Cloud Architect

Cloud Architect

UTurn Data Solutions is a technology services firm helping businesses achieve digital transformation through the use of cloud technologies. Recognized by Crain's as one of Chicago's fastest growing companies in 2024 (#9) and 2023 (#11), we are market leaders in leveraging the power of AWS to accelerate innovation, increase operational efficiency and help our clients future proof their businesses.

As one of the top AWS partners in the Midwest we specialize in AWS Migration, designing and implementing cloud native architectures, building analytics platforms and enabling automation through DevOps. An Advanced Tier AWS Consulting Partner and AWS DevOps Competency Partner, UTurn is headquartered in Chicago with offices in the River North neighborhood.

UTurn Data Solutions is looking for a Cloud Architect with excellent interpersonal skills who has proven experience using DevOps methodologies to implement solutions in AWS. The Cloud Architect, based in Chicago, will be on the front line of client engagements to help lead the way for cloud adoption.

Our hiring process is straightforward; there are no tricks or gimmicks. The four step process flow is:

1. Initial interview with role and company review (20-30 minutes)
2. Second in-depth technical interview with a senior technical resource (45 minutes)
3. One-week take-away technical challenge to build a small AWS environment from a specification we provide (4-8 hours expected effort, 1 week timespan)
4. Present your solution to a small group of technical and business resources (75 minutes)

There are no trick questions during the interviews or challenges; we're happy to clarify or expand on questions when needed!

To be successful during the interview process, a candidate should be familiar material found on the AWS Solutions Architect Professional exam and have extensive knowledge of Terraform and the Terraform AWS provider. To be exceptionally successful, the candidate should be able to explain the answers provided clearly and concisely and give examples as well as be able to whiteboard their solution.

Extensive experience with Windows or Linux and a major cloud provider are a must for this role. The most successful candidates will be comfortable speaking with and to both executives and engineers and have the ability to walk the talk when necessary, as well as have a demonstrable expertise in a specific domain such as Windows, Linux, Containerization, Serverless, Machine Learning, or Software Development

If you are looking for the right opportunity to advance your career and want to work with a group of highly skilled, committed and energetic professionals to solve big challenges using cloud technology, this role is for you.

We are looking for sharp, disciplined, and self-motivated individuals who have a passion for utilizing cloud solutions to solve real world business challenges for our customers. In collaboration with other leaders in the firm, you will focus on designing, building, migrating and optimizing solutions leveraging AWS services.

What You'll Do

• Lead engagements with clients creating and designing migration solutions for AWS environments
• Leverage common Infrastructure as Code tools to define AWS environments and workloads
• Design deployment patterns and high-level orchestration strategy for Configuration Management and Continuous Deployment tools deliver infrastructure and applications to AWS environments
• Plan migrations of bare metal and VM hosted applications to containers and serverless functions
• Migrate operations of existing platforms to a highly available and scalable architecture (web applications, databases, storage, etc.)
• Direct delivery staff on migration of on-premises data and applications to AWS
• Implement optimized AWS architectures that account for cost, availability, and scalability needs
• Communicate regularly with both clients and internal resources about project status and changes

Education

• Bachelor's Degree strongly preferred
• Certifications related to cloud provider strongly preferred (or attained in first 90 days)

Experience

Business Skills

• Creative Problem-Solving: Approaching migration challenges with a clear eye on what is important; employing suitable approach/methods to make the maximum use of time and human resources.
• Effective Collaboration: Carefully listening to customers, management, engineers, and architects to establish their needs.
• Intellectual Curiosity: Exploring new territories and finding creative and pragmatic ways to solve migration problems and efficiency.
• Industry Knowledge: Understanding and perspective of how industry functions and how migrations are efficiently analyzed, planned for, and executed.

Technical Skills

• 5-10 years system engineering/administration experience on Linux or Windows
• 3-5 years of experience with a major cloud provider (AWS, Azure, or GCP)
• 3+ years of experience with AWS if other experience is Azure/GCP
• 2-3 years of experience with Infrastructure as Code tools – Terraform preferable, alternate tools acceptable
• Domain of expertise in one of the following areas:
• Windows, Linux, Containerization, Serverless, Machine Learning, or Software Development
• Strong scripting experience on Linux or Windows (Bash/Fish/ZSH, Python, PowerShell) including use of the AWS SDK or CLI
• 2-3 years of experience managing common security controls (IAM, Least Privilege, Firewall, Patching, Antivirus, etc.)
• Strong understanding of enterprise, network, system and application-level architecture
• Experience utilizing common source control systems (git, VSTS, SVN) and project structure/organization
• Experience with CI practices with a common tool (Jenkins, Travis, CircleCI, Bamboo)
• Proven ability to effectively communicate with all levels of staff and management

Placement Level

Job placement level (general, senior, or principal architect) will be determined based on skills, experience, education, and qualification through a practical exercise during the interview process.

Benefits

Great benefits and perks including flexible hours, excellent medical, Dental/Vision, LTD/STD/AD&D/Life coverage, 401k, on-going training, River North location or home office, transit reimbursement, on-going technical training, and doughnuts, lots of doughnuts!