Solutions Architect Principal

Syms Strategic Group, LLC (SSG) • Columbia, MD

1d • $109,623 - $126,790 • Remote

About The Position

Syms Strategic Group (SSG) is hiring a Solutions Architect Principal for a full-time, 100% U.S.-based remote position supporting the Department of Veterans Affairs. The role focuses on developing competitive technical solutions and proposals, as well as designing, implementing, and governing secure, scalable, highly available Azure cloud architectures that align with enterprise standards, business objectives, security requirements, and government cloud best practices. The salary range is $109,623–$126,790. Candidates must be U.S. citizens and must possess or qualify for a Public Trust (MBI). Applicants from California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, or Washington will not be considered. This is a W-2 position.

The Principal will lead solution development and coordinate technical contributors across business development, capture, proposal, and delivery teams. The work includes advising on technical, schedule, cost, security, governance, and risk considerations; guiding team members; developing technical objectives; and resolving complex problems through innovative solutions. The posting states a requirement of 10+ years of software testing, quality assurance, or system validation experience and requires a bachelor’s degree in a relevant technical discipline.

The position requires extensive Azure architecture and operations expertise, including cloud networking, security, governance, monitoring, cost management, data platforms, automation, DevOps, and container technologies. Desired experience includes hands-on EDIFECS work with X.12 EDI transaction workflows and advanced Azure certifications. Selected applicants will undergo a government security investigation and may also be subject to background checks, drug testing, and creditworthiness review. Interviews are conducted on Microsoft Teams with cameras on, and candidates will be asked to provide a LinkedIn profile link.

Requirements

• 10+ years of software testing, quality assurance, or system validation experience.
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Systems Engineering, Cloud Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• Proven track record designing, deploying, and managing Azure infrastructure and services.
• Experience with large-scale, high-availability, scalable cloud architecture.
• Extensive experience with Azure Virtual Machines, Azure Storage, Azure SQL Database, Azure Virtual Network, Azure Functions, Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD), Azure Resource Manager templates, Azure Monitor, and Azure DNS.
• Experience implementing Azure security services and practices, including Microsoft Entra ID, Azure DDoS Protection, Azure Firewall, Microsoft Defender for Cloud, and Web Application Firewall.
• Strong understanding of Azure networking, including VNet peering, ExpressRoute, VPN Gateway, Private Link, and hybrid connectivity architectures.
• Ability to design, deploy, and manage secure, scalable, highly available Azure cloud solutions for enterprise business requirements.
• Experience establishing and governing multi-subscription Azure environments using Azure Management Groups, Azure Policy, and Azure Landing Zones.
• Knowledge of cloud financial management, including Azure Cost Management, budgeting, resource optimization, and cost governance.
• Proficiency in scripting and automation using Python, PowerShell, Azure CLI, or other automation frameworks; the posting also lists Bash and NodeJS.
• Expertise with monitoring, logging, and observability solutions such as Azure Monitor, Log Analytics, Application Insights, Microsoft Sentinel, and third-party monitoring platforms.
• Experience troubleshooting and optimizing the performance, availability, and reliability of Azure resources and workloads.
• Strong understanding of Azure security architecture, governance, compliance, and regulatory frameworks, including HIPAA, GDPR, and PCI DSS.
• Experience implementing encryption, key management, identity management, and privileged access controls using Azure Key Vault and Microsoft Entra ID.
• Knowledge of Azure data platform services, including Azure SQL Database, Azure Cosmos DB, Azure Synapse Analytics, and Azure Data Lake Storage.
• Experience with database performance optimization, high-availability configurations, backup and recovery planning, and disaster recovery strategies.
• Familiarity with CI/CD methodologies and DevOps practices using Azure DevOps, GitHub Actions, Azure Pipelines, and related deployment tools.
• Experience with Docker, Kubernetes, Azure Kubernetes Service, Azure Container Apps, and Azure Container Instances.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills to diagnose and resolve complex cloud infrastructure, networking, application, and cloud-related issues.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to translate technical concepts into business-focused recommendations for stakeholders and executives.
• Ability to prioritize competing initiatives, manage multiple workstreams, and deliver high-quality outcomes within established timelines.
• Strong attention to detail concerning operational excellence, system stability and reliability, security, and data integrity.
• Ability to mentor engineers, architects, and technical teams and foster knowledge sharing and technical growth.
• Experience leading cloud transformation initiatives and collaborating with cross-functional infrastructure, security, development, and business teams.
• Strong documentation and architectural design skills, including creating and maintaining solution designs, standards, system configurations, processes, operational procedures, and governance documentation.
• Ability to manage and contribute to multiple complex projects while ensuring successful delivery and adherence to architectural standards.
• Commitment to continuous learning and staying current with Azure and cloud technologies, tools, security trends, and industry best practices.
• U.S. citizenship is required for this opportunity.
• Must possess or qualify for a Public Trust (MBI).

Nice To Haves

• Deep hands-on EDIFECS experience with Electronic Data Interchange X.12 standards and key workflows, including medical claims transactions 837, 834, 835, and 277; 270/271 and 278/275 transactions; and 999 transactions.
• Advanced Azure certifications, including Microsoft Certified DevOps Engineer Expert, Azure Administrator Associate, and Azure Security Engineer Associate.

Responsibilities

• Leverage domain expertise to develop a comprehensive understanding of customer requirements.
• Lead development of complete solutions that meet requirements and result in price-competitive proposals.
• Collaborate with business development, capture, proposal, and other team members to optimize proposed solutions.
• Identify technical staffing needs for Pre-Bid and Proposal (B&P) and B&P activities.
• Coordinate assignment of technical personnel to proposal efforts.
• Coordinate with technical leadership and contributors on solution development, proposal writing, and estimating.
• Provide subject matter expertise to meet customer technical, schedule, and cost requirements within applicable risk parameters.
• Work with the Enterprise Architect to design, implement, and govern secure, scalable, highly available Azure cloud architectures aligned with enterprise standards, business objectives, security requirements, and government cloud best practices.
• Contribute to the development of new concepts, techniques, and standards.
• Establish goals to meet assigned objectives and determine technical objectives for assignments.
• Guide team members in achieving goals in accordance with established policies.
• Develop innovative solutions to complex problems and ensure solutions are consistent with organizational objectives.
• Design, deploy, manage, troubleshoot, and optimize Azure infrastructure, services, resources, and workloads.
• Establish and govern multi-subscription Azure environments using management groups, policies, and landing zones.
• Implement and maintain cloud security, identity, encryption, key management, privileged access controls, governance, and compliance measures.
• Plan and support database performance optimization, high availability, backup and recovery, and disaster recovery.
• Use monitoring, logging, and observability solutions to support system performance, availability, reliability, and operational outcomes.
• Support cloud financial management, budgeting, resource optimization, and cost governance.
• Use scripting, automation, CI/CD, DevOps, containerization, and orchestration technologies as appropriate.
• Lead cloud transformation initiatives and collaborate across infrastructure, security, development, and business organizations.
• Mentor engineers, architects, and technical teams, fostering knowledge sharing and technical growth.
• Create and maintain solution designs, standards, operational procedures, and governance documentation.
• Prioritize competing initiatives and manage multiple complex workstreams and projects while meeting timelines and architectural standards.
• Stay current with Azure technologies, cloud-native architectures, security trends, and industry best practices.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior