Senior AWS CloudOps Engineer at Bushira Technologies in South Africa

Contract Type: Part-Time Time & Materials (T&M) Contract
Company: Bushira Technologies (Pty) Ltd.
Work Arrangement: Remote / Hybrid
Engagement Model: Independent Contractor / Consulting Engagement
Contract Duration: Project-Based, with Potential Extension
Availability: Flexible, based on agreed project requirements and support commitments

Engagement Overview

Bushira Technologies is seeking an experienced Senior AWS CloudOps Engineer to provide specialist cloud operations, automation, storage, backup, disaster recovery, and infrastructure management services on a part-time Time & Materials (T&M) contract basis.

This engagement is ideally suited to a senior cloud consultant or independent contractor with extensive AWS operational experience who can provide strategic guidance, hands-on implementation, and operational support across client environments.

The successful contractor will work closely with cloud architects, security specialists, operations teams, and client stakeholders to design and operate highly resilient AWS platforms. Emphasis will be placed on storage management, backup and disaster recovery, patching and vulnerability management, and Infrastructure as Code (IaC) practices.

Work will be assigned on a project, enhancement, operational support, or advisory basis and billed according to approved hours or agreed daily rates.

Scope of Services & Key Responsibilities

AWS Cloud Operations

• Manage, maintain, and optimize AWS infrastructure environments supporting production and non-production workloads.
• Provide operational support, incident response, troubleshooting, and root-cause analysis.
• Implement and maintain infrastructure monitoring, alerting, and operational dashboards.
• Identify opportunities to improve performance, reliability, security, and operational efficiency.
• Support cloud migration and modernization initiatives.

Storage Management

Provide expert consulting and management services for AWS storage platforms, including:

• Amazon S3
• Amazon EBS
• Amazon EFS
• Amazon FSx

Key responsibilities include:

• Designing scalable and cost-effective storage architectures.
• Implementing storage lifecycle management and data retention policies.
• Managing storage performance optimization initiatives.
• Establishing encryption, security, governance, and access control standards.
• Conducting storage utilization reviews and cost optimization assessments.
• Supporting storage migration and modernization projects.

Backup & Disaster Recovery

• Design and implement enterprise backup and disaster recovery solutions.
• Configure and manage:
• AWS Backup
• S3 Lifecycle Policies
• Cross-Region Replication (CRR)
• Cross-Account Backup Architectures
• Backup Vaults and Retention Policies
• Define backup, recovery, retention, and compliance standards.
• Develop automated backup and restoration workflows.
• Conduct periodic recovery validation testing and disaster recovery exercises.
• Validate Recovery Time Objectives (RTOs) and Recovery Point Objectives (RPOs).
• Recommend improvements to improve resilience and minimize operational risk.

Patching & Vulnerability Management

• Design and maintain automated patching frameworks across AWS workloads.
• Utilize AWS Systems Manager (SSM) Patch Manager to:
• Define patch baselines
• Schedule maintenance windows
• Automate patch deployment
• Track compliance
• Produce patch status reporting
• Support operating system patching for Linux and Windows workloads.
• Assess vulnerabilities and coordinate remediation activities.
• Support compliance audits and security governance initiatives.
• Develop patch management runbooks and operational procedures.

Infrastructure as Code (IaC) & Automation

• Design, build, and maintain infrastructure provisioning frameworks using:
• Terraform (preferred)
• AWS CloudFormation
• Develop reusable modules, templates, and deployment standards.
• Automate infrastructure provisioning and configuration management processes.
• Implement governance controls and change management processes.
• Integrate Infrastructure as Code practices into CI/CD pipelines.
• Review, optimize, and maintain existing IaC deployments.

Security & Governance

• Advise on AWS security best practices and cloud governance.
• Implement and maintain IAM policies and access controls.
• Enforce encryption standards for data at rest and in transit.
• Support security assessments and compliance reviews.
• Implement operational controls aligned to organizational policies and industry best practices.

Technical Advisory Services

• Participate in architecture reviews and technical workshops.
• Provide expert recommendations on cloud operations, resilience, automation, and cost optimization.
• Mentor technical teams and transfer knowledge where required.
• Produce technical documentation, operational procedures, and implementation guides.
• Support project planning, estimations, and operational readiness reviews.

Required Technical Skills & Qualifications

Experience

The successful contractor should possess:

• Minimum 5 years of cloud infrastructure, cloud operations, or platform engineering experience.
• Minimum 3 years of hands-on AWS operational experience.
• Experience supporting enterprise-scale production environments.
• Demonstrated experience delivering cloud projects in consulting, managed services, or contract environments.
• Proven track record of implementing operational automation and Infrastructure as Code practices.

AWS Technical Expertise

Storage Management

Strong hands-on experience with:

• Amazon S3
• Amazon EBS
• Amazon EFS
• Amazon FSx
• Storage lifecycle management
• Storage cost optimization
• Secure storage architecture design

Backup & Disaster Recovery

Proven expertise with:

• AWS Backup
• Cross-Region Replication
• Backup automation
• Restore testing and validation
• Disaster recovery planning and implementation
• Business continuity strategies

Infrastructure as Code

Demonstrated experience using:

• Terraform (preferred)
• AWS CloudFormation
• Git version control
• IaC governance and best practices

Patching & Compliance

Strong experience with:

• AWS Systems Manager (SSM)
• SSM Patch Manager
• Vulnerability management
• Compliance reporting
• Automated remediation workflows

Operating Systems

• Linux Administration (Amazon Linux, Ubuntu, RHEL)
• Windows Server Administration
• Patch management and system hardening
• Performance tuning and troubleshooting

Networking

Working knowledge of:

• Amazon VPC
• Route Tables
• Security Groups
• Network ACLs
• Route 53
• VPN Connectivity
• Hybrid networking concepts

Automation & Scripting

Strong proficiency in:

• Python
• Bash/Shell Scripting
• PowerShell (advantageous)
• AWS CLI
• API-driven automation

DevOps & Tooling

Experience with:

• Git
• GitHub Actions
• GitLab CI/CD
• Jenkins
• Infrastructure deployment pipelines
• Operational automation frameworks

Soft Skills & Preferred Attributes

The ideal contractor will demonstrate:

Technical Leadership

• Ability to provide senior-level technical guidance and mentorship.
• Strong decision-making capabilities in complex operational environments.
• Experience engaging with architects, engineering teams, and business stakeholders.

Problem Solving

• Excellent analytical and troubleshooting skills.
• Ability to identify the root cause of complex infrastructure and operational issues.
• Strong focus on proactive risk mitigation and continuous improvement.

Communication Skills

• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to communicate complex technical concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Strong documentation and reporting capabilities.

Collaboration

• Comfortable working independently and as part of distributed teams.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and consulting skills.
• Experience working in Agile, project-driven, and client-facing environments.

Continuous Improvement Mindset

• Passion for automation and operational excellence.
• Commitment to staying current with AWS services, cloud operations practices, and emerging technologies.
• Strong focus on reliability, security, resilience, and cost optimization.

Preferred Certifications

The following certifications are highly desirable:

AWS Certifications

• AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate
• AWS Certified DevOps Engineer – Professional
• AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional
• AWS Certified Security – Specialty

Additional Certifications

• HashiCorp Terraform Associate
• Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA)
• Red Hat Certified System Administrator (RHCSA)
• ITIL Foundation Certification

Contract Terms

• Engagement will be on a Time & Materials (T&M) basis.
• Contractor will invoice based on approved hours worked or agreed day rates.
• Hours and deliverables will be approved through agreed project governance processes.
• Flexible working hours, subject to project requirements and support commitments.
• Contractor may be required to participate in scheduled meetings, change windows, maintenance activities, and incident escalations.
• Contractor is responsible for their own tax obligations, statutory requirements, insurance, and equipment unless otherwise agreed in writing.
• Engagement may include a combination of project delivery, advisory services, operational support, and cloud optimization initiatives.

Why Join Bushira Technologies?

Bushira Technologies offers experienced cloud professionals the opportunity to work on challenging AWS environments, contribute to enterprise cloud transformation initiatives, and deliver measurable value through automation, resilience, operational excellence, and modern cloud engineering practices. This flexible consulting engagement enables senior specialists to apply deep AWS expertise while collaborating with a highly skilled team on impactful cloud projects.

Work Location: Hybrid remote in South Africa