About this role
Job SummaryThis position is located in the Railroad Retirement Board's Bureau of Information Services. The incumbent will be responsible for the design, development, implementation, and optimization of cloud-based solutions within Microsoft Azure. This job announcement may be used to fill one or more vacancies. This is a bargaining unit position. This position is represented by the Council of AFGE Locals in the Board.
QualificationsMinimum Qualifications for GS-13 level: One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is: Experience designing, engineering, and implementing Azure cloud architectures for enterprise environments, including secure, scalable, and highly available solutions. Experience leading cloud migration and modernization efforts, including assessments, planning, and execution of transitioning systems to Microsoft Azure. Experience ensuring compliance with federal cybersecurity frameworks such as NIST and FISMA in cloud and hybrid environments. Time-in grade-restrictions: Applicants who are current or former Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements (52 weeks at the next lower grade level). Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional, philanthropic, religious, spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Only experience and/or education obtained by the closing date of this announcement will be considered.
Major DutiesAs an Azure Architect, you will: Serve as the organization's senior Azure Architect and recognized subject matter expert (SME) for cloud systems engineering, providing authoritative guidance on the design, development, implementation, and governance of Microsoft Azure solutions. Advise senior leadership on cloud strategy, investment planning, and long-term modernization initiatives, influencing the agency's overall IT direction. Design and engineer enterprise-level cloud architectures that are secure, scalable, highly available, and resilient, ensuring alignment with mission requirements and seamless integration with on-premises systems in hybrid environments. Lead evaluations of existing and proposed IT systems, applications, and services to determine optimal hosting environments, conducting detailed analyses of architectural feasibility, system performance, cybersecurity requirements, and total cost of ownership. Perform comprehensive cost-benefit and lifecycle cost analyses comparing Azure-based solutions with traditional on-premises infrastructure, providing data-driven recommendations to leadership to support strategic and investment decisions.