The posting
Job Description
We’re hiring a Staff Cloud Platform Architect – Networks & IAM (AWS) to lead our cloud networking architecture, AWS Organization/IAM strategy, and DNS/email posture. You’ll own patterns for routing, segmentation, and service-to-service security; partner with Security on controls and incident readiness; contribute to ARB, URI naming, Privacy, Tech Plan, and BCP; and generalize solutions that raise the bar for all platform users. Privileged access is a sacred trust—you’ll exemplify least privilege and auditable change. Strong AWS networking/IAM expertise, SDLC discipline, and clear, empathetic leadership required.
This individual works with divine guidance to provide or support technology that furthers the mission of the Church and reflects the eternal impact of the gospel.
We value early, mid and late-career candidates and encourage all applicants with the posted skills and abilities to apply.
Responsibilities
Cloud networking architecture & operations • Provide architecture oversight for existing network topologies and lead the design of all new networks (layered/segmented, multi-AZ/region). • Own end-to-end routing architecture and traffic flows across CloudFront, ALB/ELB/NLB, 3rd Party DDOS/WAF, reverse proxies, on-prem load balancing, BCP-47 language tags, and cross-domain controls. • Lead the re-architecture of complex network boundaries and firewalls (e.g., ICS firewall → AWS-native constructs) to simplify reasoning, improve security, and reduce operational toil. • Technologies you’ll steward include VPC, subnets/AZs, NACLs, security groups, routing, NAT, Transit Gateway, Direct Connect, IPSec, VPC peering/sharing, PrivateLink, static IP management, WAN, etc.
DNS & email posture (Route 53) • Govern DNS for product and corporate domains, including MX, DKIM, DMARC, SPF records and domain registration approvals. • Ensure resilient, least-privilege automation for DNS updates and changes with auditable workflows.
AWS Organization/IAM strategy • Set direction and provide oversight for AWS Organizations: OU structure, Service Control Policies (SCPs), service integrations, account vending, and guardrails. • Define and continuously evolve RBAC/ABAC and IAM policy strategies—identity-, resource-, and permission-boundary patterns—for secure service-to-service access across accounts and regions. • Partner with AWS Support and internal stakeholders to keep pace with platform advances and to resolve high-severity issues swiftly. • Oversee secure email hosting used in account creation (AWS WorkMail) and related provisioning flows.
Security partnership & governance • Partner closely with Security to validate infrastructure posture, drive threat-modeling, codify controls, and contribute to Security Committee discussions with deep IAM expertise. • Champion production-readiness and compliance expectations within the FamilySearch SDLC.
Cross-org committees & assignments • Actively serve on/advise: Architecture Review Board (ARB), URI Naming governance (approve URI paths & domain names), future platform strategy, Privacy, Tech Plan, and Business Continuity work. • Set and maintain standards that prevent drift and namespace chaos, especially for URI/Domain usage.
Platform enablement & problem solving • Meet with platform users, synthesize pain points, convert point solutions → generalized platform capabilities, and partner with PM for roadmap/implementation. • Advance shared data and observability initiatives (e.g., Cloud Intelligence Dashboards, data lake direction) that improve cost, performance, and decision making.
Application infrastructure stewardship (select examples) • Provide design/implementation leadership or advisory support for key services (e.g., Russian Access/Yandex admin, Family Search Center Proxies, Blaze Proxy, Correctional Facilities, OLIB decommissioning, Germany Redaction), ensuring secure, performant, and compliant architectures that follow SDLC patterns.
Trusted access & ethics (critical expectation)
This position participates in a controlled privileged-access rotation (e.g., Organization Admin; break-glass processes protected by MFA/Passkeys). Elevated access here is a sacred responsibility—granted based on trust, verified by process. You must exemplify least privilege, impeccable judgment, separation of duties, auditable change management, and strict adherence to internal policies and legal/regulatory requirements.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in computer science, closely related field or equivalent experience
- 8 years of industry-recognized, progressive and relevant professional experience.6+ years in large-scale cloud networking and security architecture, including multi-account AWS environments.
- Experience completing two or more major cycles in architecting entire systems and successfully implemented through two or more development cycles
- Strong understanding of Agile Software Development methodologies and principles
- Demonstrate clear evidence of external industry validation and enterprise-grade vision
- Demonstrated experience evaluating vendors and their solutions and can identify critical gaps in their offerings, when applicable
- Exceptional written and verbal communications at all levels of the business
- Able to interact effectively with customers and present solutions, as well as lead customers through making decisions
- Strong understanding of the technical use cases supported by the stack/platform
- Able to lead cross-functional and interdepartmental product or project teams, define work processes, and lead a team of highly educated and skilled engineers and managers
- Must keep abreast of trends and directions in technology, understanding their relevance to the Church
- Expert in Cloud Based Platforms and services
- High-level understanding of DevSecOps
- Able to make architectural choices based on solid principles and practical experience without unsubstantiated bias
- Able to set technical architectural direction without supervision
- Leader of Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery principles
- Outstanding troubleshooter, with the ability to think under pressure and drive the hardest problems to resolution
- Demonstrated leadership skills
- Demonstrated ability to mentor and train peers
- Expert-level knowledge of applicable software, computer languages, and code to perform the responsibilities of the role
- This job operates in a professional office environment
- To successfully perform the essential functions of the job there may be physical requirements which need to be met such as sitting for long periods of time and using computer monitors/equipment Preferred:
- Master's degree in a related field Deep hands-on with: VPC, TGW, Direct Connect, PrivateLink, Route 53, CloudFront, ALB/ELB, WAF/Shield/Imperva, NAT, IPSec, NACLs/SGs, and traffic engineering across regions.
- Expert in AWS IAM (roles, policies, permission boundaries, federation/SSO, cross-account patterns), SCPs, RBAC/ABAC, and service-to-service authentication/authorization.
- Proven experience designing segmented, well-architected network topologies (layered trust zones, zero-trust principles) and migrating legacy firewalls to AWS-native controls.
- Strong DNS competency (A, CNAME, NS, MX, DKIM, DMARC, SPF) and domain lifecycle governance.
- Demonstrated partnership with Security, participation in architecture governance, and incident/BCP readiness within an SDLC.
- Excellent critical thinking, communication, and influence skills—able to translate complex platform needs into clear, usable patterns for product teams.
- Experience operating in a regulated, high-availability environment at enterprise scale; comfortable with audit and evidence collection.
- Hands-on with edge policies (CORS, geo/language routing), CDN tuning, and bot/abuse mitigation.
- Familiarity with AWS WorkMail, account vending/landing-zone automation, and drift detection.
- Track record of driving org-wide migrations/upgrades (e.g., SDK/OS baselines) and aligning teams to accessibility and production-readiness standards.
- Certifications (nice to have): AWS Advanced Networking Specialty, Security Specialty, or equivalent portfolio.
About Us
Church employees find joy and satisfaction in using their unique talents and abilities to further the Lord’s work. From the IT professional who develops an app that sends the gospel message worldwide, to the facilities manager who maintains our buildings— giving Church members places to worship, teach, learn, and receive sacred ordinances—our employees seek innovative ways to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with the world. They are literally working in His kingdom.
Only members of the Church who are worthy of a temple recommend qualify for employment. Apart from this, the Church is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in its employment decisions on any basis that would violate U.S. or local law.
Qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, national origin, color, gender, pregnancy, marital status, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or other legally protected categories that apply to the Church. The Church will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities.
