Senior Cloud Architect

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.