"Azure Cloud Architect" -100% Remote - CG

Detailed Description From Employer:

Role: Azure Cloud Architect

Locations: 100% Remote

Duration: 12+ Months Contract

Job Description:

• Client is developing a modern SaaS platform hosted in Azure for our client. We are seeking a senior Azure Cloud Architect to support Infrastructure workstream deliverables as needed.
• This is an opportunity for a qualified resource to participate in the delivery of a cloud-native platform using the latest Azure technologies available.
• The ideal candidate would have a jack of all trades ability to operate across the entire continuum of Infrastructure-related requirements in support of Apps/Data/Security/Business Continuity.

SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS:

• Architecting and deploying complex solutions that integrate various services from Microsoft and 3rd party vendors.
• Must have great communication skills, be able to build client relationships, and facilitate, drive and navigate collaboratively with our client throughout a process of discovering scope and requirements as needed.
• Excellent and current understanding of the Azure ecosystem of services, backed by hands-on experience (10 yrs minimum) as a technical solution lead.
• Familiar with the software development lifecycle, typical infrastructure requirements across various application environments (Dev/Test/UAT/Perf/Prod etc.), as well as the software release/promotion process in an Agile delivery environment.
• Excellent technical documentation writing skills. Capable to produce high- and low-level design artifacts such as SDD s (solution design documents) and various types of environment diagrams (landscape / network / security / integration diagrams). Proficient with Visio and Powerpoint. Experience with LucidChart (Lucid Visual Collaboration Suite) a plus.
• CyberSecurity-aware mindset and cognizant of modern threats, security risks and mitigating technologies and controls in the cloud era.
• Knowledgeable about business continuity planning, processes and requirements, and able to design DR technology solutions in support of stated business continuity objectives.

Must-have technical skills (expert-level knowledge):

• Entra ID (Azure AD): Entra roles and permissions; App registrations; Implementing SSO (SAML) configs and claims; Entra Managed Domains and Entra Connect; MFA and conditional access policies
• Azure networking: VNET provisioning and peering; Private Endpoints and Service Endpoints; DNS (including private DNS zones); Load Balancers; Azure routing (UDR s, NAT gateways, ExpressRoute)
• Azure network security: NSGs; Azure Firewall; Azure DDoS; Azure App Gateways
• Azure remote access services: Bastion host; Azure VPN Gateway
• Azure SQL and SQL MI: architecting and deploying (not in a DBA capacity)
• Architecting and deploying AKS clusters (public and private)
• Web application services: Azure App Service, Azure API Management (APIM), Azure Service Bus
• Ancillary Azure services: key vaults, storage accounts (containers, file shares, SFTP)
• PKI services and certificate management processes
• Infrastructure and workload monitoring/observability solutions such as: Azure Monitor, Log Analytics, Prometheus, Grafana, Datadog, etc.
• Azure high-availability and business continuity services: Azure Backup, Azure Site Recovery, as well as service-specific geographical and regional (zone-based) redundancy solutions, for workloads involving any of the services listed above.
• Azure RBAC: roles and permissions as applicable to all the above services.
• IaaC (Infrastructure as code): Powershell, Azure CLI, Azure ARM templates.
• Excellent troubleshooting skills in complex environments and working across multiple teams.

Nice to have:

• Previous exposure to Zscaler ZPA/ZIA, or similar SASE services from other vendors
• Architecting and deploying Azure Virtual Desktop
• Practical experience with any of the following: VScode, Azure Bicep, Terraform
• Practical experience with Azure DevOps and CI/CD pipelines
• Previous exposure to cloud data & analytics services such as ADF (Azure Data Factory), Document Intelligence, Databricks, Ataccama
• Experience with Azure Policy

Key Accountabilities:

• Lead workshops with client and other project teams to collect and document the requirements driving solutions.
• Scope and architect Azure infrastructure solutions. Create design artifacts and technical documentation as needed to support solution reviews and engineering work.
• Seek and obtain approval of the proposed solutions from key stakeholders.
• Interface with project manager(s) to define and manage delivery plans for the solutions in scope.
• Act as the last level of technical escalation for the engineering functions tasked to implement the solutions.
• Support quality gates / implementation reviews, to ensure completeness and compliance with the designs.
• Participate and assist in the transition of services to Run state, once the initial builds are complete.
• Assist other teams with problem identification / resolution related to complex technologies and integrations pertaining to the solutions in scope.

Behavioral / Personality Requirements:

• Excellent communication skills, cool and composed under client pressure. Should be able to represent the status of various deliverables on calls/meetings with client personnel.
• Able to manage priorities by making adhoc decisions about critical items and their dependencies.
• Self-directed, go-getter and can-do attitude.

Work Experience and Education:

• College or university degree in Information Technology or a technical/engineering program
• 10+ Yrs work experience in relevant roles
• Previous exposure to the US healthcare sector a plus"