Associate Cloud Solution Architect

Responsibilities: Cloud Architecture & Design: Develop hybrid cloud reference architecture and define target state cloud architecture. Design, engineer, and administer Azure Kubernetes (AKS) clusters for critical business applications. Implement Kubernetes-based architecture following best practices. Design deployment architecture for IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS solutions addressing business needs. Work closely with engineering, security, and operations teams in an agile environment . Infrastructure & Automation: Capture entire infrastructure as code using Terraform, CloudFormation . Implement Site Reliability Engineering ( SRE ) principles for operational efficiency. Work with Azure DevOps, GitHub, Ansible, Chef, Puppet for infrastructure provisioning. Automate deployments using CI/CD pipelines (GitLab, GitHub Actions, Jenkins, etc.). Manage networking, security, and containerized workloads on Azure PaaS & IaaS services . Operations & Support: Oversee 45+ AKS clusters supporting 200+ applications across 16+ Azure subscriptions . Troubleshoot and optimize networking (NSG, firewall rules, load balancers, DNS, Prisma Security Tool, Akamai) . Monitor environments using New Relic, Dynatrace, Grafana, Site24x7 . Develop and execute service improvement plans , ensuring high availability and resilience . Work with business teams, vendors, and clients to resolve issues and optimize cloud security strategies. Governance & Documentation: Ensure compliance with IT security policies, industry regulations, and best practices . Maintain and evolve technology documentation, process templates, and knowledge management . Create implementation guides, SOPs, escalation management plans, and incident response procedures . Required Skills & Qualifications: Technical Skills: 8+ years of experience in Azure Cloud & Kubernetes (AKS). Expertise in Azure Kubernetes Services (AKS), Azure PaaS & IaaS, Terraform, Docker, and Microservices Architecture . Strong automation experience using Terraform, CloudFormation, Ansible, Chef, Puppet . Hands-on experience with CI/CD pipelines (GitLab CI, Jenkins, Azure DevOps, GitHub Actions). Advanced knowledge of Azure Networking, Security, Load Balancers, DNS, and Firewall configurations . Proficiency in Linux, Shell Scripting, Python . Azure Certifications (e.g., Azure Solutions Architect, Azure DevOps Expert ) are required. Process & Management Skills: Production support expertise in a large-scale enterprise environment. Experience in Project Management, ITIL, and Operations Management . Strong skills in risk analysis, incident management, and troubleshooting . Ability to act as a Single Point of Contact (SPOC) for multiple customers. Strong knowledge management & escalation management experience. Behavioral Skills: Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Strong problem-solving, analytical, and decision-making abilities . Ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams . Experience in mentoring and coaching teams on best practices.