Azure DevOps with Python -W2 (Ex Microsoft)

Role: Azure DevOps with Python (Ex Microsoft Only)

Experience Level: 10+ Years

Location: Remote (Candidate must CST, MST, PST)

Type: W2 only

Role Overview

We are seeking a seasoned Principal Azure DevOps Engineer with a mastery of Python to lead the evolution of our cloud infrastructure and CI/CD ecosystems. With over a decade of experience, you aren''t just managing pipelines; you are architecting the foundational systems that enable rapid, secure, and scalable software delivery.

You will bridge the gap between traditional infrastructure and modern software engineering, using Python to build custom tooling, automate complex cloud governance, and eliminate manual toil across our Azure environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Architectural Leadership: Design and implement end-to-end CI/CD strategies using Azure DevOps (Boards, Repo, Pipelines, Artifacts) for complex, multi-tier applications.

• Python-Driven Automation: Develop sophisticated Python scripts and custom CLI tools to interact with Azure APIs, automate resource provisioning, and manage configuration at scale.

• Infrastructure as Code (IaC): Lead the transition to immutable infrastructure using Terraform or Bicep, ensuring all cloud footprints are version-controlled and peer-reviewed.

• Security & Governance: Integrate DevSecOps practices into the lifecycle, including automated vulnerability scanning, secret management (Azure Key Vault), and implementing Azure Policy via code.

• Observability: Build comprehensive monitoring and alerting frameworks using Azure Monitor, Log Analytics, and Application Insights to ensure 99.9% uptime.

• Mentorship: Act as a technical authority for the DevOps guild, conducting deep-dive code reviews and mentoring junior engineers in Python best practices and cloud-native patterns.

Required Technical Skills

• Cloud Platform Expertise: * Expert-level mastery of Azure Ecosystem (AKS, App Services, Azure Functions, Service Bus, and Azure SQL).

  • Deep understanding of Azure Networking (VNet peering, ExpressRoute, Private Links, and NSGs).

• Python & Automation: * Advanced Python programming for building custom automation tools, internal CLI utilities, and complex API integrations.

  • Experience with Python libraries for cloud management (e.g., azure-sdk-for-python) and testing frameworks (e.g., PyTest).

• Infrastructure as Code (IaC): * Extensive experience with Terraform or Bicep for modular, scalable infrastructure deployment.

  • Implementation of "GitOps" workflows to manage environment state.

• CI/CD Orchestration: * Design and maintenance of complex Azure DevOps Pipelines (YAML-based) with multi-stage deployments and gated approvals.

  • Integration of automated testing, linting, and security scanning (SAST/DAST) within the build process.

• Containerization & Orchestration: * Production-level management of Docker and Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS).

  • Proficiency in managing Helm charts and service meshes (e.g., Istio or Linkerd).

• Observability & Reliability: * Implementation of advanced monitoring using Azure Monitor, Log Analytics, and Application Insights.

  • Experience building custom dashboards and automated alerting logic to reduce Mean Time to Recovery (MTTR).

• Security (DevSecOps): * Automating identity and access management using Azure AD (Entra ID) and Managed Identities.

  • Managing secrets securely via Azure Key Vault and ensuring compliance through Azure Policy.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in a DevOps, SRE, or Systems Engineering role, with at least 5 years focused heavily on the Azure ecosystem.

• Proven Track Record: Experience managing large-scale production environments and migrating legacy workloads to the cloud.

• Scripting Excellence: Ability to write clean, maintainable, and testable Python code (experience with frameworks like boto3 equivalent for Azure, FastAPI, or Click is a plus).

• Problem Solver: A "systems thinking" mindset with the ability to troubleshoot complex networking, permission, or performance bottlenecks.