Job Title: Azure Architect Location: San Diego, CA Employment Type: Contract Rate: DOE Job Summary We are seeking an experienced Azure Architect to lead cloud architecture optimization, cost governance, and selective Azure-to-AWS migration initiatives for enterprise-scale environments. The ideal candidate will possess deep expertise in Microsoft Azure infrastructure, cloud cost optimization, hybrid networking, and cross-cloud migration strategies. This role requires strong architectural leadership, hands-on cloud engineering experience, and the ability to collaborate across infrastructure, security, DevOps, and AWS teams to drive scalable and cost-efficient cloud solutions.
Key Responsibilities
Lead Azure cloud architecture reviews and cost optimization initiatives across compute, storage, networking, databases, and observability services.
Analyze current Azure workloads and identify opportunities for cost reduction using:
Azure Reservations
Savings Plans
Azure Hybrid Benefit
Autoscaling strategies
B-Series VMs
Spot Instances
Plan and govern selective workload migration from Azure to AWS to optimize total cost of ownership (TCO).
Conduct dependency mapping, application assessments, and migration risk analysis.
Collaborate with AWS Architects to ensure landing zone consistency, governance, and operational alignment post-migration.
Provide recommendations for Azure licensing optimization and cloud governance best practices.
Design and implement scalable, secure, and highly available cloud architectures.
Support hybrid connectivity and enterprise networking using ExpressRoute, VNet Peering, and related technologies.
Drive cloud modernization initiatives using Azure-native and multi-cloud solutions.
Work closely with engineering, operations, and leadership teams to align cloud strategy with business goals.
Required Skills & Experience
10+ years of overall IT and cloud infrastructure experience.
6+ years of hands-on experience with Microsoft Azure.
Strong expertise in:
Azure IaaS & PaaS
Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS)
Azure App Services
Azure SQL
Azure Synapse Analytics
Azure Databricks
Extensive experience with:
Azure Cost Management & Billing
Azure Advisor
Azure Migrate
Hands-on knowledge of cross-cloud migration tools and strategies:
AWS Migration Hub
AWS MGN (Application Migration Service)
CloudEndure
Azure Migrate
Experience with MongoDB Atlas and Databricks cost optimization strategies.
Strong networking expertise including:
ExpressRoute
VNet Peering
Hybrid Cloud Connectivity
Excellent understanding of cloud governance, security, scalability, and disaster recovery principles.
Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.