Principal Cloud and Data Engineering Architect

12-month remote role based in Columbia, SC (29201). On-site attendance in Columbia required approximately 2–4 business days per month, or more as directed by leadership.

About the role

The client is building a cloud-native integration platform in Microsoft Azure to connect statewide agencies, SCEIS, and internal HR/ERP applications. The platform will deliver modern synchronous and asynchronous integration via RESTful APIs, event-driven architecture, enterprise messaging, data-lakehouse technologies, and enhanced observability. The consultant will provide principal-level architecture leadership to guide solution design, technical implementation, and enterprise adoption.

Responsibilities

• Lead the architecture, design, and implementation of a modern Azure cloud-native integration platform supporting statewide agencies, SCEIS, and enterprise HR/ERP systems.
• Establish scalable integration patterns using APIs, event-driven architecture, asynchronous messaging, and cloud-native Azure services.
• Design and guide implementation of a statewide Azure data lake and supporting data-engineering capabilities.
• Provide technical leadership for DevOps, GitOps, CI/CD, security, observability, and operational readiness.
• Define architecture standards, technical patterns, and governance practices that ensure secure, reliable, and maintainable enterprise solutions.
• Mentor developers, engineers, and architects while supporting knowledge transfer and long-term internal capability development.

Requirements

• Minimum of 10 years of experience designing, developing, and implementing enterprise technology solutions.
• Minimum of 7 years of experience designing and implementing cloud solutions and cloud-native architectures using Microsoft Azure, AWS, GCP, or comparable enterprise cloud platforms.
• Demonstrated experience designing enterprise integration solutions utilizing REST APIs, event-driven architecture, asynchronous messaging, and distributed systems.
• Experience designing and implementing enterprise data platforms using cloud-based data-lake, analytics, or data-engineering technologies.
• Experience with Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC), CI/CD pipelines, DevOps practices, and development automation using tools such as Terraform, Bicep, ARM templates, or equivalent.
• Strong understanding of cloud security, identity and access management, scalability, performance optimization, monitoring, and operational support.
• Experience establishing cloud architecture standards, technical design patterns, governance practices, and solution documentation.
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, Data Science, or a related technical field. An equivalent combination of relevant education, professional certifications, and progressively responsible experience may substitute for the degree.

Preferred Skills

• Experience integrating SAP, SAP S/4HANA, ERP platforms, HR systems, or enterprise financial applications.
• Experience supporting large-scale government, public-sector, or highly regulated technology environments.
• Hands-on experience with Azure API Management, Azure Functions, Logic Apps, Event Grid, Ivalua, or other ERP systems.
• Experience establishing enterprise architecture standards, cloud governance practices, and technical design patterns.
• Microsoft Azure certifications: Azure Solutions Architect Expert, Azure Developer Associate, Azure Data Engineer Associate.
• TOGAF or equivalent enterprise-architecture certification.