"Cloud Infrastructure Architect"

Northeastern University is seeking an experienced Cloud Infrastructure Architect with a strong focus on Microsoft Azure. This hands-on role is responsible for designing, implementing, and optimizing cloud infrastructure solutions that align with the university's cloud strategy. The ideal candidate will have deep expertise in Azure architecture, governance, security, networking, and automation. You will work closely with cloud engineers, security teams, and application teams to drive cloud adoption, scalability, cost optimization, and security best practices.

This role is hybrid and requires a minimum of three days a week in the office to facilitate collaboration. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States; sponsorship is not available.

Minimum Qualifications

• Experience: Minimum 7+ years in cloud architecture with a focus on Azure.
• Azure Expertise: Deep understanding of Azure networking, security, compute, storage, and hybrid connectivity.
• Infrastructure as Code: Proficiency in Terraform, Bicep, ARM templates, and PowerShell.
• Cloud Security & Compliance: Knowledge of Azure AD, RBAC, PIM, Conditional Access, and Zero Trust Security.
• Cloud Networking: Experience with VNets, VPNs, ExpressRoute, Azure Load Balancers, and Azure Firewall.
• Cost Optimization: Track record in Azure cost governance, Reserved Instances, and FinOps.
• Monitoring & Incident Response: Experience with Azure Monitor, Log Analytics, and Application Insights.
• Certifications: Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert (AZ-305) required; AZ-500 and AZ-400 preferred.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in multi-cloud environments (Azure & AWS).
• Hands-on experience with Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) and containerization.
• Familiarity with Azure SQL, CosmosDB, Azure Data Lake, and Azure Synapse Analytics.
• Experience with Zero Trust security models and cloud governance frameworks.

Key Responsibilities

• Cloud Architecture & Design (40%): Design and implement scalable, secure Azure architectures; develop reference architectures and governance frameworks.
• Cloud Infrastructure & Networking (20%): Architect Azure network components; ensure high availability and performance.
• Security & Compliance (20%): Lead security initiatives; establish governance for regulatory compliance.
• Cost Optimization & Governance (20%): Develop cost strategies; implement tagging and FinOps practices.
• Automation: Define IaC best practices using Terraform and oversee CI/CD integration.