Cloud Architect

This position will serve as the technical expert on orchestrating the placement and interaction of application components, to meet the agency business requirements, while also satisfying the often-conflicting requirements of sustainability, cost control, standardization, security, compliance, and strategic alignment primarily for the IT system modernization initiatives supporting CEPI portfolio. This position must ensure that the CEPI Cloud infrastructure is properly integrated with COTS packages, Software as a Service, Web Services and other federal, state and local government applications and services, both internal and external to the State. This position will provide technical expertise and leadership to application development staff, promoting usability, security, mobility, maintainability, and reusability. This position must be able to function with a minimum of direct supervision and requires a high degree of direct contact with department program managers and DTMB project and technology oversight groups. This position works as a part of a team of architects/designers with additional support staff.
The Cloud Application Architect is expected to lead the development and application of the technical architecture. They analyze technical/business problems and recommends strategies to implement technology or improve processes to enable improved business productivity.

Required Skills:

This position should know how to use the most suitable cloud architecture frameworks and tools for agency system, and how to adapt them to specific project context and needs. The role should also be able to collaborate with other architects and developers for framework and tool recommendations in cloud. Here are a few highly desired technical skills for ideal candidates.

A thorough knowledge of the various aspects of complex cloud application development environments and practices

Ability to use precedents in making decisions, capacity to communicate effectively with others, and maintain favorable public relations with clients.

Considerable knowledge of cloud application development architecture, framework, and tools, ability to gather and analyze facts, define problems, and recommend solutions.

Ability to conduct interviews and establish and maintain effective relationships with system users, ability to communicate technical terminology at a level appropriate to the audience.

A thorough knowledge of the various aspects of the client agency. The ability to recommend technical solutions to business problems is essential.

A thorough knowledge of business requirements, network-based application orchestration, control, audit and enablement of system administration, database management and application development.

Advanced cloud application development and integration techniques.

Experience with and knowledge of .NET, HTML, XML, SQL, SOAP, REST, PowerShell, IaC, Microsoft Azure, Function Apps.

Proficient in Microsoft VISIO, Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint).

Understanding in relational database concepts, database concepts, telecommunication concepts, secure coding concepts, secure authorization concepts, web services.

Experience in analysis, design, programming, testing, implementing and supporting web-based applications in Microsoft/Windows platform. (, framework 4.8 or higher, .Net 6 or higher).

Experience with observability and distributed tracing.

Experience designing, creating and maintaining distributed applications leveraging a microservices architecture.

Experience writing and implementing Infrastructure as Code (IaC).

Knowledge of both Microsoft Azure, web-based, and client server-based systems architecture.

Knowledge/training in object oriented analysis, design and programming experience.

Knowledge of cloud application and database development and access methods.

Ability to prepare detailed written instructions and documentation.

Ability to effectively make oral and written reports and presentations and prepare clear and concise documentation.

Ability to establish and maintain effective relationships with clients and matrix support teams.

Ability to resolve complex problems in a timely manner and seeks optimum solutions.

Effective at creating highly complex assignments in a high stress work environment.

Ability to troubleshoot application issues under pressure.

Ability to own work items and issues from start to finish with minimal supervision.

Essential Duties:

As the Cloud Application Architect for the Center for Educational Performance and Information (CEPI), this position is strategically responsible for the design and interaction of the client enterprise level application architecture, code libraries, middleware, and services components.

This Specialist leads the migration to a services-based architecture; compiles and designs architectural models of current and proposed applications across the client enterprise; performs design reviews across the client organization; leads the evaluation of vendor software targeted for possible integration into the applications or environment; defines and manages the IT application design methodology; surveys external emerging developments in application design and methodologies, and evangelizes new techniques, technologies and standards; manages the development and maintenance of the client application architecture environment, and consults with application designers on how to implement enterprise architecture components and resolve issues.

This position serves as the team s chief cloud SME and will enforce best practices in cloud implementation and deployment while complying with DTMB policies and procedures.