Principal Cloud Architect

Here at The Exploration Company, we are developing, producing, and operating Nyx, a modular and reusable space orbital vehicle that can eventually be refuelled in orbit and that can carry cargo - and potentially humans in the longer run.

We want you, as a talented Senior Cloud Architect, to drive the company’s cloud strategy and build secure, scalable, and automated infrastructure through hands-on technical leadership and strategic collaboration.

As a Senior Cloud Architect, you will play a key role in shaping the company’s cloud strategy and building the next generation of secure, scalable, and automated infrastructure. You’ll combine technical depth with strategic thinking, working hands-on alongside engineering teams to design, implement, and continuously evolve cloud solutions that power our business.

• Architect and implement robust cloud and Kubernetes infrastructures that are secure, scalable, maintainable, automated, and cost-efficient.

• Bridge hybrid and multi-cloud systems, integrating multiple cloud providers with on-premises environments to ensure performance, resilience, and compliance.

• Design and implement Identity and Access Management (IAM) concepts that enable seamless yet secure user experiences and enforce strong authentication/authorisation across systems.

• Contribute strategically to the company’s long-term technical roadmap while staying hands-on in troubleshooting, optimisation, and system evolution.

• Evaluate and integrate emerging cloud technologies and open-source tools, continuously improving our infrastructure ecosystem. Develop custom infrastructure components when no suitable off-the-shelf solution exists.

• Promote Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) and drive automation across all layers - from infrastructure provisioning and IAM to application deployment and operations.

• Enable and support development teams with architectural guidance, security best practices, reusable automation patterns, and precise documentation.

• Foster cross-functional collaboration between engineering and operational teams by mentoring team members, improving communication flows, and sharing best practices for running scalable and resilient applications in cloud-native environments.

In the role of a Senior Cloud Architect, ideally, you will have the following:

• Several years of experience designing, implementing, and operating cloud-based environments (AWS, GCP, Azure, or similar).

• Strong background in Kubernetes architecture and containerisation principles.

• Deep understanding of IAM principles, authentication/authorisation flows (OIDC, SAML, OAuth2), and security best practices.

• Hands-on experience with Infrastructure-as-Code tools (Terraform, or similar).

• Proficiency in at least one programming language (preferably Python).

• Excellent communication and mentoring skills, with a passion for enabling others and improving processes.

• Solid knowledge of DevOps principles, CI/CD pipelines, and automation frameworks.

• Experience with hybrid or multi-cloud environments is a strong plus.

Why you should join us!

What makes us special here at The Exploration Company and why we think you will enjoy working here is:  

• We’re Agile - we make decisions fast whilst keeping our goals and systems in mind 

• We’re Open and Collaborative - we are transparent about risks and obstacles, so that we can cooperate to overcome them  

• We have a lot of Fun - we refuel our energy knowing we are democratising space. It’s a wonderful and rare opportunity, are YOU up for the challenge?  

We'd love to hear from you if you wish to be a part of our journey. Please submit your CV now for immediate consideration and we will be in touch shortly. 
 
The Exploration Company is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, colour, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status or disability status. Relocation assistance is provided for those willing to relocate including visa sponsorship where applicable.