Senior Cloud Engineer

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The Cloud Engineering team is seeking a Senior Cloud Engineer with experience primarily in Microsoft Azure to facilitate solution delivery and operational needs within the group. This individual will play a crucial role in implementing enterprise cloud solutions for our business.

Key Accountabilities/Deliverables:

• Design and Implement Infrastructure as Code (IaC)

  • Develop and maintain modular, secure Terraform configurations for deploying Azure resources.

  • Utilize version-controlled code (GitHub) with state management and remote backends.

  • Create reusable Terraform modules to standardize infrastructure provisioning.

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• Build and Maintain CI/CD Pipelines

  • Develop GitHub Actions workflows for Terraform plans/applies and Docker builds/deployments.

  • Integrate code linting, security scanning, approvals, and environment gates into pipelines.

• Deliver Scalable Solutions in Microsoft Azure

  • Translate business and application requirements into cloud-native and hybrid Azure solutions.

  • Deploy services such as containers, App Services, VNets, Azure SQL, Key Vault, Storage Account, PrivateLink, Managed SQL, and Azure Backup.

  • Ensure deployments are secure, scalable, and compliant with enterprise policies.

• Modernize Legacy Infrastructure in the Cloud

  • Migrate legacy IaaS workloads to Azure PaaS or container platforms.

  • Design hybrid cloud solutions integrating on-prem systems with Azure (e.g., VPN/ExpressRoute Virtual Network Gateway, Azure Arc, PrivateLink).

  • Assess and remediate technical debt and outdated architecture.

• Governance, Security, and Compliance

  • Enforce enterprise standards using Azure Policy, RBAC, tagging policies, and cost control mechanisms.

  • Manage secrets with Azure Key Vault and implement secure identity practices (managed identities, MFA).

• Proactive Management and Audit-enabled Deployments

  • Set up monitoring and alerting using Azure Monitor, Log Analytics, Microsoft Sentinel, etc.

  • Create dashboards and alert rules for proactive incident detection.

  • Develop and maintain Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for common operational issues and escalations.

• Collaboration & DevOps Practices

  • Work cross-functionally with developers, architects, operations, and security teams to deliver infrastructure aligned with application needs.

  • Participate in Agile ceremonies (standups, sprint planning, retrospectives).

  • Review code, mentor team members, and promote DevOps best practices.

• Documentation & Knowledge Sharing

  • Maintain comprehensive technical documentation, including architecture diagrams, deployment guides, CI/CD pipeline workflows, operational runbooks, and disaster recovery procedures.

  • Conduct internal knowledge-sharing sessions and training.

• Continuous Improvement & Innovation

  • Evaluate and adopt emerging Azure services, DevOps tools, and Terraform capabilities.

  • Identify automation opportunities to streamline workflows and reduce manual operations.

  • Continuously optimize cloud costs, performance, and resource usage.

Technical Knowledge and Understanding:

• Microsoft Azure Core Services

  • Strong understanding of Azure compute services: Virtual Machines, VMSS, App Services, AKS.

  • Deep knowledge of Azure networking: VNets, Subnets, NSGs, UDRs, VPN Gateway, ExpressRoute, Private Link.

  • Familiarity with Azure storage options: Blob, File Shares, Disks, and backup solutions.

  • Experience with Azure PaaS services: Azure SQL, Cosmos DB, Application Gateway, Azure Functions, Logic Apps.

• Infrastructure as Code (IaC)

  • Proficient in Terraform: Writing clean and modular Terraform code, backend configuration and remote state management, workspaces and environment separation, and using the AzureRM provider effectively.

  • Familiarity with Bicep or ARM templates.

• CI/CD and Version Control

  • Deep understanding of Git fundamentals: branching, merging, PRs, versioning.

  • Experience with GitHub Actions (or equivalents like Azure DevOps Pipelines): Building pipelines for infrastructure and application delivery, managing secrets and environment approvals, and integrating security scans and validations.

• Containerization & Orchestration

  • Writing Dockerfile, building, and securing container images.

  • Managing multi-stage builds and custom base images.

  • Understanding container orchestration concepts and experience with Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS), Kubernetes YAML manifests or Helm charts, and Azure Container Registry (ACR) usage and access control.

• Azure Automation

  • Knowledge of Azure Automation Accounts, runbooks, function apps, and webhooks.

  • Scripting skills in PowerShell and/or Bash for automation and task orchestration.

• Identity & Access Management

  • Strong understanding of Azure AD / Entra ID, user and group management, Role-Based Access Control (RBAC), Conditional Access policies, and MFA.

  • Managed Identities, Service Principals, and Key Vault integration.

• Cloud Cost Management & Optimization

  • Experience with Azure Cost Management & Billing tools.

  • Knowledge of budgeting, forecasting, and usage analytics.

  • Strategies for cost optimization: Reserved Instances, autoscaling, rightsizing, eliminating idle resources.

• Monitoring, Logging & Troubleshooting

  • Proficient with Azure Monitor, Log Analytics, and Application Insights.

  • Familiarity with Microsoft Sentinel for security monitoring (optional).

  • Ability to design custom dashboards, alerts, and automated responses, and troubleshooting skills using logs, metrics, and network tracing.

• Legacy Infrastructure Knowledge

  • Understanding of traditional IT infrastructure concepts: data centers, IaaS, hypervisors (VMware/Hyper-V).

  • Experience with cloud migrations: Lift-and-shift vs refactor/re-platform, hybrid networking scenarios, integration of on-prem identities or systems with Azure (e.g., AD Connect, Azure Arc).

• Operating Systems & System Admin Skills

  • Working knowledge of Windows Server (RDP, IIS, Active Directory basics), and Linux (SSH, systemd, package management, log files).

  • Understanding of OS-level performance tuning, permissions, and patching.

• DevOps & Software Lifecycle Understanding

  • Familiarity with Agile/DevOps practices, CI/CD concepts, and Infrastructure Lifecycle.

  • Awareness of cloud-native and 12-factor app principles.

  • Understanding software packaging and deployment strategies (blue/green, canary, rolling).

Experience:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Information Technology or related field.

• 7+ years in Enterprise Information Technology engineering and/or operations.

• 4+ years of previous Terraform experience or relevant exposure.

• 4+ years of previous Microsoft Azure experience or relevant exposure

  • Microsoft Entra Id, Azure Update Manager, Azure Virtual Desktop, API Management, Application Gateway, Load Balancer, App Services

  • PowerShell or other language experience a plus

  • Docker / Container experience a plus

Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S.  We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa for this position. 

#LI-Hybrid

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At Core Specialty, you will receive a competitive salary and opportunities for professional development and advancement.  We offer medical, dental, vision, and life insurances; short and long-term disability; a Company-match of 100% of a 6% contribution 401(k) plan; an Employee Assistance Plan; Health Savings Account, Flexible Spending Account, Health Reimbursement Account, and a wellness program