Born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana, Cambias became interested in space and astronomy at a young age.

He received a degree in the History, Philosophy, and Social Studies of Science and Medicine from the University of Chicago, focusing particularly on Robert Hooke and the Royal Society.

He continued to primarily write short fiction for the next ten years, and his work was subsequently published in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, The Journal of Pulse-Pounding Narratives, Crossroads: Tales of the Southern Literary Fantastic, All-Star Zeppelin Adventure Stories, Hellboy: Odder Jobs, Lady Churchill's Rosebud Wristlet, and several Year's Best anthologies.

His first full-length novel, A Darkling Sea (2014) concerns the encounter between humans and two species of sentient extraterrestrials.

The book received positive reviews, mentioning the meticulous world-building and believable aliens as particular strengths.