Senior Cloud Application Architect

Title: Senior Cloud Application Architect

Location: Remote

Type: Contract

Job Summary:

• We are seeking a versatile and experienced Senior Cloud Application Architect to design, implement, and optimize cloud-native applications and services using Microsoft Azure, Kubernetes, React, Python, and infrastructure automation tools.
• The ideal candidate will demonstrate strong hands-on skills across cloud infrastructure, backend and frontend development, CI/CD pipelines (specifically GitLab Runners), and Infrastructure as Code (Terraform). This position is ideal for professionals passionate about modern application delivery, automation, and scalable architecture.

Key Responsibilities:

• Cloud Architecture & Deployment:
• Architect and deploy robust, secure, and scalable solutions on Azure, leveraging Kubernetes for container orchestration and Helm charts for application packaging and deployment.
• Infrastructure as Code:
• Design and implement Infrastructure as Code using Terraform to provision, manage, and document Azure cloud resources and Kubernetes clusters.
• Application Development:
• Lead or contribute to the design and development of frontend applications using React and backend services using Python, ensuring code quality, maintainability, and performance.
• Containerization & Orchestration:
• Build and maintain Docker images for application components. Define and manage Helm charts for Kubernetes deployments, following best practices for configuration and security.
• CI/CD Automation:
• Develop and maintain automated pipelines using GitLab CI/CD with GitLab Runners, enabling reliable build, test, and deployment workflows for both infrastructure and application code.
• Collaboration:
• Work closely with DevOps, frontend, backend, and cloud teams to gather requirements, provide architectural guidance, and support the full application lifecycle from design to production.
• Monitoring & Best Practices:
• Integrate monitoring, logging, and alerting solutions. Champion cloud and software development best practices for security, scalability, and cost optimization.
• Documentation & Mentorship:
• Create and maintain architecture, deployment, and operational documentation. Mentor junior engineers and contribute to knowledge sharing within the team.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical field.
• 5+ years of experience designing and deploying solutions on Microsoft Azure.
• Proven expertise in Kubernetes, including authoring and managing Helm charts.
• Strong experience with React for frontend development and Python for backend services.
• Hands-on experience with GitLab CI/CD pipelines, especially configuring and managing GitLab Runners.
• Proficiency in Infrastructure as Code using Terraform.
• Solid understanding of containerization (Docker), networking, security, and cloud-native best practices.
• Excellent communication, analytical, and problem-solving skills.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Azure or Kubernetes certifications.
• Experience with monitoring/logging tools (e.g., Prometheus, Grafana, Azure Monitor).
• Familiarity with microservices architecture and RESTful APIs.
• Experience with automated testing frameworks for frontend and backend code.