Sr. Network and Azure Cloud Architect

Title: Sr. Network and Azure Cloud Architect Duration: 1 Yr Location: Remote. May have to travel to Texas once in a quarter. Looking for a Sr. Network and Azure Cloud Architect with a combined total of 10 years of experience, specializing in Microsoft Azure Cloud Platform Architecture and technologies. Solution architecture with extensive Azure, cloud and networking experience needed Responsibilities: Lead the design and architecture of innovative and scalable solutions using Microsoft Azure Architecture and Technologies. Collaborate closely with stakeholders, including development teams, project managers, and business units, to define technical requirements and project objectives. Provide strategic guidance and technical leadership throughout the project lifecycle, ensuring adherence to best practices and architectural principles. Conduct comprehensive technical evaluations of existing systems, identify areas for improvement, and propose effective solutions. Architect and implement third-party integrations to enhance system functionality and interoperability. Design and implement data strategies to optimize application performance and responsiveness. Develop database optimization techniques, including indexing, query optimization, and performance tuning, to improve system efficiency and reliability. Serve as the technical SME and point of escalation for troubleshooting network and cloud infrastructure issues. Assess new technologies and best practices for adoption. Drive standardization, documentation, and automation into all aspects of network/cloud platforms. Required Experience/Skills: Solution Architecture: o Combined 10 years of experience in network routing/switching and Azure. o 7 years of experience leading cloud integration architecture and application modernization. o Strong knowledge of enterprise computing and operating systems (OS) and Microsoft Azure cloud computing platforms. o In-depth knowledge of Azure services, including but not limited to VMs, Virtual Networks, Azure Active Directory, Azure Storage, and Azure Security. o Experience with cloud-based solutions leveraging cloud-computing infrastructure and platforms architecting, engineering, developing, and deploying systems and applications into a cloud environment. Azure and Cloud Technologies: o 7 years of hands-on experience with Azure migrations, Azure Security, Azure SQL, Azure Active Directory, Terraform, Infrastructure as Code, and disaster recovery. o Expertise in Azure Cloud Architect, including but not limited to Custom Imaging and VDI/Hypervisor, Intune and MDM management, VNet and Resource Groups, and Azure VPN gateways. o Expertise in Azure ADF, Azure Data Bricks, and Azure Data Lake with Azure Synapse database. Networking: o 10 years of hands-on experience in Network Architecture in the areas of designing, implementing, and troubleshooting complex routing and switching environments. o Design, plan, and implement scalable, secure, and resilient network architectures to support current and future business needs. o Evaluate new networking technologies, tools, and solutions to determine their suitability for adoption within the organization. Make recommendations based on performance, cost-effectiveness, and alignment with business objectives. o Lead the implementation of network infrastructure projects, including switches, routers, firewalls, load balancers, and other networking devices. Ensure proper configuration, integration, and optimization of network components. o Implement and maintain robust network security measures to protect against threats, vulnerabilities, and unauthorized access. Design and enforce network security policies, access controls, and encryption mechanisms. o Expertise with Cisco Routers (ISRs and ASRs), Cisco 7Ks and 9Ks, Cisco Campus LAN routing and switching, Cisco Data Center routing and switching. o Expertise in routing protocols (BGP, OSPF, EIGRP), MPLS/BGP, SDN/NFV, EVPN, and VXLAN. o Hands-on and strong technical expertise in implementing and troubleshooting network infrastructures at scale. o Experience with SD-WAN technologies such as Fortinet and Viptela. Soft Skills: o Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, with a strategic mindset and attention to detail. o Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively collaborate with diverse teams and stakeholders.