Technical Cloud Architect

Position: Technical Cloud Architect

Location: Westchester, Illinois (Hybrid)

Job Type: Contract to Hire

Department: Global Digital Infrastructure & Operations

About the Role

The Technical Infrastructure & Cloud Architect is responsible for designing, implementing, and optimizing global cloud architecture to ensure performance, scalability, security, and cost efficiency. This role will define and maintain technical standards for cloud infrastructure, integrations, and connectivity across hybrid cloud environments while supporting the company s cloud modernization and digital transformation initiatives.

In this hands-on role, you will leverage your technical subject matter expertise to collaborate closely with Enterprise Architecture, Global Information Security, Infrastructure Operations, and DTS Innovation, and DTS Data & Analytics teams to deliver robust, secure, and sustainable cloud solutions that meet business and technical objectives.

Core Responsibilities

• Cloud Architecture & Design
• Develop and maintain IaaS and PaaS technical architecture across multiple cloud platforms (Azure, AWS, Google Cloud Platform).
• Define and enforce cloud design standards, reference architectures, and best practices for infrastructure and application hosting.
• Partner with application and data teams to deliver scalable, reliable, and cost-optimized cloud solutions.
• Drive cloud infrastructure automation and Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) standards using tools such as Terraform or ARM templates.
• Database Architecture & Optimization
• Design and optimize cloud database architectures (Microsoft SQL, AzureSQL, PostgreSQL, MondoDB, Google Cloud SQL, etc.) to ensure high availability, performance, and cost efficiency.
• Define and implement backup, recovery, and disaster recovery strategies for cloud-based data assets.
• Collaborate with database administrators to ensure compliance with security, performance, and retention standards.
• Cloud Interfaces & Integrations
• Architect and support API integrations and data exchange between on-premises, SaaS, and cloud-hosted systems.
• Ensure interoperability between enterprise systems, cloud workloads, and third-party applications.
• Partner with development and data engineering teams to streamline integration pipelines and automate deployments.
• Cloud Security & Connectivity Architecture
• Define and implement cloud security architecture in partnership with the Global Cybersecurity team, ensuring compliance with security frameworks.
• Design network and connectivity architectures for hybrid and multi-cloud environments, including VPNs, ExpressRoute, and private endpoints.
• Support identity and access management (IAM) design, privileged access controls, and zero-trust principles.
• Conduct risk assessments and remediation planning for cloud-based environments.
• Vendor & Financial Management
• Manage technical relationships with cloud service providers and managed service partners, ensuring adherence to design, cost, and performance expectations.
• Partner with Procurement and Finance to optimize contracts, licensing, and cloud resource usage.
• Lead Cloud FinOps initiatives monitoring consumption, optimizing spend, and ensuring cost transparency and governance.
• Provide forecasts, utilization reports, and recommendations to align spend with business demand.
• Continuous Improvement & Standards
• Evaluate emerging cloud technologies, trends, and tools for adoption within global infrastructure strategy.
• Contribute to enterprise cloud governance frameworks and change management processes.
• Develop and maintain technical documentation, reference architectures, and runbooks.
• Serve as a technical advisor and mentor for infrastructure and application teams in cloud adoption and design.

What You ll Bring

• Bachelor s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or related field (Master s preferred).
• 10+ years of hands-on experience in IT infrastructure or cloud architecture, including 3+ years in a hands-on technical cloud architecture role.
• Expertise in designing and managing IaaS and PaaS environments in Azure, AWS, or Google Cloud Platform (Azure or Google Cloud Platform preferred).
• Deep understanding of networking, security, compute, and storage architectures in cloud environments.
• Proven experience with automation, orchestration, and Infrastructure-as-Code (Terraform, ARM, CloudFormation).
• Strong knowledge of cloud database services and optimization techniques.
• Experience with cloud cost management (FinOps) practices and tools.
• Familiarity with DevOps, CI/CD pipelines, and API integration frameworks.
• Excellent analytical, communication, and stakeholder management skills.

Preferred Attributes

• Professional certifications such as Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert, AWS Certified Solutions Architect, or Google Professional Cloud Architect.
• Experience integrating AI/ML, analytics, or data lake platforms within enterprise cloud environments.
• Understanding of ITIL and service management principles in a cloud context.
• Strong vendor management and negotiation experience.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional initiatives in a matrixed, global organization.