Cloud Data Architect

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in United States.

📋 Description

• Take ownership of the enterprise platform architecture, security baselines, and ATO-compliant provisioning for Summit and its associated platforms, CXI and AHI, within VA's Microsoft Azure cloud environment.

• Develop and implement documented security, compliance, identity/access, data-handling, and application-design guidelines and frameworks.

• Create and keep up-to-date the Enterprise Reference Architecture and Roadmap for Summit, AHI, and CXI.

• Establish authoritative reference patterns, interfaces, data-management standards, medallion architecture, lineage, catalogs, and open formats consistent with ZTA and ATO considerations.

• Define specifications for identity, networking, segmentation/isolation, routing/egress controls, private boundaries, and trust models for both on-premises and third-party interconnections.

• Maintain boundary diagrams and PPSM documentation.

• Conduct Architecture Review Boards, document Architecture Decision Records, and manage a Register of Exceptions.

• Provide solution architecture and cloud cost assessments for customer initiatives and evaluate potential enhancements to platform capabilities.

• Plan and oversee authorized hosting transitions, including shifts from Azure GovCloud to Azure Commercial, while providing guidance on identity, networking, resiliency, cost/performance, and ATO implications.

• Perform VA RMF-aligned activities and manage Security Impact Analysis intake and review processes.

• Establish observability and DevSecOps standards for logging, metrics, traces, retention, routing, SLO/SLA monitoring, incident playbooks, secure CI/CD, quality gates, and code scanning.

• Collaborate with architecture counterparts across AHI, CXI, and CDW Data Architecture, as well as domain subject-matter experts.

• Align modeling, metadata, and analytics approaches across VA data platforms.

• Monitor the provisioning and use of cloud resources.

• Maintain the FinOps Dashboard with visual reports, projections, and automated alerts for cost increases.

⛳️ Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Data Engineering, Information Systems, or a related discipline.

• 8–10 years of experience in cloud/data architecture roles.

• Minimum of 5 years of experience architecting solutions on Microsoft Azure.

• Practical experience with Azure Databricks, Azure Data Factory, Delta Lake/Lakehouse architecture, and unified data governance tools such as Unity Catalog or similar.

• Understanding of Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) principles and federal RMF/ATO processes.

• Experience in creating enterprise architecture artifacts, including reference architectures, Architecture Decision Records (ADRs), boundary diagrams, and PPSM documentation.

• Capacity to obtain and maintain a favorable Tier 2 (Moderate Risk) background investigation.

• U.S. citizenship or authorization to work in the United States.

• Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert, Azure Data Engineer Associate, or an equivalent Azure certification (preferred).

• Direct experience with VA or other federal health-data environments, such as CDW, Vista, or EHR data sources (preferred).

• Familiarity with FinOps practices and cloud cost governance (preferred).

• Knowledge of data governance/catalog tools such as Immuta or Microsoft Purview/Unity Catalog and federated query platforms like Starburst (preferred).

• Extended periods of computer usage required.

• Ability to engage in real-time virtual meetings during core East Coast business hours and, when necessary, extended production-support windows.

• Occasional travel within the Continental United States may be necessary.

• Position is contingent upon contract award.

• Selected applicants will undergo a government security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information.

🏝️ Benefits

• Military veterans are strongly encouraged to apply.

• Standard office or remote-office environment.

• Participation in real-time virtual meetings during core East Coast business hours.

• Occasional travel within the Continental United States for program meetings.

• Equal Opportunity Employer protections.

• Opportunity to obtain and maintain a favorable Tier 2 (Moderate Risk) background investigation and government-granted security clearance.