Principal Cloud Solutions Architect - DV Cleared Location: Cheltenham, Gloucestershire (Onsite) Salary: £83,600 - £125,400 per annum (dependent on experience) Contract: Permanent Clearance: Current UK Developed Vetting (DV) clearance is essential We are supporting a leading defence-sector consultancy in the recruitment of a Principal Cloud Solutions Architect for a permanent role based in Cheltenham. This is a senior opportunity for an experienced professional with deep expertise in AWS cloud architecture to help shape, secure, and modernise critical national infrastructure. You'll play a key role in designing and delivering secure cloud solutions, guiding multi-disciplinary teams, mentoring engineers, and setting the technical direction across high-security programmes. This is an opportunity to define possible-contributing to solutions that underpin national resilience and mission-critical systems. Key Responsibilities: Design and lead the delivery of secure, scalable AWS-based solutions within complex, high-assurance environments Translate functional and non-functional requirements into actionable architecture and implementation plans Produce high- and low-level designs, CONOPS, SyOPs, and other technical documentation Lead quality assurance and technical governance activities across projects Coach and mentor junior engineers, and support knowledge sharing across teams Manage delivery priorities, budgets, and schedules in coordination with stakeholders and project managers Essential Skills and Experience: Active DV clearance is a strict requirement AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Professional (or equivalent certification) Proven experience designing and deploying AWS solutions at enterprise scale Strong background in system administration (Linux/Windows), cloud networking, and IPv4 Expertise in Infrastructure as Code using Terraform , AWS CDK , or CloudFormation Experience with containerised environments (Docker, Kubernetes) Strong written and verbal communication skills, especially in secure environments Desirable Skills: Experience implementing CI/CD pipelines and DevOps practices Familiarity with Ansible, Puppet, Jira, Confluence, and Agile delivery methodologies Background in secure software delivery and knowledge of ITIL-based service management This is a rare chance to work at the cutting edge of secure cloud transformation, contributing to programmes of national importance. Apply now if you are a skilled cloud architect with DV clearance and a passion for delivering secure, innovative solutions.