Senior Azure Engineer

Overview

The Senior Azure Engineer is a strategic technical role responsible for designing, implementing, and governing the State Department of Education K-12's enterprise Microsoft Azure cloud environment. This position requires deep expertise in Infrastructure as Code (IaC), landing zone architecture, and cloud security to build a scalable, secure, and compliant platform that supports critical educational applications and data systems. The engineer will automate processes, establish governance, and mentor team members to advance the department's cloud maturity in alignment with the Microsoft Cloud Adoption Framework (CAF).

• Lead the implementation of a landing zone architecture using Terra Form to establish a well-architected, multi-subscription Azure environment for the State education department.
• Design and implement core cloud infrastructure components including network CIDR block and IP address planning, virtual networks, subnets, vnet gateways for transit routing, Express Route, and firewall configurations.
• Establish and manage identity foundation using Azure Active Directory with integration with on-premises systems via Entra .
• Develop infrastructure as code (IaC) leveraging Terra Form as the primary tool to ensure all Azure resource deployments are automated, version-controlled, consistent, and repeatable.
• Build, maintain, and optimize CI/CD pipelines in Azure Dev Ops for deploying IaC, managing the full lifecycle from code commit to production deployment.
• Automate processes and infrastructure lifecycle management using Azure Automation, Power Shell, and CLI scripts to minimize manual intervention.
• Manage security and access controls of cloud-based solutions by implementing Azure Policy, Azure Blueprints, and Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) with a principle of least privilege.
• Demonstrate an understanding of security concepts including governance and access control, applying them to protect sensitive student data (FERPA) and meet Mississippi state security requirements.
• Configure and manage monitoring and logging of the Azure platform using cloud native services (Azure Monitor, Log Analytics, Application Insights) for security, performance, and cost insights.
• Analyze existing operational standards, processes, and/or governance to identify and implement improvements, driving cloud operational maturity.
• Serve as a subject matter expert on Azure, providing guidance to application development and infrastructure teams on cloud-native best practices.
• Act as an enthusiastic learner with the ability to teach and mentor teammates and cross functional partners, fostering a culture of cloud expertise within the department.
• Provide Tier 3 support for complex cloud infrastructure issues.
• This position requires a qualified Azure Engineer with at least 10 years' progressive IT experience, with a minimum of 8 years focused on Microsoft Azure, in the following areas:
• Azure Platform Expertise:
• Microsoft Azure experience involving design, deployment, configuration, and optimization of enterprise-scale IaaS and PaaS services (Compute, Storage, Networking, Databases, AKS).
• Strong foundational knowledge of the Cloud Adoption Framework for Azure with practical experience implementing its pillars (Cost Management, Security, Governance, Reliability, Performance Efficiency, Operational Excellence).
• Infrastructure as Code & Dev Ops:
• Expertise in IaC development with Terraform for managing complex, multi-environment Azure deployments. Implementation of a landing zone architecture through Terra Form is a core requirement.
• Proven experience deploying IaC with Azure Dev Ops (YAML and Classic pipelines), including managing service connections, variable groups, and pipeline security.
• Proficient with GIT to perform source code management (branching strategies, pull requests, code reviews).
• Security & Networking:
• Hands-on experience designing and implementing Azure security controls (NSGs, ASGs, Azure Firewall, Defender for Cloud, Key Vault).
• Basic understanding of Azure Active Directory and integration with on-premises systems (Entra , hybrid identity).
• Proven skill in network CIDR block and IP address planning as well as…