Work Model Part Time; Onsite

Allows Relocation NO, must be currently living within 60 miles

SUMMARY

Our client is seeking a Cloud Solutions Architect to support the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) in designing, securing, and optimizing cloud solutions with a primary focus on Google Cloud Platform (GCP), including legacy-to-cloud migrations, while providing technical leadership to development and operations teams.

RESPONSBILITIES

• Design and develop cloud solutions that meet business and technical requirements (primary focus on GCP; AWS and Azure also relevant)
• Collaborate with stakeholders, business product owners, and DevOps teams to gather requirements and translate them into architectural designs and technical roadmaps
• Provide technical leadership and guidance on cloud best practices, application hosting, and distributed architecture
• Create and maintain architectural documentation, including diagrams, integration processes, and specifications
• Ensure solutions are secure, compliant, and optimized for performance, reliability, and scalability
• Architect and maintain cloud database systems, BigQuery data pipelines, and public/private APIs to support application integration and legacy-to-cloud migrations
• Evaluate and recommend new cloud technologies, tools, and services (e.g., containers, Kubernetes/GKE, BI analytics)
• Conduct regular reviews of cloud environments to identify improvements and cost optimization opportunities
• Support disaster recovery planning and backup strategies and ensure high availability of critical systems
• Stay current on emerging cloud technologies and industry trends to inform architectural strategy

QUALIFICATIONS

Required:

•  In-depth knowledge of cloud platforms and services (demonstrated GCP expertise or other major public cloud provider)
• GCP, AWS or Azure certification
• Infrastructure as Code (Terraform, Open Tofu, Ansible, CloudFormation, or Pulumi);
• Experience working in a cloud environment for a government, higher education, or other public-sector entity.
• Scalable, distributed systems and microservices architecture
• Networking (VPC, hybrid connectivity), security protocols, and IAM in cloud environments
• Containerization and orchestration (Docker, Kubernetes/GKE)
• AI-assisted developer tools and workflows for infrastructure provisioning, code maintenance, and automated testing
• Strong problem-solving and troubleshooting
• Effective communication and leadership skills

Preferred:

• Bachelor's degree in computer science, Information Technology, or a related field (or equivalent related experience, where 1 year of higher education substitutes for 1 year of experience)
• 7+ years of experience in IT, including 3+ years in cloud architecture, DevOps, or a similar technical leadership role
• Certifications such as Google Professional Cloud Architect, Google Cloud Associate Cloud Engineer, AWS Certified Solutions Architect, or Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect
• Experience with DevSecOps practices, CI/CD workflows (e.g., GitHub Actions), and database administration/migrations (PostgreSQL, MS SQL Server, BigQuery)
• Familiarity with security frameworks such as NIST, CIS Benchmarks, or ISO/IEC 27001

MANAGER NOTES

This role is onsite, and part time (20 hours a week, 4 hours a day).

Looking for candidates with directly relevant cloud architecture experience in the public sector.

Resumes should clearly identify GCP/AWS/Azure certifications, Infrastructure as Code tools used, public-sector cloud environments worked in, and cloud security and IAM experience.

PRE-EMPLOYEMENT & CLIENT SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Employment and/or client submission is contingent upon successful completion of required pre-employment screening and verification processes. These requirements include:

• Background check: Candidates must successfully complete the required background screening in accordance with company policy and applicable law.
• Drug screening: Candidates must successfully complete the required drug screening in accordance with company policy, applicable client requirements, and applicable law.
• Identity and location verification: Candidates may be required to complete identity and/or location verification using a secure verification tool prior to client submission.
• Employment eligibility: Candidates must provide appropriate documentation to verify employment eligibility as required by law.
• Qualification verification: Information provided during the application and recruiting process, including employment history, education, certifications, licenses, and professional references, may be verified as applicable.
• Additional client requirements: Additional screening, documentation, or verification may be required based on the client, position, work location, or applicable requirements.

All screening and verification activities will be conducted in accordance with applicable company policies, client requirements, and federal, state, and local laws.

BENEFITS

This is a contract opportunity with a great organization. As a contractor for Smith Johnson, you are eligible for medical, dental, life, disability. Smith Johnson pays for 70% of your medical and dental and 100% of life and disability. The contract is also eligible for PTO/holiday accrued monthly. You are also eligible for a 3% retirement matching plan. Smith Johnson believes in taking care of our contractors.