Cloud Engineer

Overview

Through NRI Resource Management Services (RMS), we offer custom talent solutions to help our clients meet their evolving technology and business needs. Our client in Herndon, VA has an immediate need for a Cloud Engineer. This is a contract‑to‑hire opportunity with the client (not with NRI). The Cloud Engineer is a full‑time position on the Cloud Engineering Team within the IT Systems Infrastructure group, responsible for designing, implementing, documenting, migrating, maintaining, and optimizing cloud, on‑premises, and hybrid infrastructure components to deliver highly available IT services.

Responsibilities

• Work collaboratively with other IT teams and business units to ensure the availability, reliability, and scalability of the cloud systems infrastructure.
• Plan, design, and implement IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS cloud‑based solutions in Microsoft Azure.
• Support project planning by developing implementation plans, milestones, risk assessments, and technical requirements to deliver projects on‑schedule with minimal impact to business units and members.
• Collaborate with business units and development teams to evaluate and identify optimal cloud solutions in support of development and procurement efforts.
• Acquire licensing and software in accordance with established procurement processes.
• Deploy new applications and enhancements to existing applications, software, and operating systems.
• Utilize a Continual Service Improvement model and leading best practices to keep cloud systems efficient and aligned with organizational goals.
• Recommend optimizations and improvements to achieve those goals and leverage systems to their fullest.
• Manage hybrid directory and identity services in Microsoft Azure and on‑premises, ensuring consistent and seamless user experiences.
• Manage backup and recovery solutions to meet established RTOs and RPOs.
• Design and conduct business continuity tests for cloud and on‑premises systems according to established testing schedules.
• Produce automated reports, dashboards, and metrics to aid in monitoring cloud systems.
• Serve internal and external members by demonstrating technical leadership and delivering IT solutions in a timely and effective manner.
• Increase visibility into project statuses by providing regular updates that highlight incremental advances and overall progress toward commitments.
• Use cloud tools to track expenditures and ensure costs stay within budgetary limits.
• Adhere to IT asset management policies and assist Information Security in monthly reconciliation efforts.
• Complete Problem Management processes in accordance with Service Level Agreements.
• Complete Request Fulfillment processes in accordance with Service Level Agreements.
• Remain cognizant of and adhere to the client’s policies, procedures, and regulations pertaining to the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA).

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Cybersecurity, or a related field; equivalent hands‑on experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.
• Minimum 5 years experience with systems infrastructure planning, security principles, and general IT service management best practices.
• Minimum 3 years experience designing, implementing, administering, and supporting cloud systems on Microsoft Azure.
• Experience with hybrid cloud architectures and connectivity between on‑premises infrastructure and Azure environments.
• Working knowledge of VMware virtualization technologies.
• Experience installing, configuring, and maintaining Microsoft Windows Server environments.
• Strong working knowledge of identity management systems, Microsoft Entra ID, role‑based access control, privileged access, conditional access, MFA, identity lifecycle management, and hybrid identity services.
• Strong organization and project management skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to convey technical concepts to both technical and non‑technical audiences.
• Ability to work collaboratively with IT, Information Security, Network Engineering, application teams, vendors, and business stakeholders.
• Service‑ownership mindset with the ability to manage incidents, service requests, changes, problems, and project deliverables in accordance with established SLAs and change‑management processes.
• Must be able to work M‑F 8:00 am – 4:30 pm regularly, with additional rotational/on‑call/ad‑hoc requirements that may include extended hours or weekends.
• Preferred IT certifications such as Microsoft Certified Azure Administration, Microsoft Certified Azure Solutions Architect, or equivalent certifications on other cloud platforms.
• Experience deploying, managing, and monitoring Microsoft Azure‑based IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS services.
• Experience with Azure Monitor, Log Analytics, Application Insights, Microsoft Defender for Cloud, alerting, dashboards, and operational reporting.
• Experience with infrastructure scripting and automation tools such as PowerShell, Azure CLI, Bicep, ARM templates, Terraform, Bash, or Python.
• Experience with Microsoft 365 administration, including Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, OneDrive,