What are the responsibilities and job description for the Azure Cloud Engineer (Top Secret Clearance Required) position at Improvix Technologies Career Center?
Azure Cloud Engineer
Location: Washington, DC (Onsite - 5 Days per Week)
Clearance: Top Secret Clearance Required
About the Role:
The Azure Cloud Engineer will be responsible for designing, implementing, and maintaining cloud infrastructure solutions within Microsoft Azure. This role requires a strong understanding of cloud architecture, automation, and security best practices. The ideal candidate will have hands-on experience with Infrastructure as Code (IaC), cloud networking, security management, and containerization technologies.
Key Responsibilities:
- Cloud Architecture & Implementation: Design, develop, and maintain scalable, high-availability, and fault-tolerant cloud infrastructure in Azure.
- Infrastructure as Code (IaC): Utilize Terraform, ARM templates, and PowerShell to automate provisioning and configuration of cloud resources.
- Security & Compliance: Implement and enforce cloud security best practices using Azure Security Center, Key Vault, and Azure Policy to ensure compliance with federal standards.
- CI/CD & Automation: Build and manage CI/CD pipelines using Jenkins, GitHub Actions, Azure DevOps, and GitLab for seamless deployment of microservices.
- Cloud Networking & Access Control: Configure and troubleshoot Azure Virtual Networks (VNets), Network Security Groups (NSGs), VPN Gateway, ExpressRoute, and Azure Front Door to optimize global routing and failover strategies.
- Containerization & Orchestration: Deploy and manage Docker containers and Kubernetes clusters (Azure Kubernetes Service - AKS) to support scalable applications.
- Cloud Monitoring & Optimization: Utilize Azure Monitor, Azure Advisor, and Log Analytics to assess system health, optimize resource utilization, and ensure cost-effectiveness.
- Hybrid Cloud & Migration Support: Perform discovery, assessment, and migration of on-premises workloads to Azure using Azure Migrate.
- Database & Storage Management: Configure Azure SQL Managed Instance, Azure Cosmos DB, and Azure Storage solutions (Blobs, Tables, and Files) for data integrity and high availability.
- Automation & Scripting: Develop automation scripts for system administration and deployment using PowerShell, Bash, and Python.
- Stakeholder Collaboration: Work closely with security, development, and operations teams to ensure cloud solutions align with business needs.
Required Qualifications:
- Experience: Minimum 5 years of experience in cloud engineering with a focus on Microsoft Azure.
- Cloud Certifications: AZ-104 (Azure Administrator), AZ-305 (Azure Solutions Architect), AZ-500 (Azure Security Engineer), AZ-700 (Azure Network Engineer) or equivalent.
- Infrastructure & Security Expertise: Hands-on experience with Azure Active Directory (AAD), Role-Based Access Control (RBAC), Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), and encryption tools.
- Automation & DevOps: Experience with Terraform, Ansible, Azure DevOps, and CI/CD tools for cloud automation and deployment.
- Networking & Load Balancing: Strong knowledge of ExpressRoute, VPN Gateway, NSGs, Application Gateway, and Load Balancers in Azure.
- Containerization & Orchestration: Proficiency in Docker, Kubernetes (AKS), and microservices deployment.
- Scripting & Coding: Strong scripting skills in PowerShell, Bash, Python, and JavaScript.
Preferred Skills:
- Experience with AWS services (RDS, S3, EC2, CloudFormation) is a plus.
- Knowledge of Azure Logic Apps, Service Bus, and Azure Functions for serverless computing.
- Familiarity with incident response and disaster recovery planning in cloud environments.
This role provides the opportunity to work in a mission-critical environment, supporting the development and optimization of cloud-based solutions that enhance government IT infrastructure.
