Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Additional Information
Certification
Accomplishments
Affiliations
Keyword Bank
Timeline
Generic
Mr. Kristopher Waddell

Mr. Kristopher Waddell

Evans,GA

Summary

As a certified AWS Cloud Infrastructure Architect with extensive experience, I've led multi-million dollar cloud infrastructure projects for government and corporate sectors. I specialize in using HashiCorp Terraform for scalable architectures, have expertise in Kubernetes (K8s) and Python, and a unique background spanning intelligence and IT domains, enabling innovative insights in cloud infrastructure development and security. I excel in disaster recovery, data archiving, and AWS IAM security. My portfolio includes successful projects for government agencies, corporate enterprises, and the Department of Defense (DOD). I'm skilled in managing multiple cloud projects and leading teams, dedicated to exceeding organizational objectives.

Overview

17
17
years of professional experience
3
3

Certifications

Work History

Cloud Engineer & Infrastructure SME

Peraton
Augusta, GA
02.2022 - Current
  • Led the design and launch of a $50M cloud environment and a $30M migration project at ARCYBER, Ft. Gordon, including auditing the ARCYBER Big Data Platform approved by United States Congress.
  • Developed Terraform scripts for automated deployment of multi-node EC2 cloud environments.
  • Managed key cloud resources for the U.S. Army and National Security Agency at ARCYBER, Ft. Gordon, GA.
  • Oversaw a team of 20+ developers, cloud engineers, and military personnel, handling schedules, PTO, and attendance.
  • Designed cloud services tailored to government compute, data, and security needs within national budget constraints.
  • Implemented system upgrades in live environments using custom-built Terraform bootstrapping scripts.
  • Led cross-functional teams in systems design for LTAC projects, deployed worldwide in the U.S. Army and Air Force.
  • Created the LTAC user guide and installation manual, now used across ARCYBER, U.S. Army, and U.S. Air Force.
  • Utilized Python for debugging and automation scripting.
  • Engineered Remote Cloud systems with LTAC for military use in remote locations.
  • Designed the architecture of the U.S. Army's Gabriel Nimbus 15 Petabyte Big Data platform. [Reference: National Defense Magazine]
  • Collaborated closely with the intelligence community to architect real-time technical solutions.
  • Delegated cloud management and update responsibilities among cloud engineers.
  • Led multiple load balancing initiatives for the Gabriel Nimbus platform.
  • Conducted training for military and government personnel on AWS budgeting and cloud system deployment.
  • Built and managed GitLab DevOps environments, including pipelines and project initiation.
  • Directed and managed developer tasks, overseeing workloads across multiple teams.

Cloud Engineer & Infrastructure Architect

Aevex Aerospace
Quantico, VA
06.2020 - 02.2022
  • Led a $20M cloud migration project for MCIA, transitioning to the AWS cloud.
  • Managed a team of 25 cloud engineers and developers in designing and maintaining the Marine Corps' MCIA cloud infrastructure.
  • Developed AWS EC2 computing nodes, network, and security systems tailored to the Marine Corps' specific needs.
  • Collaborated with fellow AWS architects and engineers to co-design networks, systems, and storage solutions, balancing business requirements, security standards, and service level agreements.
  • Created and managed AWS IAM security policies, oversaw technology upgrades, and ensured service reliability within EC2 clusters utilizing Terraform and CloudFormation.
  • Designed and implemented AWS Aurora and DynamoDB databases, establishing the foundational cloud architecture for the Marine Corps within MCIA.
  • Oversaw AWS S3 Bucket management and architecture, along with AWS security group administration.
  • Specialized in IAM management and policy creation within AWS.

Cloud Engineer & Infrastructure Architect

The Shadow Agent
Greenville, SC
01.2018 - 01.2020
  • Spearheaded the design of a $1M civilian cloud architecture for a private investigative platform.
  • Led cloud migration efforts for a team of 10, focusing on optimizing compute, data, and security solutions using AWS services.
  • Developed cloud functionalities, including functions, applications, and databases, tailored for user applications.
  • Created YAML scripts with HashiCorp Terraform for automating IAM user creation, EC2 instance deployment, and public cloud resource maintenance.
  • Managed IAM cloud policies and technology upgrade requests, ensuring service availability through Terraform bootstrapping.
  • Enhanced EC2 systems to improve storage environments and application reliability.
  • Ensured programming syntax adhered to internal language policies and standards.
  • Collaborated with user experience teams in the installation of software systems and the design and implementation of new features.
  • Designed and implemented external-facing load balancers for multiple EC2 nodes.
  • Employed Linux Red Hat OS command-line interface for troubleshooting installation and deployment issues.

Cloud Engineer & Infrastructure Architect

Momentum Aerospace Group
Kandahar, Afghanistan
12.2015 - 03.2018
  • Cloud Infrastructure Design: Designed and architected cloud solutions that aligned with business requirements, ensuring scalability, security, and cost-efficiency on AWS, Google Cloud, and Azure.
  • Deployment and Configuration: Deployed and configured cloud resources, virtual machines, containers, and networking components as needed to support application workloads.
  • Security and Compliance: Implemented and maintained security best practices, including identity and access management (IAM), encryption, and compliance controls. Monitored and mitigated security threats and vulnerabilities.
  • Performance Optimization: Continuously monitored cloud infrastructure performance and optimized resources to ensure optimal cost-efficiency and reliability.
  • Automation and Orchestration: Developed and maintained infrastructure as code (IAC) using tools like Terraform, Ansible, or CloudFormation to automate provisioning and configuration tasks.
  • High Availability and Disaster Recovery: Designed and implemented strategies for high availability and disaster recovery, including failover mechanisms and backup solutions.
  • Collaboration: Worked closely with cross-functional teams, including DevOps, software engineers, and data scientists, to provide cloud infrastructure support for various projects.
  • Troubleshooting: Troubleshot and resolved cloud-related issues, identifying root causes and implementing solutions in a timely manner.
  • Documentation: Maintained comprehensive documentation of cloud architecture, configurations, and procedures.
  • Cost Management: Monitored cloud costs and implemented cost-saving strategies while maintaining performance and scalability.
  • Vendor Relations: Managed relationships with cloud service providers, staying up-to-date with new services, features, and pricing models.

Cloud Engineer

Logos Technologies
Kandahar , Afghanistan
12.2013 - 12.2015
  • Selected appropriate AWS service based on compute, data or security requirements.
  • Boosted cloud development by creating functions, applications and databases for users.
  • Managed IAM user creation and EC2 instance deployment and maintenance of public cloud resources.
  • Implemented IAM cloud policies, managed technology requests and maintained service availability.
  • Devised and deployed EC2 system improvements to boost storage environment reliability.
  • Applied prescribed policies to programming syntax in compliance with internal language policies.
  • Coordinated installation of software systems and collaborated with user experience team on design and implementation of new features.
  • Managed Imagery intelligence databases and was the system administrator for LINUX REDHAT for 100+ users on US. Base Kandahar.
  • Trained to become an AWS Architect for future positions. Worked with the design and implementation team and built a solid foundation for Architecture.

Intelligence Analyst (Lead)

Mission Essential
Kandahar, Afghanistan, Afghanistan
09.2012 - 08.2013
  • Conducted comprehensive analysis on various aspects of intelligence operations (IO), focusing on political, economic, social, cultural, geographic, and military factors in specific foreign regions.
  • Played a key role in supporting the planning and execution of intelligence operations and military information support operations (MISO).
  • Collected and analyzed data on enemy forces, including troop movements, strengths, and behaviors, providing critical insights for operational strategies.
  • Delivered real-time incident reporting on threats to vital sectors, informing internal members and clients with timely intelligence.
  • Contributed to strategic and operational planning teams, aiding in the development of information operations and MISO with regards to organizational, personnel, and resource allocation.
  • Processed intelligence information for senior personnel, ensuring accurate and comprehensive data analysis.
  • Prepared and delivered intelligence briefings and presentations to stakeholders, facilitating informed decision-making.
  • Identified potential and existing security threats and vulnerabilities, enhancing overall situational awareness.
  • Collaborated effectively with team members to meet project requirements, develop solutions, and adhere to tight deadlines.

All Source Intelligence Analyst

US Army
Washington, DC
02.2007 - 06.2011
  • Collaborated closely with the Pentagon/Army Intelligence Watch Operations Command at the National Operations Headquarters, utilizing MS Access and Oracle 11g databases to manage data from all 50 U.S. states and territories on a 24/7 basis.
  • Conducted in-depth analysis of intelligence community information from the DOD, DIA, NSA, DISA, and Homeland Security. This involved compiling critical intelligence via JWICS and SIPR for the U.S. Army, focusing on Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), Guantanamo Bay (GTMO), and activities in Kosovo (KFOR).
  • Supported Special Forces operations in various deployed locations with ISAF/USFOR-A, using tools such as Google Earth, ARCGIS, Intelink-TX, Intelink-SCI, COLISEUM, and M3.
  • Played a key role in the planning, mobilization, and deployment of soldiers and critical assets worldwide, focusing on combat zones and high-priority targeting for DOD and SOF missions. Utilized Google Earth, ARCGIS, and Falcon View for optimal unit placement and successful tactical operations, meeting the needs of Special Forces and USSOCOM, AFRICOM, CENTCOM, and PACOM.
  • Compiled and analyzed intelligence within the Bureau and the Pentagon, developing analyses to brief leadership on various mission operations. Expertly presented briefings on OIF, OEF, and current operations, accessing JWICS and SIPR for SOF command.
  • Assigned the responsibility of responding to congressional-level RFIs, collaborated with the Division Commander for approval, exploitation, and publishing of information to leadership in NORTHCOM, SOCOM, USASOC, and CENTCOM regions.

Education

Bachelor of Science - Computer Science

University of Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire, UK
05-2024

AWS CLOUD PRACTITIONER - CLOUD TECHNOLOGY

Amazon Web Services
Online
08.2021

Army Specialized Training - Information Technology

Information Technology Specialist (25B)
01.2009

All Source Intelligence - Intelligence

All Source Intelligence (35F)
National Guard Bureau
03.2007

Advanced Individual Training - Information Technology

Multi-Channel Transmission Systems (25Q)
Fort Gordon, GA
09.2006

DIPLOMA

Pendleton High School
Pendleton, SC
05.2005

Skills

  • Amazon Web Services (AWS):Core Services: EC2, S3, IAM, CloudFront, RDS, CloudWatch, CloudTrail, Route 53, Elastic Beanstalk, Redshift, ElastiCache, Snowball, Aurora, CloudFormation, Elastic File System (EFS)
    Experience: 8 years in various AWS services
  • Microsoft Azure: Core Services: Azure VMs, Blob Storage, Active Directory, Azure Functions, Azure SQL Database, Azure Monitor, Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS), Azure Logic Apps, Azure DevOps
    Experience: Comparable expertise in key Azure services
  • Google Cloud Platform (GCP): Core Services: Compute Engine, Cloud Storage, Cloud IAM, Kubernetes Engine, BigQuery, Cloud Functions, Cloud SQL, Cloud Pub/Sub, Cloud Monitoring
    Experience: Extensive experience in core GCP services
  • DigitalOcean: Core Services: Droplets, Spaces, Kubernetes, Managed Databases, VPC, Monitoring & Alerts
    Experience: Proficient in DigitalOcean's cloud solutions
  • Common Skills across Platforms: Infrastructure as Code & Automation: Terraform, AWS CloudFormation, Azure ARM Templates, GCP Deployment Manager
    Containerization & Orchestration: Docker, Kubernetes (AWS, Azure, GCP)
    Programming & Scripting: Python, JavaScript, YAML, JSON
    Database Management: DynamoDB (AWS), Azure SQL, GCP Cloud SQL
    DevOps & CI/CD: Command Line Interface, CI/CD Pipeline Management, GitLab, Git, GitHub
    Operating Systems: Linux (Red Hat, Ubuntu, Kali), macOS
    Security & Monitoring: IAM Policies, Cloud Monitoring (AWS, Azure, GCP), Splunk

Additional Information

Experienced Cloud Infrastructure Architect with expertise in AWS, GCP, Azure, and Digital Ocean. Skilled in designing and managing scalable, efficient cloud solutions tailored to meet organizational needs. Proficient in deploying infrastructure as code using HashiCorp Terraform and Ansible, I specialize in creating high-performance cloud architectures for complex business requirements. Veteran (2004-2012), with multiple deployments supporting U.S Special Operations as an Aerial Sensor Commander, enhancing my strategic planning and operational efficiency under high stress in managing high-stakes cloud engineering projects.

Certification

  • AWS Certifications:
    AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner
    AWS Certified Cloud Solutions Architect Professional
  • Hashicorp Certification: Terraform Certified Associate Professional
  • Professional Training: Kubernetes Associate Training - 2023
    Python Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) Training - 2022

Accomplishments

  • AWS CERTIFIED CLOUD PRACTITIONER
  • AWS CERTIFIED ARCHITECT PROFESSIONAL
  • HASHICORP TERRAFORM ASSOCIATE
  • GOOGLE CLOUD PLATFORM EXPERT
  • AZURE CLOUD PLATFORM EXPERT

Affiliations

  • I am a seller on a platform called WHATNOT! User name is @BLITZHITZ, I break sports cards and Pokemon boxes live, auction rare cards and absolutely LOVE IT. Its a spare time hobby that I enjoy.
  • I Enjoy learning new things in technology and continue to expand my knowledge as a hobby! I am currently studying deeper knowledge with Python and Full Stack Web Development.

Keyword Bank

AWS, Azure, GCP, Digital Ocean, IBM Cloud, Oracle Cloud, Terraform, Ansible, CloudFormation, Pulumi, Python, JavaScript, Java, Go, Node.js, C#, Bash, PowerShell, Ruby, Chef, Puppet, SaltStack, Docker, Kubernetes, OpenShift, ECS, AKS, GKE, Jenkins, GitLab CI, CircleCI, Travis CI, Bamboo, TeamCity, Octopus Deploy, Prometheus, Grafana, ELK Stack, Splunk, CloudWatch, Datadog, Nagios, New Relic, Sumo Logic, VPC, VPN, CDN, DNS, Load Balancing, IAM, OAuth, SAML, SSL/TLS, NAT, BGP, HTTP, HTTPS, TCP/IP, UDP, REST API, SOAP, Microservices, Serverless, Lambda, Azure Functions, Google Cloud Functions, API Gateway, RDS, DynamoDB, Cosmos DB, BigQuery, Redshift, Snowflake, MongoDB, Cassandra, Redis, Kafka, RabbitMQ, JIRA, Confluence, Trello, Git, SVN, Mercurial, Agile, Scrum, Kanban, Lean, ITIL, ISO 27001, CISSP, CCSP, VMware, Hyper-V, Xen, KVM, Vagrant, OpenStack, S3, Blob Storage, File Storage, Data Lake, Azure Active Directory, Google IAM, Network Security Groups, WAF, Firewall, DDoS Protection, Penetration Testing, Vulnerability Assessment, Encryption, Key Management, Secrets Management, Configuration Management, Auto-scaling, High Availability, Disaster Recovery, Business Continuity, Cloud Migration, Hybrid Cloud, Multi-Cloud, Edge Computing.

Timeline

Cloud Engineer & Infrastructure SME

Peraton
02.2022 - Current

Cloud Engineer & Infrastructure Architect

Aevex Aerospace
06.2020 - 02.2022

Cloud Engineer & Infrastructure Architect

The Shadow Agent
01.2018 - 01.2020

Cloud Engineer & Infrastructure Architect

Momentum Aerospace Group
12.2015 - 03.2018

Cloud Engineer

Logos Technologies
12.2013 - 12.2015

Intelligence Analyst (Lead)

Mission Essential
09.2012 - 08.2013

All Source Intelligence Analyst

US Army
02.2007 - 06.2011

Bachelor of Science - Computer Science

University of Hertfordshire

AWS CLOUD PRACTITIONER - CLOUD TECHNOLOGY

Amazon Web Services

Army Specialized Training - Information Technology

Information Technology Specialist (25B)

All Source Intelligence - Intelligence

All Source Intelligence (35F)

Advanced Individual Training - Information Technology

Multi-Channel Transmission Systems (25Q)

DIPLOMA

Pendleton High School

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Mr. Kristopher Waddell