Freelance Python Automation Engineer Jobs in Alabama

Location: On-site (Secret Clearance Required)
Clearance: Active Secret Clearance Required
Employment Type: Contract About the Role
We are seeking an experienced Automation Subject Matter Expert (SME) to support a large-scale cloud modernization and security initiative. This position will play a critical role in driving Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC), automation, configuration management, and deployment practices across a highly secure enterprise environment. The ideal candidate will bring deep expertise in Terraform, Ansible, scripting, automation governance, and CI/CD pipelines while supporting compliance and authorization efforts within a mission-critical environment. This is an opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge cloud and infrastructure modernization efforts while working with advanced technologies in a complex, enterprise-scale ecosystem. Key Responsibilities
Design, develop, and maintain Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) solutions using HashiCorp Terraform across cloud and on-premises environments.
Build, manage, and optimize Ansible playbooks, roles, automation workflows, and operational runbooks.
Develop and maintain automation solutions using Python, PowerShell, Bash, and Shell scripting.
Automate infrastructure provisioning, configuration management, deployment activities, security controls, and operational processes.
Implement and support CI/CD pipelines utilizing tools such as Git, GitHub, GitLab, Jenkins, Azure DevOps, or similar platforms.
Support secure automation practices, including secrets management, credential rotation, PKI integration, and governance controls.
Troubleshoot complex automation and deployment issues across enterprise-scale environments.
Create and maintain technical documentation, operational procedures, and compliance artifacts.
Collaborate with engineering, security, and operations teams to support authorization and compliance initiatives.
Lead technical discussions, gather requirements, provide training, and communicate solutions to stakeholders across multiple teams. Required Qualifications
Active Secret Clearance.
Extensive experience with HashiCorp Terraform and Infrastructure-as-Code methodologies.
Strong experience developing and maintaining Ansible automation solutions.
Advanced scripting experience in Python, PowerShell, Bash, and Shell scripting.
Experience automating infrastructure, cloud, security, and operational workflows.
Hands-on experience implementing and supporting CI/CD pipelines.
Strong understanding of automation governance, change management, compliance, and enterprise operations.
Exceptional troubleshooting, documentation, and problem-solving skills.
Strong communication skills with the ability to engage technical and non-technical stakeholders. Preferred Qualifications
Experience with HashiCorp Vault and secrets management solutions.
Knowledge of Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) integration and credential management.
Experience with Git, GitHub, GitLab, Jenkins, and Azure DevOps.
Familiarity with enterprise cloud environments and DevOps practices.
Experience supporting authorization, accreditation, security compliance, and operational readiness initiatives. What You'll Be Supporting
This role contributes to a modern hybrid-cloud transformation initiative focused on: Standardizing and automating enterprise infrastructure management.
Building highly secure, resilient, and scalable cloud environments.
Implementing zero-trust and secure automation practices.
Supporting rapid deployment capabilities through Infrastructure-as-Code and CI/CD automation.
Improving operational efficiency, governance, and visibility across distributed environments.
Enabling advanced analytics, AI workloads, and mission-critical applications through modern infrastructure platforms. This is an excellent opportunity for a senior automation professional who enjoys solving complex infrastructure challenges and driving enterprise-scale automation initiatives.