STRATEGIC MINDZ LLC

Compensation

Full Description

Senior Azure Cloud Architect Location: Hybrid – Washington, DC (1 day per week onsite) Duration: 2-Year Contract (Possible Extension) Start Date: Immediate Client: Federal Government Agency (National Endowment for the Arts) Position Summary We are seeking an experienced Senior Azure Cloud Architect to lead the design, implementation, governance, and modernization of enterprise cloud infrastructure on Microsoft Azure. This role requires a hands-on technical leader with extensive experience architecting secure, scalable, and highly available Azure environments while collaborating with executive leadership, engineering teams, and federal stakeholders. The ideal candidate has progressed from Azure engineering into cloud architecture and possesses strong expertise in Azure infrastructure, networking, identity management, security, automation, Kubernetes, and cloud migration. The position is hybrid, requiring one day per week onsite in Washington, DC. Responsibilities Design enterprise-scale Microsoft Azure cloud architectures. Develop Azure landing zones aligned with the Microsoft Cloud Adoption Framework and Azure Well-Architected Framework. Architect solutions across: Azure Virtual Machines VM Scale Sets Azure App Services Azure Functions Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) Container Apps Azure Batch Design secure Azure networking solutions including: Virtual Networks (VNets) Network Security Groups (NSGs) Azure Firewall Application Gateway Front Door Private Endpoints ExpressRoute VPN Gateway Architect identity and access management using Microsoft Entra ID, RBAC, Conditional Access, Managed Identities, and Privileged Identity Management. Lead cloud migration assessments using Azure Migrate and develop migration strategies. Design disaster recovery and high-availability architectures. Create reference architectures, technical documentation, diagrams, and architecture decision records. Define Infrastructure-as-Code standards using Terraform and Bicep. Build and maintain CI/CD pipelines using Azure DevOps or GitHub Actions. Implement Azure security and governance using: Microsoft Defender for Cloud Microsoft Sentinel Azure Policy Management Groups Key Vault Configure Azure Monitor, Log Analytics, Application Insights, and KQL dashboards. Lead architecture review boards and technical design sessions. Provide technical leadership, mentoring, and code reviews for engineering teams. Collaborate with business stakeholders to translate business requirements into technical cloud solutions. Support cost optimization initiatives using Azure Cost Management and FinOps best practices. Required Qualifications Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field. 9–15 years of overall IT experience. 5–7+ years of hands-on Microsoft Azure engineering experience. 2–4+ years serving as an Azure Architect or technical lead. Experience designing enterprise Azure infrastructure from architecture through implementation. Strong knowledge of: Azure Compute Services Azure Networking Azure Storage Microsoft Entra ID Azure SQL Cosmos DB Azure Data Lake Azure Integration Services Expert-level experience with Terraform or Bicep. Experience administering production Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS). Strong scripting skills using PowerShell, Bash, or Python. Experience implementing cloud governance and security best practices. Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Ability to lead technical teams and engage executive stakeholders. Preferred Qualifications Experience in federal, government, healthcare, or other regulated industries. Knowledge of: Azure Arc Azure Stack HCI Azure Stack Edge VMware Windows Server Linux Administration Experience with microservices, event-driven architecture, and serverless computing. Familiarity with: FedRAMP NIST 800-53 CIS Azure Benchmark HIPAA PCI DSS Experience working in Agile/Scrum environments. Strong leadership skills with the ability to work in cross-functional teams. Required Certifications Candidates should possess the following Microsoft Azure certifications: AZ-305 – Azure Solutions Architect Expert (Required) AZ-104 – Azure Administrator Associate (Required) AZ-500 – Azure Security Engineer Associate (Required) Preferred certifications include: AZ-700 – Azure Network Engineer Associate SC-100 – Cybersecurity Architect Expert Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) Flexible work from home options available.