Job Title: Senior Cloud Architect
Location: Richmond, VA (Onsite Only)
Job Type: Contract
Employment Type: W2 Only
Experience Required: 15+ Years
< data-start="186" data-end="202">Job Summary</>
We are seeking a highly experienced Senior Cloud Architect with 15+ years of IT experience to lead the design, implementation, and optimization of enterprise-scale cloud solutions. The ideal candidate will possess deep expertise in cloud architecture, infrastructure modernization, security, automation, and cloud migration initiatives. This role requires strong leadership skills and hands-on experience with AWS, Azure, and/or Google Cloud Platform environments.
< data-start="655" data-end="676">Responsibilities</>
- Design and implement scalable, secure, and highly available cloud architectures.
- Lead cloud migration and modernization initiatives from on-premises to cloud platforms.
- Develop cloud governance, security, networking, and compliance frameworks.
- Architect and implement Infrastructure as Code (IaC) solutions using Terraform, CloudFormation, or ARM Templates.
- Collaborate with DevOps, Security, Infrastructure, and Application teams to deliver cloud-native solutions.
- Define cloud best practices, standards, and architectural roadmaps.
- Optimize cloud environments for performance, reliability, and cost efficiency.
- Provide technical leadership and mentorship to engineering teams.
- Design disaster recovery and business continuity solutions.
- Ensure compliance with enterprise security and regulatory requirements.
< data-start="1509" data-end="1537">Required Qualifications</>
- 15+ years of overall IT experience.
- 8+ years of Cloud Architecture experience.
- Extensive hands-on experience with AWS, Azure, and/or Google Cloud Platform.
- Strong expertise in cloud networking, security, IAM, storage, and compute services.
- Experience with Terraform, CloudFormation, ARM Templates, or Bicep.
- Strong knowledge of Kubernetes, Docker, and container orchestration platforms.
- Experience with CI/CD tools such as Jenkins, Azure DevOps, GitHub Actions, or GitLab.
- Expertise in cloud security, monitoring, logging, and governance.
- Strong understanding of hybrid-cloud and multi-cloud architectures.
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
< data-start="2227" data-end="2256">Preferred Certifications</>
- AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional
- Microsoft Azure Solutions Architect Expert
- Google Professional Cloud Architect
- Kubernetes Certifications (CKA/CKAD)
< data-start="2431" data-end="2452">Must-Have Skills</>
- Cloud Architecture
- AWS / Azure / Google Cloud Platform
- Terraform
- Kubernetes & Docker
- Cloud Security
- DevOps & CI/CD
- Infrastructure as Code (IaC)
- Cloud Migration
- Enterprise Architecture
- Networking & Automation
Additional Requirements
- Onsite role in Richmond, VA.
- W2 candidates only.
- Minimum 15+ years of professional experience required.
- Strong communication skills and ability to work with executive stakeholders.
- Local candidates preferred.