Cloud Architect

Location: Washington, DC (Onsite)

Job Summary

STAFFXPERT LLC is seeking a Cloud Architect on behalf of our client in Washington, DC. This role is responsible for designing, implementing, and governing enterprise cloud solutions with a primary focus on Microsoft Azure. The ideal candidate will bring deep expertise in cloud architecture, infrastructure automation, governance, security, and cloud migrations while serving as a technical leader and trusted advisor for complex cloud initiatives.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and maintain scalable, secure, and cost-effective cloud architectures in Microsoft Azure.

• Lead the development and enhancement of Azure Landing Zones, including governance, security, policy management, and role-based access controls.

• Architect and support hybrid cloud environments integrating cloud platforms with on-premises infrastructure and networks.

• Drive Infrastructure as Code (IaC) adoption using Terraform and implement automated deployment pipelines through Azure DevOps or similar platforms.

• Plan and lead cloud migration initiatives, including assessment, design, workload modernization, and migration execution.

• Provide architectural oversight for Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) environments and cloud-based end-user computing solutions.

• Establish cloud monitoring, backup, disaster recovery, and operational best practices.

• Ensure compliance with enterprise security standards and cloud governance frameworks.

• Collaborate with business leaders, technical teams, and stakeholders to define cloud strategies and solution roadmaps.

• Provide technical leadership, mentoring, and code review support to cloud engineering teams.

• Develop and maintain architecture diagrams, technical documentation, standards, and operational runbooks.

• Support and troubleshoot cloud environments across Azure and AWS platforms as needed.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.

• 8+ years of experience in infrastructure engineering, including significant experience designing and deploying cloud solutions in Microsoft Azure.

• Proven expertise in Azure architecture, cloud governance, networking, and security.

• Strong hands-on experience with Terraform and Infrastructure as Code (IaC) methodologies.

• Experience developing and managing CI/CD pipelines using Azure DevOps or comparable tools.

• In-depth knowledge of Microsoft Entra ID, identity management, and access governance.

• Experience planning and executing migrations from on-premises virtualized environments to Azure.

• Working knowledge of AWS cloud services and cloud operations.

• Strong leadership, mentoring, and stakeholder management skills.

• Excellent written and verbal communication abilities with experience producing technical documentation and architecture designs.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working within government, public sector, or highly regulated environments.

• Hands-on experience with Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) and related management platforms.

• Knowledge of compliance and security frameworks such as NIST, CJIS, or FedRAMP.

• Experience with cloud cost optimization, budgeting, and chargeback models.

• Familiarity with IT service management and change management processes.

• Relevant cloud certifications, including Microsoft Azure Solutions Architect and cloud infrastructure certifications.