Azure Cloud Engineer

Founded in 2007, Initiate Government Solutions (IGS) a Woman Owned Small Business. We are a fully remote IT services provider that delivers innovative Enterprise IT and Health Services solutions across the federal sector. Our focus is on data analytics, health informatics, cloud migration, and the modernization of federal information systems.
 

IGS uses ISO 9001:2015, 20000-1:2018, 27001:2013, 28001:2007, CMMI/SVC3, CMMI/DEV3 best practices, and PMBOK® methods to provide clients with a strategy to build solid foundations to grow capabilities and revenue. Our range of IT services and delivery methodologies are tailored to our customers’ unique needs to achieve maximum value.

IGS is currently pipelining a remote experienced Azure Cloud Engineer supporting mission-critical data platforms within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

The Cloud Engineer will lead cloud architecture, automation, security remediation, and DevSecOps functions for multiple VA programs. They will demonstrate expertise in delivering secure, scalable cloud solutions within ATO High boundaries, with full lifecycle experience in infrastructure automation, containerization, RBAC, patching, and compliance enforcement. 

Assignment of Work and Travel:

This is a remote access assignment. Candidates will work remotely daily and will remotely access VA systems and therein use approved VA provided communications systems. Travel is not required; however, the candidate may be required to attend onsite client meetings as requested.

Responsibilities and Duties (Included but not limited to):

• Azure Architecture & Engineering
  Design and deploy secure, high-availability IaaS/PaaS/SaaS environments on Azure Government for VA programs.
• Security Engineering & Compliance
  Deploy hardened Windows and Linux systems per VA OIT STIG standards. Implement monthly patching cycles, vulnerability remediation, and POA&M mitigation for enclave systems.
• Containerization & Runtime Optimization
  Develop and implement VA standard for Self-Hosted Integration Runtime (SHIR) containers, enabling secure and scalable deployments for Synapse and Data Factory workloads (300+ instances). Support container deployments with Kubernetes and/or OpenShift deployments.
• Infrastructure Automation (IaC)
  Automate cloud provisioning pipelines and patching using tools such as GitHub, Jenkins, Azure Policy, Bicep, ARM templates, PowerShell DSC, Chocolaty, and Ansible. Author custom scripts to optimize Azure VM lifecycle operations.
• Monitoring & Performance Management
  Deploy proactive monitoring frameworks using Azure Monitor, Log Analytics, and Dynatrace to support performance optimization and fault resolution for cloud compute and networking.
• Executive Reporting & Security Demonstrations
  Deliver executive briefings, documentation, and visualizations to VA stakeholders. 
• RBAC & Access Control
  Design and maintain fine-grained IAM and Cloud role-based access control that align to VA cloud security architecture requirements.
• Team Coordination & Stakeholder Engagement
  Collaborate with BISL teams, infrastructure leads, and OIT leadership to gather requirements, plan infrastructure builds, and resolve design-time implementation conflicts.

Products and Tooling 

Primary Products

• Azure Data Factory
• Azure Synapse
• Azure Databricks
• Azure Storage Accounts
• Azure Data Lake
• Azure Virtual Machines (Windows & Linux)
• Azure OpenAI (nice to have)
• Azure Container Registry
• Azure Application Services
• Microsoft Entra ID
• Containerization Kubernetes or OpenShift (Windows & Linux)

DevSecOps & IAC

• GitHub 
• Jenkins pipelines and reporting
• Jira
• Service Now
• Ansable
• Terraform
• PowerShell / Azure CLI
• Python
• Code and Container Security Scanning 

• Minimum 10 years of technical experience 
• Minimum 5 years of experience in cloud engineering 
• MS (Master of Science) degree in computer science, electronics engineering or other engineering or technical discipline. 
• Proficiency with Terraform and infrastructure as code (IaC) principles.
• Experience with cloud platforms such as AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud.
• Strong understanding of cloud security best practices.
• Excellent problem-solving and troubleshooting skills.
• Ability to support customers during EST hours.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Excellent analytical and organizational skills.
• Ability to obtain and maintain VA Public Trust. 
• Must be eligible to work in the United States without sponsorship due to clearance requirement.  

Preferred Qualifications and Core Competencies:

• Knowledge of VA Operating divisions 
• Active VA Public Trust
• Prior, successful experience working in a remote environment.

Successful IGS employees embody the following Core Values:

• Integrity, Honesty, and Ethics: We conduct our business with the highest level of ethics. Doing things like being accountable for mistakes, accepting helpful criticism, and following through on commitments to ourselves, each other, and our customers. 
• Empathy, Emotional Intelligence: How we interact with others including peers, colleagues, stakeholders, and customers’ matters. We take collective responsibility to create an environment where colleagues and customers feel valued, included, and respected. We work within a diverse, integrated, and collaborative team to drive towards accomplishing the larger mission. We conscientiously and meticulously learn about our customers’ and end-users’ business drivers and challenges to ensure solutions meet not only technical needs but also support their mission.
• Strong Work Ethic (Reliability, Dedication, Productivity): We are driven by a strong, self-motivated, and results-driven work ethic. We are reliable, accountable, proactive, and tenacious and will do what it takes to get the job done. 
• Life-Long Learner (Curious, Perspective, Goal Oriented): We challenge ourselves to continually learn and improve ourselves. We strive to be an expert in our field, continuously honing our craft, and finding solutions where others see problems. 

Compensation: There are a host of factors that can influence final salary, including, but not limited to, geographic location, Federal Government contract labor categories and contract wage rates, relevant prior work experience, specific skills and competencies, education, and certifications.

Benefits: Initiate Government Solutions offers competitive compensation and a robust benefits package, including comprehensive medical, dental, and vision care, matching 401K and profit sharing, paid time off, training time for personal development, flexible spending accounts, employer-paid life insurance, employer-paid short and long term disability coverage, an education assistance program with potential merit increases for obtaining a work-related certification, employee recognition, and referral programs, spot bonuses, and other benefits that help provide financial protection for the employee and their family.

Initiate Government Solutions participates in the Electronic Employment Verification Program.