Senior Cloud Solutions Architect (Azure)

• Lead cloud architecture design and solutioning for a large data and analytics platform, with emphasis on Azure-based services including Azure Databricks, Synapse Analytics, Azure Data Factory, Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2, Azure Kubernetes Service, and Azure Cognitive/ML Services.
• Drive the migration of large, complex workloads from the legacy warehouses and on-premises VA systems into the cloud-based platform, ensuring security, compliance, and performance optimization.
• Architect data ingestion, processing, and integration patterns using batch, near-real-time (GoldenGate), streaming (Event Hubs), 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 (e.g., Databricks notebooks, ingestion patterns, reporting and ML workspace templates) to support repeatable, scalable implementations across workstreams.
• Partner with customer success teams to support onboarding of VA customers, including migration of workgroups with extensive and complex VM/application footprints.
• Provide architectural guidance for system-to-system integrations using APIs, SHIR (Self-Hosted Integration Runtime), and various API frameworks.
• Ensure Identity and Access Management (IAM) and Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) models are consistently applied across Azure Entra (Active Directory), service principals, managed identities, and data lake ACLs.
• Work closely with platform engineers, data governance engineers, data management engineers, and application development teams to design, review, and improve deployment patterns.
• Align architecture decisions with VA security and compliance requirements, including FISMA, NIST 800-53, FIPS 199/200, VA Handbook 6500, and the VA Authority to Operate (ATO) boundary constraints.
• Provide architectural input into platform roadmap planning, ensuring that DevOps, initiatives, and customer projects are aligned with VA’s strategic priorities and capacity planning processes.
• Document all solution architectures in the platform's unified architecture framework within Confluence, ensuring traceability across enterprise, platform, data, integration, and consumption layers.
• Mentor engineers, data scientists, and other technical staff in cloud-native architecture best practices, automation, and data product development.
• Research and evaluate emerging cloud technology trends and best practices to enhance company offerings.

• 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 (data processing, ML pipelines, advanced analytics)
• Azure Synapse Analytics (SQL Pools, big data analytics, enterprise data warehouse)
• Azure Data Factory and Event Hubs (batch, near real-time, and streaming ingestion)
• 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 (e.g., Contingency Planning, System and Information Integrity, System and Communications Protection SOPs).

• 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 to translate business needs into technical solutions.
• Proven ability to design scalable, secure, and compliant data and analytics solutions that align with organizational strategy and regulatory requirements.
• Excellent communication skills to support stakeholder engagement, intake processes, and solution handoffs.

• 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) is a plus
• US Citizen: Must be a citizen of the United States.
• Security Clearance: Must be able to obtain a public trust clearance. Must be eligible to work in the United States.

• 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

BlueFlag LLP