Azure Architect

Overview:

Job Title: Azure Architect

Location: Ready to Relocate Anywhere in the USA

Employment Type: Contract

Role Overview

We are seeking a highly experienced Azure Architect to design, implement, and govern scalable, secure, and high-availability cloud solutions on Microsoft Azure . This role requires deep expertise in Azure architecture, cloud security, networking, DevOps enablement, and migration strategies. The Azure Architect will partner with engineering, infrastructure, security, and business teams to drive cloud transformation initiatives across the enterprise.

Key Responsibilities

Azure Architecture & Design

• Design and architect end-to-end Azure solutions aligned with business, security, and compliance requirements.
• Define reference architectures , design patterns, and best practices for Azure workloads.
• Lead architecture reviews and provide technical direction for cloud initiatives.

Cloud Engineering & Implementation

• Architect and deploy Azure services including Virtual Networks, App Services, Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS), Virtual Machines, Azure SQL, Cosmos DB, Storage Accounts, and Azure Functions .
• Design high availability, disaster recovery, and scalability strategies.
• Lead cloud migration and modernization initiatives (re-host, re-platform, re-architect).

Security, Identity & Governance

• Architect secure solutions using Azure Active Directory (Entra ID) , RBAC, Managed Identities, and Key Vault.
• Implement governance using Azure Policy, Blueprints, Management Groups , and cost-management best practices.
• Ensure compliance with security frameworks and regulatory standards (NIST, CIS, SOC2, HIPAA as applicable).

Networking & Connectivity

• Design secure Azure networking solutions including VNets, VPN, ExpressRoute, Load Balancers, Application Gateway, and Azure Firewall .
• Implement hybrid and multi-region architectures.

DevOps & Automation

• Enable DevOps practices using Azure DevOps or GitHub Actions .
• Implement Infrastructure as Code (IaC) using Terraform, ARM/Bicep .
• Support CI/CD pipelines, automated deployments, and environment standardization.

Monitoring, Performance & Optimization

• Architect observability solutions using Azure Monitor, Log Analytics, Application Insights .
• Optimize cloud solutions for performance, reliability, and cost efficiency (FinOps).

Leadership & Collaboration

• Act as a trusted technical advisor to stakeholders and leadership.
• Mentor cloud engineers and provide architectural guidance.
• Collaborate with security, network, and platform teams to ensure cohesive cloud strategy.

Required Skills & Qualifications

• 8-12+ years of overall IT experience with strong focus on cloud architecture .
• 5+ years of hands-on experience designing and implementing Microsoft Azure solutions .
• Deep expertise in Azure compute, storage, networking, security, and identity services.
• Strong experience with Azure migrations and cloud modernization initiatives.
• Hands-on experience with IaC (Terraform, ARM, Bicep) and CI/CD pipelines.
• Solid understanding of cloud security, governance, and compliance .
• Excellent communication, documentation, and stakeholder management skills.
• Willingness and ability to relocate anywhere in the USA .

Preferred Qualifications

• Microsoft Azure certifications such as Azure Solutions Architect Expert (AZ-305) .
• Experience with AKS, microservices, and container platforms .
• Exposure to hybrid or multi-cloud environments .
• Experience working in large enterprise or regulated environments.

Key Competencies

• Strong architectural thinking and decision-making capability.
• Ability to translate business requirements into technical solutions.
• Leadership mindset with hands-on execution ability.
• Adaptability to evolving cloud technologies and business needs.

Technical Skills

Azure Architecture | AKS | Azure Networking | Azure Security | Azure DevOps | GitHub Actions | Terraform | ARM/Bicep | Azure Monitor | Cloud Migration | FinOps