Senior Cloud Engineer – Azure

Role: Senior Cloud Engineer – Azure

Location: Houston, Texas – Onsite

W2 Contract Only

Job Domain: Oil & Gas Domain

Job Summary:

We are seeking an experienced Senior Cloud Engineer with expertise in Microsoft Azure to design, implement, and manage scalable, secure, and highly available cloud solutions. The ideal candidate will play a key role in cloud strategy, architecture, automation, and optimization while working closely with development, DevOps, and security teams.

Key Responsibilities:

Cloud Architecture & Design:

• Design and implement scalable, secure, and resilient cloud architectures on Microsoft Azure

• Define cloud standards, governance, and best practices

• Lead cloud migration strategies (lift & shift, refactoring, modernization)

Implementation & Operations

• Deploy and manage Azure services such as Virtual Machines, App Services, AKS, Azure Functions, Storage, and Networking

• Ensure high availability, disaster recovery, and business continuity strategies

• Monitor and optimize cloud infrastructure performance and cost

DevOps & Automation

• Build and maintain CI/CD pipelines using Azure DevOps, GitHub Actions, or similar tools

• Automate infrastructure provisioning using Infrastructure as Code (Terraform, ARM templates, Bicep)

• Implement configuration management and deployment automation Security & Compliance

• Implement and manage Azure security services (Azure AD, Key Vault, Defender for Cloud, Sentinel)

• Enforce identity and access management (IAM), policies, and governance frameworks

• Ensure compliance with organizational and regulatory requirements Networking

• Design and manage Azure Virtual Networks, VPNs, ExpressRoute, Load Balancers, and Application Gateways

• Troubleshoot network connectivity issues in hybrid environments

Collaboration & Leadership

• Work closely with development, QA, and IT teams for cloud adoption

• Mentor junior engineers and provide technical leadership

• Participate in architectural reviews and technical decision-making

Required Skills & Qualifications:

• 5+ years of IT experience with at least 3+ years in Microsoft Azure

• Strong expertise in: o Azure Compute (VMs, AKS, App Services) o Azure Networking (VNet, NSG, VPN, ExpressRoute) o Azure Storage (Blob, File, Disk) o Azure Identity (Azure AD, RBAC)

• Hands-on experience with: o Infrastructure as Code (Terraform / ARM / Bicep) o CI/CD tools (Azure DevOps, GitHub) o Containerization (Docker, Kubernetes)

• Scripting skills in PowerShell, Python, or Bash Cloud & DevOps

• Experience with monitoring tools (Azure Monitor, Log Analytics, Application Insights)

• Experience implementing DevOps practices and automation

• Familiarity with microservices architecture and APIs Security

• Strong understanding of cloud security frameworks and best practices

• Experience with encryption, secrets management, and identity governance Preferred Qualifications

• Microsoft Certifications: o Azure Solutions Architect Expert (AZ-305) o Azure Administrator (AZ-104) o Azure DevOps Engineer (AZ-400)

• Experience with multi-cloud environments (AWS, Google Cloud Platform)

• Experience in cost optimization and FinOps practices

• Exposure to enterprise-scale cloud transformation projects Soft Skills

• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills

• Excellent communication and stakeholder management

• Ability to work in a fast-paced, agile environment

• Leadership and mentoring capabilities Key Deliverables / Success Metrics

• Stable, secure, and scalable Azure infrastructure

• Reduced cloud costs through optimization

• Faster deployment cycles via automation

• High system uptime and performance Work Environment

• Agile / DevOps-driven teams

• Collaboration across global stakeholders