Principal Engineer

Principal Cloud Engineer

Location: Flexible Work Location – AGILE / Home, Office & Customer Sites
Type of Job: Permanent, Full Time
Security Clearance: Eligible to obtain SC Clearance and NPPV3

Are you a hands‑on senior level Cloud Engineer who enjoys building, migrating and evolving secure cloud platforms?

At Telent, we’re looking for a Principal Cloud Engineer to play a critical role in the delivery and build of cloud architecture, working closely with Cloud Solutions Architects and Engineering teams to implement robust, secure Azure environments.

This role sits just below the Cloud Solutions Architect level and is firmly delivery‑focused. You’ll be responsible for translating cloud designs into reality - leading complex On‑prem to Azure migrations, building landing zones, and providing technical leadership across cloud engineering initiatives in highly secure environments.

This Principal Cloud Engineer role is classed as a Flexible Work Location / AGILE role – you will be required to travel to and attend meetings / workshops at either Telent Warwick (CV34 5AH) or Telent Farnborough (GU14 7DL) at least 1-2 days per month, primarily working from home and travelling to customer sites if or when needed. 

Principal Cloud Engineer – What you’ll do

• Lead the hands‑on delivery of cloud architecture, primarily focused on on‑prem to Azure migrations


• Build, configure and evolve Azure landing zones, networking, identity, security and platform services


• Translate high‑level architecture designs into detailed, build‑ready technical implementations


• Act as a technical authority during delivery phases, owning complex cloud engineering decisions


• Provide technical leadership and guidance to Cloud and Senior Engineers during delivery


• Lead troubleshooting and resolution of complex cloud platform issues


• Embed security‑by‑design principles across identity, access management, networking, encryption and monitoring


• Produce and maintain high‑quality technical documentation, runbooks and operational handover artefacts


• Collaborate closely with Cloud Solutions Architects to ensure designs are deliverable, scalable and supportable


• Contribute technical expertise to bids and tenders where required, without owning pre‑sales solution design

Principal Cloud Engineer – Who you are

You are a highly experienced, hands‑on, senior level Cloud Engineer with deep Azure expertise, trusted to lead complex technical delivery. You’re comfortable getting into the detail, solving difficult platform problems, and guiding others through best practice cloud engineering approaches.

You thrive in secure and regulated environments, understand the realities of delivery, and take real ownership for building cloud platforms that are resilient, secure and production‑ready.

Principal Cloud Engineer – Key requirements

Essential

• Strong and proven track record of hands‑on Azure engineering experience at Senior or Principal level


• Proven experience of delivering on‑prem to Azure migrations and Azure cloud transformation programmes 


• Deep practical and technical understanding of Azure networks / networking, identity, security, compute, storage and monitoring


• Experience working in highly secure environments (e.g. government, MOD, emergency services, critical national infrastructure)


• Ability to lead complex technical delivery while remaining hands‑on


• Strong problem‑solving skills with the ability to troubleshoot cloud platforms under pressure


• Excellent stakeholder communication skills when working alongside Architects, Engineers and Delivery teams


• Must be eligible to obtain UK Security Clearance (SC) and NPPV3 (Telent will sponsor the successful candidate to obtain necessary clearances), including meeting minimum UK residency requirements

Desirable

• Additional expertise or experience with AWS and/or GCP in addition to MS Azure


• Infrastructure as Code experience (e.g. Terraform, Bicep)


• CI/CD pipelines and automation for cloud deployments


• Experience contributing technical input into bids or proposals


• Eligibility to obtain DV Clearance if required

What we offer

A career at Telent can span sectors, technologies and customers, giving you the chance to work on complex cloud engineering challenges that genuinely matter.

In addition, this role offers:

• Company car allowance scheme


• Employee only healthcare 


• 26 days annual leave plus public holidays, with the option to buy additional annual leave


• Access to the Flexible Benefits portal


• Company matched pension scheme


• Family‑friendly and inclusive working policies


• Ongoing technical development and cloud certification support

About Telent

Telent is a leading UK technology company specialising in the design, build, support and maintenance of the nation’s critical digital infrastructure. We work at the heart of mission‑critical communications, helping to keep the UK connected, protected and moving.

Brilliance brought together.

Our values guide everything we do:

Be Inclusive | Take Responsibility | Collaborate | Be Customer Focused

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