Position Information

Position Title

Azure Cloud Engineer & Administrator

Job Description

Job Summary

We are seeking a professional Azure Cloud Engineer and Administrator to join our 30+ person ITS team at Hillsdale College. You will be responsible for designing, implementing, and managing cloud infrastructure that supports the College’s growing portfolio of web applications and microservices for its digital outreach platform that reach over 10 million people, including online.hillsdale.edu. Working closely with the College’s software development team, this role focuses on Microsoft Azure technologies, including Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS), B2C authorization and authentication, Azure Front Door, networking, logging, and Application Insights. The role requires a strong focus on Infrastructure as Code (IaC) to ensure secure, scalable, and version-controlled, repeatable infrastructure deployments that can be reviewed, tested, and automatically deployed alongside application code.

You will work closely with our System Administrators who manage the College’s hybrid Azure and on-premises Active Directory environment. This position requires deep technical expertise in Azure services, IaC tools, and collaboration with Systems Administrators, Network Administrators, Service Desk, and Academic Support teams to maintain a reliable, standardized, and secure cloud ecosystem.

The ideal candidate will have five or more years of experience managing Azure cloud environments that host applications with over 5 million monthly active users, with at least one year in a lead or administrative role, and advanced skills in implementing IaC using tools like Terraform, ARM templates, or Bicep. Collaboration and continuous improvement with other IT teams are critical to aligning cloud infrastructure with the College’s academic and operational goals.

While technical proficiency is essential, the successful candidate must serve with humility and empathy, fostering cross-team collaboration, and driving continuous improvement to optimize cloud infrastructure and ensure compliance with security and operational standards.

Essential Job Functions

Cloud Infrastructure Management and Support

Design, deploy, and manage Azure cloud infrastructure (e.g., Virtual Machines, Azure App Services, Azure Kubernetes Service, Blob Storage, Virtual Networks) using Infrastructure as Code (IaC) principles to ensure scalability, security, and performance.
Implement and maintain IaC workflows using tools like Terraform, Azure Resource Manager (ARM) templates, or Bicep to automate infrastructure provisioning and configuration.
Maintain and version-control Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) artifacts in Git-based repositories, supporting automated, auditable, and scalable infrastructure within a DevOps environment.
Leverage Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) to automate the provisioning of tailored development environments for engineering, testing, and security use cases.
Maintain, secure and extend Azure DevOps CI/CD pipelines for prod and non-prod environments.
Maintain and extend the Azure AKS Kubernetes environment for custom application development for web-scale, internet-facing applications.
Monitor and optimize Azure resources for cost efficiency, performance, and reliability using tools like Azure Monitor, Azure App Insights, Azure Advisor, and Cost Management.
Troubleshoot and resolve complex cloud infrastructure issues, including connectivity, performance bottlenecks, and security vulnerabilities, to minimize disruption to College operations.
Deploy and manage Azure security tools (e.g., Azure Security Center, Azure Sentinel, Key Vault) to protect cloud resources and ensure compliance with data privacy and security standards.
Implement Azure budget management practices including budget creation, cost allocation, resource tagging strategies, and automated alerting to ensure cloud spending remains within approved limits and supports financial planning and chargeback processes.
Support the integration and management of cloud-based applications, including Microsoft 365, collaboration tools (e.g., Teams, SharePoint), and custom applications hosted in Azure.
Contribute to the development and maintenance of a knowledge management system to document cloud configurations, IaC scripts, troubleshooting guides, and best practices for team and user self-service.
Provide periodic after-hours support to address critical cloud infrastructure issues and meet the demands of a 24/7 residential campus.

Operational Excellence

Implement and refine ITIL-aligned processes (e.g., change management, incident management, configuration management) to ensure proactive cloud infrastructure administration and minimize service disruptions.
Collaborate with Systems Administrators, Network Administrators, Service Desk, and Academic Support teams to align cloud infrastructure with organizational needs and drive continuous improvement in IT service delivery.
Actively seek opportunities to automate repetitive cloud management tasks using IaC and scripting to increase efficiency, reduce errors, lower operating costs, and improve service levels.
Monitor and analyze key performance indicators (e.g., cloud uptime, resource utilization, security compliance, deployment success rates) to drive operational improvements and confirm value delivery.
Prepare and present reports for ITS leadership on cloud infrastructure health, security compliance, cost optimization, and performance metrics.
Review and support change requests to ensure minimal risk to cloud infrastructure stability and IT services.
Engage in at least 40 hours of continuing education annually to stay current with Azure services, IaC tools, cloud security practices, and ITIL methodologies.

Required Qualifications

Education and Experience

Minimum Requirements

At least 5 years of experience in Azure cloud engineering and administration in enterprise environments, with a proven track record of managing high-availability cloud infrastructure.
Associate degree or equivalent experience required.

Desired Training and Certifications

ITIL 4 Foundation
Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate
Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert
HashiCorp Certified: Terraform Associate
CompTIA Security+

Other Skills

Expert-level Skills

Azure Cloud Management: Proficiency in designing, deploying, and managing Azure services (e.g., Virtual Machines, Azure App Services, Azure Kubernetes Service, Virtual Networks) using Azure Portal, CLI, and PowerShell.
Infrastructure as Code (IaC): Advanced expertise in implementing and managing IaC using Terraform, ARM templates, or Bicep to automate infrastructure provisioning and ensure consistency.
Cloud Security: Knowledge of Azure security practices, including identity and access management (IAM), Azure Security Center, Azure Sentinel, and compliance with standards like HIPAA and NIST.
Scripting and Automation: Proficiency in scripting and automation using PowerShell, Python, or Bash to streamline cloud management tasks and integrate with CI/CD pipelines.
Monitoring and Optimization: Expertise in using Azure Monitor, Azure Advisor, and Cost Management to optimize cloud performance, cost, and reliability.
Cloud Applications: Ability to configure and troubleshoot cloud-based applications, including Microsoft 365, Teams, SharePoint, and custom applications hosted in Azure.
Knowledgebase: Skills in contributing to and managing a knowledge base to support cloud administration and user self-service.
Process Improvement: Formal training in ITIL 4 framework, focusing on change management, configuration management, and cloud service delivery in a higher education environment.

Proficient-level Skills

Azure Active Directory (Entra): Working knowledge of user and device administration in Azure AD (e.g., role-based access control, conditional access policies, MFA configuration).
Azure B2C: Familiarity with users, application registrations, custom policy implementation, and configuration. Understanding of Microsoft’s migration roadmap from B2C to Microsoft Entra External ID will also be helpful.
Containerization: Familiarity with container technologies like Docker and Kubernetes, including Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) for managing containerized workloads.
Networking: Understanding of Azure Virtual Networks, VPNs, ExpressRoute, and network security groups (NSGs) for secure cloud connectivity.
Data Privacy and Security: Knowledge of data privacy regulations (e.g., HIPAA, FERPA) and security practices relevant to cloud infrastructure in higher education.
CI/CD Pipelines: Familiarity with integrating IaC into CI/CD pipelines using tools like Azure DevOps or GitHub Actions.
Asset Management: Experience with cloud resource tagging, cost allocation, and maintaining audit logs for compliance.
Support Tools: Familiarity with remote support and monitoring tools for troubleshooting cloud infrastructure issues.

Code of Commitment

Be a good representative of Hillsdale College to promote the liberal arts, the College’s original Articles of Association, and operating principles stated in the Staff Code of Commitment. The Mission Statement should be considered in all aspects of the position. The teaching of Christian faith shall remain a conspicuous aim of the College.

Physical Demands

Posting Detail Information

Posting Number

S184P

Open Date

08/15/2025

Close Date

Open Until Filled

Yes

Special Instructions to Applicants

Hillsdale College

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