--- title: 'Cloud Engineer at Planet Technologies' canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/cloud-engineer-planet-technologies-denver-5t3d451f46v9' type: 'job' last_seen: '2026-11-11' --- # Cloud Engineer at Planet Technologies - **Company:** Planet Technologies - **Location:** Denver, CO - **Employment:** full-time - **Work type:** onsite - **Posted:** 2026-09-29 - **Last confirmed live:** 2026-11-11 - **Apply:** https://jobs.lever.co/planettechnologies/6f4a228f-2b58-4e34-861a-ecf047ab44b6 ## Job description Planet Technologies, the Nation’s leading Microsoft services provider to the public sector, is looking for a highly motivated individual to join our growing team as Cloud Infrastructure Engineer. In this role, you will be supporting impactful projects that make a difference for our country. The Senior Identity and Messaging Engineer is responsible for supporting, maintaining, securing, and enhancing enterprise identity and messaging services across on-premises and Microsoft cloud environments. This hands-on role administers and engineers Microsoft Active Directory, Microsoft Entra ID, Exchange Server, Exchange Online, and the hybrid services that connect them in a complex federal environment. Must have existing Top Secret and/or DOE Q Clearance ## Responsibilities Active Directory Administration & Engineering - Design, implement, configure, and maintain multi-domain and multi-forest Microsoft Active Directory Domain Services infrastructure, including trusts, Flexible Single Master Operations roles, domain controller lifecycle management, schema changes, functional-level upgrades, and disaster recovery. - Manage Domain Controllers, Group Policy Objects (GPOs), DNS, DHCP, Sites and Services, and Active Directory replication. - Perform schema modifications, forest and domain functional level upgrades, and disaster recovery planning. - Harden Active Directory using tiered administration, Local Administrator Password Solution, privileged access workstations, Microsoft Defender for Identity, and findings from tools such as PingCastle and Purple Knight. Design, maintain, or support administrative forest and tiered administration architectures, and advise customers on transitioning from legacy ESAE or Red Forest models to Microsoft's Enterprise Access Model where appropriate. - Monitor and optimize AD performance, health, and security. Exchange Administration & Engineering - Administer and support Exchange Server 2016, Exchange Server 2019, Exchange Server Subscription Edition, and Exchange Online, including Database Availability Groups, transport services, certificates, cumulative updates, security updates, and high-availability configurations. - Manage mailbox provisioning, migrations, retention policies, archive solutions, and email routing. - Build, maintain, and troubleshoot Exchange hybrid deployments using the Hybrid Configuration Wizard, organization relationships, free/busy services, mail flow connectors, and centralized mail transport. Plan and execute remote-move, cutover, and cross-tenant mailbox migrations with minimal disruption to users. - Manage Exchange Online Protection and Microsoft Defender for Office 365, including SPF, DKIM, DMARC, transport rules, anti-spam, anti-phishing, and email encryption controls. Support retention, eDiscovery, litigation hold, journaling, and Microsoft Purview compliance workloads. - Support email continuity, backup, recovery, and high-availability configurations. Identity & Access Management - Implement and support Microsoft Entra ID (Azure Active Directory). - Deploy, configure, maintain, and troubleshoot Microsoft Entra Connect and Entra Cloud Sync, including scoping and filtering, attribute flow, source anchor decisions, synchronization monitoring, and error remediation. - Configure and troubleshoot hybrid authentication using Password Hash Synchronization, Pass-through Authentication, and Active Directory Federation Services, and support migrations away from federation where appropriate. Implement Single Sign-On, Conditional Access, Multi-Factor Authentication, Privileged Identity Management, and phishing-resistant authentication using PIV/CAC and certificate-based authentication. - Participate in identity governance and role-based access control initiatives. - Collaborate with security teams to enforce Zero Trust architecture principles. Network and Infrastructure - Work within segmented, multi-enclave federal networks to maintain Active Directory replication, authentication, directory synchronization, and mail flow across firewalls, VLANs, proxies, and security zones. - Identify and document required ports, protocols, Microsoft 365 endpoints, and GCC High or DoD-specific allow-list requirements. - Troubleshoot connectivity with Wireshark, netsh, pktmon, port testing, packet captures, and log analysis to isolate identity, application, and network failures. - Configure and troubleshoot split-brain and conditional DNS, forwarders, load balancers, VPN, SD-WAN, ExpressRoute, TIC 3.0 paths, DMZ services, and disconnected or cross-domain environments as applicable. Cybersecurity & Compliance - Ensure systems comply with DOE requirements, NIST Special Publication 800-53, FISMA, FedRAMP, DISA Security Technical Implementation Guides, and applicable CISA Secure Cloud Business Applications baselines. Support Authority to Operate activities, security control assessments, audit evidence requests, vulnerability remediation, and compliance reporting. - Perform vulnerability remediation, security hardening, and patch management. - Support audits, security assessments, and compliance reporting activities. - Implement security baselines and monitor for unauthorized changes or suspicious activity. - Assist with incident response and forensic investigations involving identity and messaging systems. Automation & Engineering - Develop and maintain PowerShell and Microsoft Graph automation for administration, reporting, monitoring, user lifecycle management, mailbox provisioning, group management, and repeatable operational tasks. - Automate user lifecycle management, mailbox provisioning, and group management processes. - Produce solution designs, operational runbooks, standard operating procedures, as-built documentation, port and protocol matrices, and technical diagrams that meet federal documentation and audit standards. - Support enterprise modernization initiatives involving Microsoft 365 and cloud migrations. Operations Support - Provide Tier III escalation support for identity and messaging-related issues. - Participate in on-call support rotations as required. - Troubleshoot complex authentication, replication, Exchange, and directory synchronization issues. - Coordinate maintenance activities and planned outages. Qualification - Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Engineering, or related field with 7 or more years of experience administering Active Directory in enterprise environments, including multi-domain or multi-forest architectures. - 5 or more years of experience administering Exchange Server, including hands-on responsibility for at least one Exchange hybrid deployment, and three or more years supporting Microsoft 365, Microsoft Entra ID, and Exchange Online. - Experience supporting enterprise environments with 5,000+ users preferred. - Senior-level experience supporting federal government customers onsite, with a demonstrated record of working effectively with government program managers, CIO staff, security officers, and contractors in professional, multi-vendor environments. - Demonstrated knowledge of TCP/IP, routing, subnetting, Network Address Translation, VLANs, firewalls, DNS, PKI and certificates, SMTP, Kerberos, and LDAP. Proven ability to diagnose network-related authentication, directory synchronization, and mail flow failures using packet capture, port testing, and log analysis in environments with strict change control. - PowerShell scripting and automation - Microsoft 365 Administration - Identity and Access Management (IAM) - Certificate Services (PKI) - Active Directory Federation Services (ADFS) - Windows Server Administration Infrastructure:  Windows Server (2003-2025), Active Directory / GPO, Hyper-V & VMware, DHCP / DNS / NPS Security & Compliance:  DISA STIGs, Trellix EPO / HIPS, Vulnerability Scanners, (ACAS / Nessus) Systems Management:  MECM / SCCM, Exchange Server (2003-2019), Microsoft Active Directory, Entra ID and Azure AD Connect, Domain Services (AD DS), Red Hat / Linux+, Orchestrator / PowerShell ## Preferred Qualifications - Experience implementing Exchange Hybrid environments. - Experience with Microsoft Defender, Microsoft Purview, and Microsoft Sentinel. - Experience with CyberArk, Beyond Trust, or other Privileged Access Management (PAM) solutions. - Experience supporting Zero Trust initiatives. - Familiarity with virtualization technologies such as VMware or Hyper-V. - Experience administering Microsoft 365 in GCC, GCC High, or DoD tenants, including government-specific endpoints, security controls, service limitations, and hybrid connectivity requirements. - Experience with PIV/CAC authentication, federal Identity, Credential, and Access Management requirements, administrative forest or ESAE/Red Forest architectures, one-way trusts, shadow principals, bastion forests, or Microsoft Identity Manager Privileged Access Management. - Familiarity with Active Directory consolidation, domain migrations, tenant-to-tenant migrations, Azure networking, TIC 3.0, Zero Trust network architecture, and cross-domain solutions. Certifications (Preferred) - Microsoft Certified: Identity and Access Administrator Associate (SC-300) - Microsoft 365 Certified: Administrator Expert (MS-102) - Microsoft 365 Certified: Messaging Administrator Associate (MS-203 legacy) - CompTIA Security+ or another DoD 8140-qualifying certification - CCNA, Network+, or equivalent networking certification - CISSP - GIAC Certifications - ITIL Foundation Planet Technologies is the leading provider of Microsoft Consulting Services to public sector and commercial organizations. Planet has significant experience in deploying business intelligence, cloud services, unified communications, and systems management with an emphasis building, deploying, and managing custom solutions that transform the business operations of federal government agencies. Planet Technologies does not discriminate in employment opportunities, terms and conditions of employment, or practices. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, age, gender, religious or political beliefs, national origin or heritage, disability, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, or any characteristic protected by law.  Select positions at Planet Technologies have Federal Agency Clearance Requirements and may require up to a 10-year background investigation and/or US Citizenship (clearable). Salaries for Cloud Infrastructure Engineer at Planet Technologies range from $160,000 and $200,000. Several factors will impact final pay offered to a successful candidate including but not limited to the type and years of experience within the job, clearance level, the type of years and experience within the industry, education, training, etc. Visit www.go-planet.com to learn more about us. Details about our benefits can be found here Planet Technologies 2026-2027 Recruitment Guide ## About Planet Technologies ## Company Overview - **One-liner**: Planet Technologies is a leading provider of Microsoft professional services to the public sector, specializing in cloud, security, AI, and compliance solutions for government and commercial clients. - **Entity Type**: Private (privately held) - **Headquarters**: Gaithersburg, Maryland, United States - **Founded**: 1997 - **Founders**: Not publicly available ## Core Business - **Primary industries**: IT Services and IT Consulting; public sector technology services - **Target customers**: B2G (government agencies – federal, state, local) and B2B (commercial organizations) - **Mission**: “To inspire our clients and employees by being the best and brightest consultants on the Planet—empowering our customers to meet the rapidly evolving demands for information and knowledge through the use of cost effective and innovative solutions.” [go-planet.com](https://go-planet.com/careers/) ## Products & Services - **Microsoft 365 & Copilot**: Consulting, deployment, adoption, and change management for Microsoft 365, Copilot, and Teams. - **Azure Infrastructure & Security**: Cloud migration, Azure Virtual Desktop, VMware solutions, and security (cloud security, identity & access management, threat protection). - **Power Platform & Dynamics 365**: Custom solutions, automation, and CRM implementations. - **Managed Services (CMMC / Compliance)**: CMMC Level 2 advisory and readiness, ISO 9001 quality management, and regulatory compliance for defense and regulated environments. - **Training**: Independent IT and developer training on Microsoft technologies. ## Market Standing - **Valuation / Market Cap**: Not disclosed (private company) - **Key Metric**: Annual revenue ~$11.6M (per LinkedIn) [linkedin.com](https://linkedin.com/company/planet-technologies) - **Notable Investors/Partners**: Microsoft (27 Partner of the Year awards, 15 Microsoft specializations, 5 Solutions Partner designations) - **Growth Signals**: - 27 Microsoft Partner of the Year awards (including 7x State & Local Government Partner of the Year, 6x Federal Partner of the Year) [go-planet.com](https://go-planet.com/about-planet/company/) - CMMC Level 2 certified; ISO 9001:2015 certified - Great Place to Work® Certified; U.S. Department of Labor Hire Vets Gold Medallion (7 consecutive years) - Headcount: 188 employees (as of latest LinkedIn data, -13.4% YoY) – note the company website references “400” in a branding context, possibly including contractors or historical peak [linkedin.com](https://linkedin.com/company/planet-technologies) vs [go-planet.com](https://go-planet.com/careers/) ## Competitive Advantages - Deep, award-winning expertise across the entire Microsoft stack, especially in public sector and regulated environments. - Extensive compliance credentials (CMMC, ISO) that are critical for defense and government clients. - Long-standing relationships with Microsoft and a track record of repeat recognitions (27 Partner of the Year awards). - End-to-end capabilities: from cloud migration and security to AI adoption and change management. ## Strategic Focus - Scaling AI and Copilot adoption for government and commercial clients. - Strengthening security and compliance offerings (CMMC, zero trust). - Continuing to lead in public sector digital transformation, cloud migration, and modern workplace solutions. - Attracting and retaining top talent with a focus on mission-driven work and professional development. ## Why Work Here - **Culture**: Great Place to Work certified; values of Trust, Creativity, Quality, and Continuous Improvement. Strong emphasis on personal and professional growth. - **Remote / Hybrid**: Multiple remote positions available (e.g., Senior Office 365 Architect, Power Platform Consultant); some on-site roles in Washington, DC area. - **Perks & Environment**: Veteran-friendly (Gold Hire Vets award), training opportunities, and the chance to work on high-impact government projects. The company warns candidates about phishing scams and emphasizes secure hiring practices (only @go-planet.com email, no payment requests). - **Engineering Culture**: Focus on Microsoft technologies, continuous learning, and certification. Small but experienced team (188 employees) with a flat structure and direct client impact. ## Sources 1. [go-planet.com](https://go-planet.com/about-planet/company/) – Company overview, awards, specializations, certifications 2. [go-planet.com](https://go-planet.com/careers/) – Mission, values, employee count reference (400), hiring warnings 3. [go-planet.com](https://go-planet.com/about-planet/leadership-team/) – Leadership team (Scott Tucker, Andrew Kagan, Nick Pattakos) 4. [linkedin.com](https://linkedin.com/company/planet-technologies) – Employee count, revenue, industry, open positions, reviews 5. [jobs.lever.co](https://jobs.lever.co/planettechnologies) – Current job listings, remote/on-site details ## Other roles at Planet Technologies - [Cybersecurity Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/cybersecurity-engineer-planet-technologies-washington-hh238eg1cqw8) — Washington, DC - [Atlassian/Jira Architect](https://feeny.ai/job/atlassian-jira-architect-planet-technologies-washington-1jv2ggzepbnw) — Washington, DC - [Security Solution Architect](https://feeny.ai/job/security-solution-architect-planet-technologies-washington-p1kgqp5wa52v) — Washington, DC - [Information Systems Security Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/information-systems-security-engineer-planet-technologies-washington-c3d86r40wejn) — Washington, DC - [Power Platform/Dynamics Consultant](https://feeny.ai/job/power-platform-dynamics-consultant-planet-technologies-eastern-hqdcsydntjj6) — Eastern, United States - [Atlassian Developer](https://feeny.ai/job/atlassian-developer-planet-technologies-washington-epem5w3chtfn) — Washington, DC - [Dynamics CRM Developer](https://feeny.ai/job/dynamics-crm-developer-planet-technologies-washington-34mhvs0hzmyf) — Washington, DC - [Power Platform Developer, Mid](https://feeny.ai/job/power-platform-developer-mid-planet-technologies-washington-7c4h94v58gaw) — Washington, DC - [Database Administrator](https://feeny.ai/job/database-administrator-planet-technologies-albuquerque-z56mped0w0a1) — Albuquerque, NM - [Data Scientist](https://feeny.ai/job/data-scientist-planet-technologies-washington-wytwcykhw9v0) — Washington, DC