Solutions Architect

Syms Strategic Group, LLC (SSG) • Arlington, VA

1d • $109,623 - $126,790 • Remote

About The Position

Syms Strategic Group (SSG) is seeking an experienced Solutions Architect for a full-time, remote position supporting the Department of Veterans Affairs. The role focuses on developing competitive technical solutions and proposals, while also designing, implementing, and governing secure, scalable, and highly available Azure cloud architectures aligned with enterprise standards, business objectives, security requirements, and government cloud best practices. The position requires U.S. citizenship and the ability to possess or qualify for a Public Trust (MBI). The salary range is $109,623–$126,790. This is a W-2 position, and applicants residing in California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, or Washington will not be considered.

The Solutions Architect applies domain expertise to understand customer requirements and develop complete solutions that meet technical, schedule, cost, and risk parameters. The role works across business development, capture, proposal, technical leadership, and contributor teams to shape solutions, support proposal writing and estimating, and coordinate technical personnel. It also provides technical guidance, contributes to concepts and standards, and develops solutions to complex problems.

The position calls for extensive Azure architecture and operations expertise, including cloud infrastructure, networking, security, governance, cost management, data platforms, monitoring, automation, DevOps, containers, reliability, and disaster recovery. The architect is expected to lead cloud transformation work, collaborate with cross-functional teams, mentor technical staff, produce architectural and operational documentation, and communicate technical recommendations to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

The posting lists 10+ years of professional experience in software testing, quality assurance, or system validation. A bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Systems Engineering, Cloud Engineering, or a related technical discipline is required. Desired qualifications include hands-on EDIFECS experience with specified X12 EDI transactions and advanced Azure certifications. Applicants must support their qualifications with resume information. Interviews are conducted on Microsoft Teams with the camera on, and applicants will be asked to provide a LinkedIn profile link.

Requirements

• 10+ years of professional experience in software testing, quality assurance, or system validation.
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Systems Engineering, Cloud Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• U.S. citizenship is required for this opportunity.
• Must possess or qualify for a Public Trust (MBI); selected applicants are subject to a government security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information and be able to obtain a government-granted security clearance.
• Proven track record designing, deploying, and managing Azure infrastructure and services.
• Experience with large-scale, highly available, scalable cloud architecture.
• Extensive experience with Azure Virtual Machines, Azure Storage, Azure SQL Database, Azure Virtual Network, Azure Functions, Microsoft Entra ID, ARM 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 supporting enterprise business requirements.
• Experience governing multi-subscription Azure environments using Azure Management Groups, Azure Policy, and Azure Landing Zones.
• Knowledge of Azure Cost Management, budgeting, resource optimization, and cost governance strategies.
• Proficiency in scripting and automation using Python, PowerShell, Azure CLI, and other automation frameworks; scripting knowledge also includes Bash or 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 performance, availability, and reliability of Azure resources and workloads.
• Strong understanding of Azure security architecture, governance, compliance, and regulatory frameworks, including HIPAA, GDPR, PCI DSS, and industry-specific standards.
• Experience implementing encryption, key management, identity management, and privileged access controls using Azure Key Vault and Microsoft Entra ID.
• Knowledge of Azure data 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 complex technical concepts into clear, business-focused recommendations for stakeholders and executives.
• Ability to prioritize competing initiatives, manage multiple workstreams effectively, and deliver high-quality outcomes within established timelines.
• Strong attention to detail regarding operational excellence, system reliability and stability, security, and data integrity.
• Ability to mentor technical teams and support knowledge sharing and technical growth.
• Experience leading cloud transformation initiatives and collaborating with cross-functional teams.
• Strong architectural design and documentation skills, including solution designs, standards, operational procedures, configurations, processes, and governance documentation.
• Ability to manage and contribute to multiple complex projects while adhering to architectural standards.
• Commitment to continuous learning and staying current with emerging Azure and cloud technologies, architectures, security trends, tools, and industry best practices.
• Applicants’ answers to mandatory screening questions must be supported by their resumes; applications with inconsistencies will not be considered.
• Applicants must provide a LinkedIn profile link as part of the screening process.

Nice To Haves

• Deep hands-on EDIFECS experience with Electronic Data Interchange X.12 transaction standards and key X12 workflows, including medical claims transactions 837, 834, 835, and 277; 270/271 and 278/275 transactions; and 999 transactions.
• Microsoft Certified DevOps Engineer Expert certification.
• Azure Administrator Associate certification.
• Azure Security Engineer Associate certification.

Responsibilities

• Develop a comprehensive understanding of customer requirements using domain expertise.
• Lead development of complete, price-competitive solutions that meet customer requirements.
• 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 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 practices.
• Contribute to new concepts, techniques, and standards.
• Establish goals to meet assigned objectives and guide team members in accordance with established policies.
• Develop innovative solutions to complex problems and ensure they align with organizational objectives.
• Determine technical objectives for assignments.
• Design, deploy, manage, troubleshoot, and optimize Azure infrastructure, services, resources, and workloads.
• Establish and govern multi-subscription Azure environments using management groups, Azure Policy, and Azure Landing Zones.
• Apply cloud financial management practices, including budgeting, resource optimization, and cost governance.
• Implement monitoring, logging, observability, security, identity, encryption, key management, and privileged access controls.
• Design and manage data platforms, database performance, high availability, backup and recovery, and disaster recovery strategies.
• Apply CI/CD and DevOps practices and containerization and orchestration technologies.
• Lead cloud transformation initiatives and collaborate across infrastructure, security, development, and business organizations.
• Mentor engineers, architects, and technical teams and foster knowledge sharing and technical growth.
• Create and maintain solution designs, standards, operational procedures, system configurations, processes, and governance documentation.
• Prioritize competing initiatives and manage multiple complex projects and workstreams to deliver high-quality outcomes within timelines and architectural standards.
• Explain technical concepts and recommendations clearly to stakeholders and executives, including non-technical audiences.
• Stay current with Azure technologies, cloud-native architectures, security trends, tools, and industry best practices.

What This Job Offers

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