BlueFlag LLP is hiring a Senior Cloud Solutions Architect with deep expertise in Microsoft Azure. You will architect, implement, and optimize cloud solutions for large enterprise environments, including a mission-critical data and analytics platform for the Department of Veterans Affairs.
What You'll Do
- Lead cloud architecture design and solutioning for a large data and analytics platform, with emphasis on Azure-based services.
- Drive the migration of large, complex workloads from legacy warehouses and on-premises VA systems into the cloud-based platform.
- Architect data ingestion, processing, and integration patterns using batch, near-real-time, streaming, SFTP, and API-based ingestion methods.
- Support data preparation, wrangling, transformation, enrichment, normalization, and integration pipelines leveraging Databricks, Synapse, and Starburst.
- Define and implement solution accelerators to support repeatable, scalable implementations across workstreams.
- Partner with customer success teams to support onboarding of VA customers, including migration of workgroups with extensive VM/application footprints.
- Provide architectural guidance for system-to-system integrations using APIs, SHIR, and various API frameworks.
- Ensure Identity and Access Management (IAM) and Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) models are consistently applied.
- Work closely with platform engineers, data governance engineers, data management engineers, and application development teams.
- Align architecture decisions with VA security and compliance requirements, including FISMA, NIST 800-53, and VA Handbook 6500.
- Provide architectural input into platform roadmap planning.
- Document all solution architectures in the platform's unified architecture framework within Confluence.
- Mentor engineers, data scientists, and other technical staff in cloud-native architecture best practices.
- Research and evaluate emerging cloud technology trends and best practices.
What We're Looking For
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, or related field.
- 8+ years of experience in cloud architecture, with at least 5 years focused on Microsoft Azure.
- Demonstrated experience leading large-scale cloud migration projects, including VM and application migrations from on-premises environments to Azure.
- Proven expertise in data engineering and analytics workloads, with hands-on experience in Azure Databricks, Azure Synapse Analytics, Azure Data Factory and Event Hubs, Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2, Neo4J, and SQL databases.
- Strong background in cloud-native solution architecture within multi-cloud environments (Azure Gov, AWS).
- Experience with infrastructure-as-code (Terraform, GitHub Actions) for provisioning and deployment automation.
- Deep understanding of data governance frameworks (Collibra, Immuta for ABAC, RBAC group models in Azure Entra).
- Knowledge of system security and compliance requirements in a federal environment, including NIST 800-53, FISMA, FedRAMP High, and VA Handbook 6500.
- Familiarity with disaster recovery, system integrity, and secure communications controls.
- Experience leading cross-functional teams (architecture, DevOps, data governance, application development) in a program environment.
- Strong client engagement skills, with ability to work directly with VA stakeholders, data providers, and consumers.
- Proven ability to design scalable, secure, and compliant data and analytics solutions.
- Excellent communication skills to support stakeholder engagement, intake processes, and solution handoffs.
- Must be a citizen of the United States.
- Must be able to obtain a public trust clearance. Must be eligible to work in the United States.
Nice to Have
- Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert.
- Microsoft Certified: Azure Data Engineer Associate or Azure Data Scientist Associate.
- Experience with Azure security certifications (e.g., SC-100, SC-200).
Technical Stack
- Azure Databricks, Synapse Analytics, Azure Data Factory, Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2
- Azure Kubernetes Service, Azure Cognitive/ML Services
- GoldenGate, Event Hubs, SFTP, APIs, SHIR (Self-Hosted Integration Runtime)
- Starburst, Azure Entra (Active Directory), Terraform, GitHub Actions
- Collibra, Immuta, Neo4J, SQL databases
Team & Environment
You will work closely with platform engineers, data governance engineers, data management engineers, and application development teams.
Benefits & Compensation
- Competitive salary
- Generous annual leave and paid holidays
- Comprehensive group health and dental plans
- 401(k) with company match
- Life insurance and AD&D coverage
- Ongoing training and professional development opportunities
Work Mode
This is a remote position.
BlueFlag LLP is an equal opportunity employer.
