Infrastructure Cloud Architect (Azure)

TalentFish is casting a line for an Infrastructure Cloud Architect. This is a full-time, direct hire hybrid role in Chicago, IL.

• This is a senior, hands-on technical leadership role that will guide our client’s Azure-first hybrid infrastructure transformation as they exit legacy data centers and expand their Azure footprint.
• This is an infrastructure-focused position not application architecture or DevOps spanning Azure, traditional enterprise infrastructure, networking, security, compute, storage, virtualization, resiliency, and governance.
• You’ll set architectural direction while staying hands-on enough to design, build, troubleshoot, and support the infrastructure yourself., * Provide architectural direction and technical leadership for an Azure-first hybrid infrastructure transformation, including the exit of legacy primary data centers.
• Help transition workloads to new colocation facilities located closer to Azure regions.
• Leverage Azure VMware Solution (AVS) during the transition while gradually reducing VMware dependency.
• Move additional workloads toward Azure IaaS.
• Establish infrastructure standards, patterns, and governance for the future hybrid environment
• Personally design, build, configure, and support infrastructure across networking, security, compute, storage, and virtualization roughly 60% architecture/strategy and 40% hands-on implementation and operational support in Year 1.
• Serve as a senior technical escalation point, joining critical incidents to quickly assess what changed, identify dependencies, determine where to start, and drive the technical investigation.
• Develop and maintain architecture diagrams and documentation and communicate technical decisions to leadership.
• Participate in the on-call rotation (primary or secondary roughly every 6 7 weeks) for after-hours emergencies.

• A senior Infrastructure/Cloud Engineer ready to step into architecture, or a current Architect who has stayed close to the technology.
• Possess a true hands-on track record and can confidently say, “I designed it, I built it, I configured it, I supported it, and I troubleshot it. Candidates whose experience is primarily coordinating migrations, managing implementation partners, or reviewing others’ work are an unlikely fit.

What You Bring To The Role (Ideal Experience)

• 10+ years of progressive experience across enterprise infrastructure, engineering, or architecture, with a strong foundation in traditional on-premises infrastructure that has evolved into Azure and hybrid cloud
• Deep, hands-on Microsoft Azure infrastructure experience, including significant Azure/on-premises hybrid-cloud work.
• Strong Azure networking expertise: VNets, routing, DNS, ExpressRoute, private endpoints, firewalls, load balancing, and segmentation.
• Solid understanding of networking and security dependencies across a complex hybrid environment.
• Experience with compute, servers, virtualization (VMware, Azure VMware Solution), and storage architecture.
• Working knowledge of identity, RBAC, security controls, and cloud governance.
• Infrastructure as Code experience.
• Proven infrastructure resiliency, troubleshooting, and root-cause analysis skills in large-scale, complex environments (scale and complexity matter more than industry).
• Ability to build architecture diagrams, standards, and patterns and clearly explain technical decisions to leadership.

This role requires authorization to work in the U.S. without current or future visa sponsorship. The expected salary range for this position is $160,000 - $200,000 per year, depending on experience and qualifications. This role also qualifies for comprehensive benefits such as health insurance, 401(k), and paid time off. TalentFish is committed to pay transparency and equal opportunity. The salary range provided is in compliance with applicable state and federal regulations. All offers are contingent upon the completion of a background check, which may include but is not limited to reference checks, education verification, employment verification, drug testing, criminal records checks, and any required certifications or compliance requirements based on the end client’s background check policies and applicable laws.