cloud Run, and enterprise AI services
- Configure cloud networking: VPCs, subnets, firewall rules, and network security policies
- Assist with Google Cloud storage and data services: Cloud Storage, Cloud SQL, BigQuery, Spanner, Pub/Sub, Dataflow
- Support Infrastructure as Code (IaC) deployments using Terraform, Config Connector, and Helm
- Use Google AI-assisted tools (e.g., Gemini CLI, Gemini Cloud Assist) to accelerate workflows
- Monitor environments with Cloud Monitoring, Cloud Logging, Cloud Trace, and Cloud Profiler
- Assist with identity, access management, encryption, and least-privilege security implementations
- Contribute to compliance evidence collection for FedRAMP and DoD environments
- Collaborate with senior engineers on cloud migration and modernization projects
- Continuously expand skills through certifications, mentoring, and hands-on work
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, or a related STEM field — or equivalent practical experience
- 0–2 years supporting cloud infrastructure or enterprise IT environments (entry-level / early-career)
- Basic understanding of cloud computing concepts and familiarity with Linux and networking fundamentals
- Comfortable using command-line tools; scripting experience is a plus (Python, Bash, PowerShell)
- Strong troubleshooting, analytical skills, and clear communication
- Willingness to travel to customer sites across the continental U.S.
- Active TS/SCI clearance or the ability to obtain one is required
- Must be able to work onsite in Tampa, FL and at federal client locations as assigned
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience or exposure to Google Cloud Platform (GCP)
- Familiarity with Kubernetes (GKE), Docker, and container orchestration
- Hands-on or academic experience with Terraform and Infrastructure as Code
- Experience with Git and CI/CD pipelines
- Knowledge of BigQuery, Dataflow, Pub/Sub, Cloud SQL, and Cloud Storage
- Interest or background in AI/ML concepts and enterprise AI services
- Experience on legacy‑to‑cloud migration projects
Required Certifications
- Google Cloud Certified – Associate Cloud Engineer (ACE) — Required at hire or within the first 90 days of employment
- Google Cloud Certified – Professional Cloud Architect (PCA) — Preferred or actively pursuing
Security Clearance
- Active TS/SCI clearance required, or demonstrated eligibility and ability to obtain TS/SCI
Compensation & Benefits
- Salary range: $80,000 – $100,000 per year
- Comprehensive benefits effective on day one for full-time salaried employees, including PPO medical (HSA option), vision, dental, life insurance, short- and long-term disability, and critical illness coverage
- Matching 401(k) plan, employee assistance program, and other voluntary benefits (including pet insurance discount)
- Generous PTO and holidays; education assistance available after eligibility period
- Confidential Client is committed to professional development and certification support
Why Join Confidential Client (via Careertakes)
- Hands-on work with Google Cloud and enterprise AI in secure federal environments
- Structured mentorship and clear career progression toward Cloud AI Engineer and Cloud Architect roles
- Opportunity to earn key Google Cloud certifications with employer support
- Work on impactful modernization projects supporting U.S. federal agencies
Equal Opportunity & Hiring Transparency
Careertakes and our client are Equal Opportunity Employers committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce. We prohibit discrimination or harassment of any kind. To support a fair and efficient hiring process, AI tools may be used to assist with application review or resume screening. These tools do not replace human decision-making. Final hiring decisions are made by people.
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