Cloud Engineer

We are seeking an Azure DevOps Cloud Engineer to support the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) ITD Tolling Modernization Program in Mechanicsville, VA. This fully remote role is responsible for designing, building, and maintaining secure, automated CI/CD pipelines in Azure DevOps (YAML & Classic), enforcing Infrastructure as Code (IaC) provisioning, automating SQL database deployments, and optimizing cloud monitoring, governance, and cost management across Azure microservices and API environments.

Client: Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT)

Location: 9120 Lockwood Blvd, Mechanicsville, VA 23116

Work Arrangement: Fully Remote

Role Type: Contract (10/12/2026 – 06/30/2027)

Interview Process: Web Cam Interview Only

Shift: EST

Work Authorization & Compliance Note: Candidates must physically reside within the United States (Commonwealth of Virginia security policy prohibiting offshore contractors). Role requires a fingerprint-based background check.

Key Responsibilities

• CI/CD Pipeline & Release Automation: Design, build, and maintain YAML and Classic pipelines in Azure DevOps for microservices, APIs, and web applications; establish reusable pipeline templates and automated rollback/blue-green deployment strategies.
• Database Release Automation: Integrate automated SQL deployment workflows (DACPAC, SQLCMD, migration scripts) directly into release pipelines.
• Secrets Management & Azure Security: Manage secure credentials using Azure Key Vault, RBAC policies, and Managed Identities; enforce least-privilege principles via Entra ID (Azure AD).
• Infrastructure as Code (IaC) & Provisioning: Standardize environment configuration across Dev, QA, and Prod using Terraform, Bicep, or ARM templates.
• Observability, Logging & Alerting: Build monitoring dashboards and actionable alerting frameworks using Application Insights, Azure Monitor, and Log Analytics for pipeline health and application uptime.
• Azure Service Administration & Containers: Deploy and maintain Azure App Services, Function Apps, API Management, and Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) / Docker container environments.
• Compliance & Cost Optimization: Ensure pipeline implementations comply with PCI-DSS regulatory standards and participate in Azure cloud cost analysis and resource optimization.

Required Qualifications & Experience

• Azure DevOps CI/CD: 4+ years of hands-on experience building and maintaining YAML and Classic pipelines in Azure DevOps.
• Azure Application Services: 3+ years configuring and deploying Azure App Services, Azure Functions, APIs, and Containers.
• Secrets & Key Management: 3+ years managing Azure Key Vault, RBAC, and Managed Identities.
• Environment Provisioning & Consistency: 3+ years standardizing Dev/QA/Prod configurations and release baselines.
• Logging & Observability: 3+ years implementing Application Insights, pipeline logs, monitoring dashboards, and alerts.
• Infrastructure as Code (IaC): 2+ years writing and deploying Terraform, Bicep, or ARM templates.
• SQL Deployment Automation: 1+ year integrating DACPAC, SQLCMD, and automated database migrations into CI/CD pipelines.
• Identity & Access Management: 1+ year administering Entra ID (Azure AD) and least-privilege IAM controls.
• Regulatory Compliance: 1+ year of experience working with PCI-DSS or comparable compliance frameworks.

Desired Qualifications

• Experience with containerization and orchestration using Docker and Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS).
• Experience implementing governance and compliance automation via Azure Policy and pipeline guardrails.
• Knowledge of cloud cost analysis, visibility, and optimization practices in enterprise environments.
• Relevant Azure certifications (e.g., AZ-104, AZ-305, AZ-400).