Lead Cloud Azure Engineer

Role : Cloud Azure Engineer

Location: Pittsburgh, PA

Duration: Full-time

MOI : Telephonic & MS Teams

Primary Skills: Azure, VIRTUAL DESKTOP

Need Candidates with a Minimum of 9 Years of Experience. This is a Full-time hire by the Client. Needs Local Candidates within a 50-mile radius only.

Candidates must have Lead Experience.

Job Summary:

We are seeking a highly skilled and motivated Systems Engineer to join our IT team. In this role, you will manage and optimize our hybrid IT infrastructure, including Microsoft Azure services, Azure Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI), and business continuity solutions. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience with cloud platforms, particularly Azure, and will work to ensure seamless integration and availability across our hybrid systems. You ll be pivotal in optimizing costs, ensuring high availability, and supporting business continuity strategies, all while maintaining a secure and efficient infrastructure.

Key Responsibilities:

Cloud Infrastructure Management:

• Manage and optimize Microsoft Azure resources, including Azure Virtual Machines (VMs), Azure Blob Storage, Azure File Shares, Azure Backup Services, and Azure Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI).
• Administer Hybrid Active Directory (AD) and Microsoft Entra (Azure AD) to manage identities across on-prem and cloud resources.
• Ensure the scalability and reliability of cloud resources, aligning with business needs.

Azure Cost Optimization:

• Implement Azure Cost Management practices to optimize spending and ensure cost-efficiency across cloud resources.
• Recommend and implement strategies to reduce cloud costs, such as the use of reserved instances, auto-scaling features, and effective storage tiering.
• Perform regular cost audits and monitor resource usage to identify areas for optimization and savings.

Storage and Data Management:

• Administer Azure Blob Storage and Azure File Shares, ensuring efficient data storage, backup, and access for business-critical applications.
• Administer Azure Backup and disaster recovery procedures to ensure data is secure and easily recoverable.
• Develop and enforce data lifecycle management policies to reduce storage costs and maintain efficient data access.

Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI):

• Configure and manage Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) environments to support remote and hybrid work, ensuring a consistent and high-performance user experience.
• Monitor and maintain the availability and performance of virtual desktops, troubleshooting any issues related to network connectivity, user profiles, and resource allocation.
• Implement security best practices for VDI environments, including access control and multi-factor authentication.

High Availability and Business Continuity:

• Design, implement, and test highly available architecture using Azure Availability Zones, ensuring minimal downtime and maximum resilience for critical applications.
• Manage disaster recovery (DR) and failover strategies, ensuring business continuity through Azure Site Recovery and Azure Backup.
• Ensure systems are continuously available and that business continuity plans are regularly tested and updated for rapid recovery in the event of failure.

Security and Compliance:

• Implement and enforce security policies for protecting sensitive data across cloud and on-prem systems, ensuring compliance with industry regulations (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA).
• Use Azure Security Center, Azure Sentinel, and other tools to monitor for vulnerabilities and respond to security threats across hybrid environments.
• Manage access to resources with Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), Conditional Access, and Azure Active Directory (AAD) for seamless identity management.

Automation & Scripting:

• Develop and maintain automation scripts (PowerShell, Azure CLI, etc.) for provisioning and managing cloud resources.

Performance Monitoring and Troubleshooting:

• Use Azure Monitor, Log Analytics, and other monitoring tools to ensure the health, performance, and availability of systems, with a focus on virtualized infrastructure and VDI environments.
• Troubleshoot and resolve performance issues across both cloud and on-prem systems, implementing optimization solutions.

Collaboration and Documentation:

• Maintain comprehensive documentation for system configurations, network architecture, disaster recovery plans, and business continuity strategies.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure smooth integration of IT systems and to provide support for both infrastructure and user-facing environments.

Qualifications:

Education:

• Bachelor s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field, or equivalent work experience.

Experience:

• 5+ years of experience in systems engineering, with a strong focus on cloud infrastructure, Azure, and virtualized environments.
• Experience managing and supporting Azure Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI), ensuring high availability and optimal performance for remote workers.
• Experience with Microsoft Azure services, including Azure Virtual Machines, Azure Blob Storage, Azure File Shares, Azure Backup, and Azure Site Recovery.
• Familiarity with Hybrid Active Directory (AD) and Microsoft Entra (Azure AD).

Skills:

• Proficiency in scripting and automation (PowerShell, Azure CLI, Bash).
• Experience in cost management and cost optimization within Azure.
• Strong troubleshooting, problem-solving, and analytical skills.
• Knowledge of security best practices in hybrid IT environments.

Certifications (Preferred, but not required):

• Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate

Additional Skills and Qualities:

• Excellent communication skills, able to collaborate with both technical and non-technical teams.
• A proactive attitude toward continuous learning and staying updated with emerging technologies.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple tasks.