Azure Cloud Architect

Job Title: Azure Cloud Architect
Location: Grand Rapids, MI | Remote (EST)
Employment Type: Full-Time | Permanent
Salary Range: $110,000-$135,000
Benefits: Health Insurance, PTO, 401k w/match, etc.

We are seeking an experienced Azure Cloud Architect who enjoys designing systems end-to-end, implementation, and balancing architecture decisions with security, cost, and operational realities. You would be joining a small start-up company where each person must wear multiple hats and be able to tackle new problems quickly and effectively. You’ll be responsible for designing, deploying, and maintaining secure, scalable Azure environments, supporting everything from containerized applications to large ML/LLM workloads.

Why This Role Is Compelling:

• Greenfield architecture with real ownership.
• Direct access to leadership and decision-makers.
• Product-focused environment (not internal IT).
• Remote-first with minimal travel.
• Opportunity to shape standards, security, and scalability from day one.

Primary Responsibilities of the Azure Cloud Architect:

• Design and evolve cloud architectures on Microsoft Azure with a focus on scalability, security, and maintainability.
• Build, operate and optimize containerized workloads using Azure Container Apps (and related services).
• Deploy and support large ML models and LLM-based workloads with performance and cost considerations.
• Design and manage Azure networking (VNets, subnets, private endpoints, routing, DNS, firewall rules).
• Implement and maintain cloud security controls using Azure Firewall, Azure Sentinel, and other Azure-native security tooling.
• Define and enforce security best practices to support SOC 2 compliance and audit readiness.
• Implement infrastructure as code using Terraform.
• Build and maintain CI/CD pipelines using Git Hub Actions.
• Establish monitoring, logging, and alerting using Azure Monitor, Log Analytics, and Application Insights.
• Serve as a trusted advisor and technical leader, helping teams make sound architectural decisions.

Required Skills & Attributes of the Azure Cloud Architect:

• Microsoft Azure architecture and core services.
• Containers and container orchestration (especially Azure Container Apps).
• Azure networking and security fundamentals.
• Infrastructure as Code (Terraform preferred).
• Monitoring, logging, and operational excellence.
• Cost management and optimization in cloud environments.
• Deploying and operating ML or LLM workloads in production.

Preferred Skills of the Azure Cloud Architect:

• Azure Sentinel and SIEM/SOAR workflows.
• Supporting or passing SOC 2 audits (or similar compliance frameworks).
• Experience in regulated or security-conscious environments.
• Ability to communicate clearly with both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• CI/CD pipelines (Git Hub Actions).