IT Modernization Specialist

Candidates can apply from anywhere in the United States. Open only for 1099.

1. Purpose

Provide comprehensive IT modernization, migration, and operational support services that ensure the continuity, stability, and future-readiness of an education web application, data systems, and associated infrastructure. The IT Modernization & Migration Technical Lead (Architect) will plan, architect, design, execute, and validate all activities required to transition legacy applications and databases to a compliant, secure, and scalable third-party data platform.

2. Background

The current environment includes a multi-tier legacy application and data ecosystem that manages student and HR records as well as office management functions (inventory management, training records, business reporting, and centralized repositories for student and staff data). Core administrative and enrollment data is maintained in legacy Microsoft Access databases and related tooling, which limits scalability, auditability, reporting, security, and maintainability.

The environment is transitioning to a compliant third-party data platform to improve security, data governance, reporting, and availability while meeting compliance standards. This effort requires modernization and ongoing operational support to sustain the production web application and supporting data systems during the transition, including routine administration, defect resolution, performance monitoring, automation, and documentation to ensure continuity of service to end users.

AI Integration and Office 365 Automation

As part of modernization, AI-driven tools and workflows will be integrated to enhance operational efficiency, data analysis, and decision-making. AI solutions will be embedded within an Office 365 environment, leveraging automation capabilities such as Power Automate and advanced analytics in Excel and Power BI. This integration streamlines routine processes, enables intelligent document management, and supports proactive issue detection and resolution.

3. Scope of Services

Provide hands-on technical leadership and daily operational support to modernize, operate, and transition legacy education web applications, data environments, and Azure-hosted infrastructure to a compliant third-party platform. Services include planning and execution of modernization and migration activities, sustaining operations during the transition, and serving as backup coverage to ensure continuity of support.

Technical Lead & Modernization Execution

• Lead technical planning, sequencing, and day-to-day execution across modernization, sustainment, and migration activities.
• Identify risks, dependencies, and change impacts; coordinate priorities with stakeholders and vendors.

Web Application & Azure VM Operations

• Maintain and support the web application front-end and web server hosted on Azure VM (availability, performance, patches, configuration, and troubleshooting).
• Implement break/fix and minor enhancements; support deployments, validation, and release coordination as needed.

Data & Database Administration (Access and SQL Server)

• Administer Microsoft Access and SQL Server databases supporting student, HR, and office management functions, including backups, performance tuning, and troubleshooting.
• Develop and optimize SQL queries/scripts; support data modeling and normalization to improve integrity and maintainability.
• Maintain Excel/Access operational tooling and advanced reporting artifacts used by staff.

Migration, ETL, and Data Quality

• Execute data transition activities including assessment, mapping, extraction, transformation, loading, reconciliation, and validation.
• Develop and maintain ETL processes with logging, error handling, and repeatability; produce validation and reconciliation results.
• Perform data profiling, cleansing, normalization support, and deduplication to ensure data quality prior to and after cutover.

Office 365 Automation / AI-Enabled Workflow Support

• Build and maintain automation (PowerShell and Office 365 tools) to streamline repeatable operational tasks, data handling, and reporting workflows.
• Support approved AI-enabled productivity workflows within Office 365 (e.g., process automation, document/data handling improvements) consistent with policy.

Security, Compliance, Monitoring, and Incident Response

• Support access/user administration, least-privilege practices, and audit-friendly operational controls across application, database, and platform components.
• Monitor system health; triage and resolve issues; document incidents and corrective actions.

Documentation, Runbooks, and Knowledge Transfer

• Maintain technical documentation, SOPs/runbooks, architecture notes, and operational procedures for sustainment and transition.
• Provide knowledge transfer to designated staff or vendor resources to ensure ongoing supportability.

Continuity / Backup Coverage

• Serve as backup coverage for critical daily IT operations and modernization/migration work during planned or unplanned staff absences.

4. Key Responsibilities

• Migrate data from Access 2002-2003 to third-party platform
• Develop ETL processes for extraction, transformation, and loading
• Validate data integrity and compliance
• Serve as backup/substitute for the primary Database Migration Specialist, ensuring continuity of migration activities and related IT support tasks

Technical Support & Maintenance

• Maintain web application and database during migration
• Implement automation scripts for efficiency

5. Deliverables

Documentation

• Current data models, dependencies, interfaces, and constraints
• Risk and remediation plan
• Data Migration Artifacts (mapping, transformation specifications, source-to-target mappings, data cleansing rules, deduplication strategy)

Migration Plan & Schedule

• Phased approach with milestones and rollback procedures
• Cutover timing and acceptance criteria

ETL Development & Validation

• Scripts with logging, error handling, and audit trails

Data Quality Assurance

• Profiling, validation reports, reconciliation, and issue tracking

Security & Compliance

• Access controls, encryption in transit, retention/disposition plans
• Privacy impact considerations

Testing & Validation

• Unit, integration, performance, and user acceptance testing
• Test data management strategy

Cutover & Go-Live Support

• Final migration execution
• Switch-over procedures and hyper care support

Training & Documentation

• System runbooks, user guides, administrative training materials
• Knowledge transfer to staff or designated vendor