Lead Azure Architecture SME

Position Title: Lead Azure Architecture SME

Location: Washington, D.C. (Hybrid - 3 Days onsite)

Terms: Contract to Hire

Clearance Requirements: Secret or Higher

Pay Rate: $80- $100/hr (Negotiable)

The Opportunity:

Join as a Lead Azure Architecture SME and play a key role in designing, securing, and modernizing enterprise Azure environments for government customers. This is a senior technical leadership position requiring deep expertise in Azure architecture, networking, Microsoft Entra, cloud migration, infrastructure automation, and cloud-to-on-premises integration.

You will lead architecture decisions, support complex migrations, engage directly with government stakeholders, and provide hands-on technical leadership across highly controlled Azure environments.

Major Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end Azure architecture and solution design, including detailed Visio architecture diagrams and technical documentation.
• Lead technical presentations, architecture discussions, and solution deep dives with government customers and stakeholders.
• Plan and execute complex migrations using Azure Site Recovery (ASR), including dependency mapping, failover testing, and cutover activities.
• Manage and optimize replication traffic across ExpressRoute/VPN and design isolated VNets for migration testing and validation.
• Serve as the technical point of contact for Azure networking, driving troubleshooting, architecture decisions, and technical direction.
• Design and implement secure, resilient connectivity between Azure and on-premises environments.
• Architect and manage VNets, subnets, NSGs, Azure Firewall, VPN/ExpressRoute, load balancers, routing, and other Azure networking components.
• Lead security hardening across cloud and on-premises infrastructure while supporting system and workload migrations.
• Design and implement Microsoft Entra architecture, including identity governance, Conditional Access, role management, and cross-tenant integrations.
• Build and manage Azure infrastructure using DevOps and Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) practices, including Terraform, Bicep, ARM templates, Azure DevOps, and GitHub Actions.
• Mentor System Administrators on account administration, VM configuration, monitoring, patch management, and operational support.
• Oversee system changes and ensure compliance with DISA STIGs, hardening requirements, and organizational security controls.

Required Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor's degree or higher in Systems Engineering, Computer Science, Information Technology, or a closely related technical field.

Experience

• 10+ years of related IT/cloud architecture experience.
• 5+ years of hands-on experience in Azure IL5/IL6 environments.
• Strong experience designing and implementing network solutions within Azure IL5/IL6 environments.
• Experience with Microsoft Entra ID and Microsoft Entra Monitor.
• Extensive knowledge of Azure network architecture and Entra architecture.
• Advanced scripting experience with Ansible and/or PowerShell.
• Understanding of CI/CD concepts and secure pipeline development within controlled cloud environments.

Azure Networking Expertise

Candidates should have strong hands-on experience with:

• Azure VNets and subnets
• NSGs
• Routing and route tables
• Azure Firewall
• Load balancing
• ExpressRoute
• VPN
• Cloud-to-on-premises connectivity

Key Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate is a senior Azure architect/SME who can operate at both the architecture and hands-on engineering levels. They should be comfortable leading customer-facing technical discussions while also designing Azure networking, Entra architecture, migration strategies, IaC solutions, and secure cloud infrastructure.

Top priorities:

Azure IL5/IL6 + Azure Networking + Entra ID/Architecture + Architecture Leadership + Security+ + Active Secret + Government/Federal experience.

Required Certification

• CompTIA Security+ required to satisfy DoD 8570.01M IAT Level II requirements.
• Additional work-dependent certifications are a plus.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience in two or more of the following is preferred:

• Azure migration solutions, including Azure Site Recovery
• Cloud-based database systems
• Microsoft Visio for architecture diagrams
• Agile/Scrum environments
• Federal or State government environments

About Seneca Resources

At Seneca Resources, we are more than just a staffing and consulting firm; we are a trusted career partner. With offices across the U.S. and clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to government organizations, we provide opportunities that help professionals grow their careers while making an impact.

When you work with Seneca, you're choosing a company that invests in your success, celebrates your achievements, and connects you to meaningful work with leading organizations nationwide. We take the time to understand your goals and match you with roles that align with your skills and career path. Our consultants and contractors enjoy competitive pay, comprehensive health, dental, and vision coverage, 401(k) retirement plans, and the support of a dedicated team who will advocate for you every step of the way.

Seneca Resources is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace where all qualified individuals are encouraged to apply.