Senior Azure Cloud Architect

Senior Azure Cloud Architect

Faegre Drinker has an opportunity for a Senior Azure Cloud Architect to work within our Technology & Innovation department in our Minneapolis or Philadelphia office. You will be part of a dynamic team responsible for the design, implementation, automation, optimization, and operational support of the firm's Microsoft Azure environments. This position will work with other talented individuals who share a passion for doing great work in the best interest of our clients.

What you would do:

1. Designs, deploys, and supports secure, scalable, and highly available Microsoft Azure infrastructure solutions
2. Leads engineering efforts across IaaS, PaaS, hybrid cloud, identity integration, networking, monitoring, and business continuity
3. Builds and supports Azure services including:

• Azure Virtual Machines
• Virtual Machine Scale Sets
• Azure App Services
• Azure Storage Accounts
• Azure Files / Blob / Managed Disks
• Azure Backup
• Azure Site Recovery
• Azure Load Balancer
• Azure Application Gateway
• Azure Key Vault

• Integrates Azure services with Microsoft 365, on-prem Active Directory, and enterprise applications
• Ensures cloud services are deployed in alignment with compliance, governance, and audit requirements typical of professional services organizations
• Troubleshoots complex incidents related to availability, performance, authentication, networking, and application connectivity
• Special projects and other duties as assigned

What is expected:

• Strong analytical, problem-solving and diplomacy skills.
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills, including the ability to communicate effectively in a virtual environment (e.g., via phone, web/videoconference)
• Ability to concentrate on tasks, make decisions and work calmly and effectively in a high-pressure, deadline-oriented environment
• Demonstrated ability to use good judgment in taking initiative while asking for direction or clarification and consulting others, as appropriate
• Willingness to be flexible with time and adjust to a changing work environment
• Ability to build and maintain positive relationships, both internally and externally, while maintaining a client service orientation in a collaborative environment
• Ability to use sound judgment and discretion in dealing with highly confidential information
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, organize, and accurately prioritize work, be detail-oriented, understand when urgency is required and use good judgment in varied situations

What we offer:

• Flexible working environment for work-life success
• Opportunity to participate in firm-sponsored volunteer events
• Wellness programming with personalized content and activities
• Professional environment and the opportunity to work with experts at the top of their fields
• Variety of health plan options, as well as dental, vision and 401(k) plans
• Generous paid time off

The anticipated initial annual salary range for someone who is hired into this position is $183,066.66 – $211,433.33.

Actual initial salary may be above or below the above-identified range and will be based on the relevant skills, training, experience, and other job-related factors, including the location where the position is filled, in all cases consistent with applicable law. This is an exempt role and the initial salary range listed above is just one component of Faegre Drinker's total compensation and benefits package for professional staff, which includes, but is not limited to, a discretionary bonus; life, health, accident, and disability insurance; and a 401(k) plan.

What is required:

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Business Administration, or a related field
• 10+ years of progressive IT infrastructure, systems, and/or cloud engineering experience
• 5+ years of deep, hands-on Microsoft Azure engineering experience
• Experience within a professional services organization is strongly preferred
• Proven experience designing and supporting enterprise-grade Azure infrastructure in complex, hybrid environments
• Strong expertise in Microsoft Azure IaaS, PaaS, identity, networking, security, and governance
• Hands-on experience with Azure networking and hybrid connectivity, including virtual networks, private endpoints, DNS, load balancing, application gateways, routing, and connectivity between on-premises and cloud environments
• Experience with Microsoft Entra ID and hybrid identity administration, including SSO, MFA, Conditional Access, RBAC, PIM, and integration with on-premises Active Directory
• Experience implementing Azure governance and security controls, including Azure Policy, Microsoft Defender for Cloud, Key Vault, encryption, tagging standards, subscription management, and access reviews
• Experience developing or maintaining infrastructure automation using tools such as PowerShell, Azure CLI, ARM/Bicep templates, Terraform, or similar infrastructure-as-code tools
• Experience with cloud monitoring, logging, and incident response, including Azure Monitor, Log Analytics, Application Insights, and operational troubleshooting in production environments
• Demonstrated experience with enterprise cloud migration, optimization, and operational support
• Strong understanding of hybrid infrastructure and integration between on-premises and cloud platforms
• Experience implementing security, resilience, and disaster recovery controls for cloud services
• Excellent documentation, troubleshooting, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills