Cloud Engineer

Job Summary

We are seeking an experienced Senior Cloud Engineer with expertise in Microsoft Azure to design, implement, and manage scalable, secure, and highly available cloud solutions. The ideal candidate will play a key role in cloud strategy, architecture, automation, and optimization while working closely with development, DevOps, and security teams.

Job Location: Onsite, Houston, Texas

Key Responsibilities

Cloud Architecture & Design

• Design and implement scalable, secure, and resilient cloud architectures on Microsoft Azure
• Define cloud standards, governance, and best practices
• Lead cloud migration strategies (lift & shift, refactoring, modernization)

Implementation & Operations

• Deploy and manage Azure services such as Virtual Machines, App Services, AKS, Azure Functions, Storage, and Networking
• Ensure high availability, disaster recovery, and business continuity strategies
• Monitor and optimize cloud infrastructure performance and cost

DevOps & Automation

• Build and maintain CI/CD pipelines using Azure DevOps, GitHub Actions, or similar tools
• Automate infrastructure provisioning using Infrastructure as Code (Terraform, ARM templates, Bicep)
• Implement configuration management and deployment automation

Security & Compliance

• Implement and manage Azure security services (Azure AD, Key Vault, Defender for Cloud, Sentinel)
• Enforce identity and access management (IAM), policies, and governance frameworks
• Ensure compliance with organizational and regulatory requirements

Networking

• Design and manage Azure Virtual Networks, VPNs, ExpressRoute, Load Balancers, and Application Gateways
• Troubleshoot network connectivity issues in hybrid environments

Collaboration & Leadership

• Work closely with development, QA, and IT teams for cloud adoption
• Mentor junior engineers and provide technical leadership
• Participate in architectural reviews and technical decision-making

Required Skills & Qualifications

Technical Skills

• 5+ years of IT experience with at least 3+ years in Microsoft Azure
• Strong expertise in:
• Azure Compute (VMs, AKS, App Services)
• Azure Networking (VNet, NSG, VPN, ExpressRoute)
• Azure Storage (Blob, File, Disk)
• Azure Identity (Azure AD, RBAC)
• Hands-on experience with:
• Infrastructure as Code (Terraform / ARM / Bicep)
• CI/CD tools (Azure DevOps, GitHub)
• Containerization (Docker, Kubernetes)
• Scripting skills in PowerShell, Python, or Bash

Cloud & DevOps

• Experience with monitoring tools (Azure Monitor, Log Analytics, Application Insights)
• Experience implementing DevOps practices and automation
• Familiarity with microservices architecture and APIs

Security

• Strong understanding of cloud security frameworks and best practices
• Experience with encryption, secrets management, and identity governance

Preferred Qualifications

• Microsoft Certifications:
• Azure Solutions Architect Expert (AZ-305)
• Azure Administrator (AZ-104)
• Azure DevOps Engineer (AZ-400)
• Experience with multi-cloud environments (AWS, GCP)
• Experience in cost optimization and FinOps practices
• Exposure to enterprise-scale cloud transformation projects

Soft Skills

• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, agile environment
• Leadership and mentoring capabilities

Key Deliverables / Success Metrics

• Stable, secure, and scalable Azure infrastructure
• Reduced cloud costs through optimization
• Faster deployment cycles via automation
• High system uptime and performance

Work Environment

• Agile / DevOps-driven teams
• Collaboration across global stakeholders