Senior Cloud Solutions Architect (Azure)

BlueFlag is seeking an ambitious, seniorlevel Cloud Solutions Architect specializing in Azure to join our dynamic team. This opportunity is remote. As a key player in our cloud infrastructure initiatives, youll have the opportunity to architect, implement, and optimize cloud solutions for large enterprise environments, including a cuttingedge data and analytics platform for the Department of Veterans Affairs.

What Youll Do

• Lead cloud architecture design and solutioning for a large data and analytics platform, with emphasis on Azurebased services including Azure Databricks, Synapse Analytics, Azure Data Factory, Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2, Azure Kubernetes Service, and Azure CognitiveML Services.
• Drive the migration of large, complex workloads from the legacy warehouses and onpremises VA systems into the cloudbased platform, ensuring security, compliance, and performance optimization.
• Architect data ingestion, processing, and integration patterns using batch, nearrealtime (GoldenGate), streaming (Event Hubs), SFTP, and APIbased 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 VMapplication footprints.
• Provide architectural guidance for systemtosystem integrations using APIs, SHIR (SelfHosted Integration Runtime), and various API frameworks.
• Ensure Identity and Access Management (IAM) and RoleBased 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 80053, FIPS 199200, 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 platforms unified architecture framework within Confluence, ensuring traceability across enterprise, platform, data, integration, and consumption layers.
• Mentor engineers, data scientists, and other technical staff in cloudnative architecture best practices, automation, and data product development.
• Research and evaluate emerging cloud technology trends and best practices to enhance company offerings.

• Why Join BlueFlag

  At BlueFlag, were passionate about leveraging cuttingedge technology to make a real difference. Youll be at the forefront of cloud innovation, working on projects that directly impact peoples lives. We offer a highgrowth, entrepreneurial environment that values fresh ideas and authentic teamwork.

  If youre ready to take your cloud engineering career to new heights and contribute to meaningful projects that push the boundaries of technology, we want to hear from you. Join BlueFlag and be part of a team thats shaping the future of cloud solutions!

  Requirements

  Education & Experience

  • 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 largescale cloud migration projects, including VM and application migrations from onpremises environments to Azure.
  • Proven expertise in data engineering and analytics workloads, with handson 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 realtime, and streaming ingestion)
    • Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2, Neo4J, and SQL databases

    • Technical Skills

      • Strong background in cloudnative solution architecture within multicloud environments (Azure Gov, AWS).
      • Experience with infrastructureascode (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 80053, 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).

      • Professional Skills

        • Experience leading crossfunctional 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.

        • Certifications (preferred)

          • Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert
          • Microsoft Certified: Azure Data Engineer Associate or Azure Data Scientist Associate
          • Experience with Azure security certifications (e.g., SC100, SC200) 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.

            • Benefits

              • 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