[Hiring] Senior Azure Security Architect @Near Shore Cyber

Role Description

A Microsoft-focused cloud services firm is seeking a senior security architect to join its delivery team on a part-time, hourly basis. The firm is the managed services provider (MSP) for a multi-clinic US healthcare organization and is leading the migration of the organization's clinical and business applications to Microsoft Azure. The core need is a comprehensive security design for the Azure environment.

You will be the security voice on an experienced Azure team:

• Reviewing and hardening the architecture as it is built.
• Advising on resilience and recovery.
• Joining working sessions with the MSSP to separate the questions that matter from the noise in real time.

The Environment includes:

• A hybrid environment spanning a hosted VMware private cloud and Microsoft Azure, connected by two Azure ExpressRoute circuits.
• Palo Alto Networks VM-Series firewalls and Prisma SD-WAN ION appliances deployed as native virtual machines at both sites.
• An Azure VMware Solution (AVS) deployment receiving the full data center migration.
• More than 40 clinician-facing and business applications in scope, including laboratory, dental, radiology, and IT systems.
• A vendor-hosted electronic health record (EHR) platform with integrations to the in-scope applications.

Qualifications

• Seven or more years in information security, including at least three years designing and hardening Microsoft Azure environments in production.
• Hands-on depth in Azure network security: hub-and-spoke design, Network Security Groups, private endpoints, ExpressRoute, route control, and firewall insertion.
• Experience designing Azure governance: management groups, subscriptions, RBAC, Azure Policy, and landing zone security baselines.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Defender for Cloud, Microsoft Sentinel or another security information and event management (SIEM) platform, and Azure Policy.
• Practical experience designing backup, recovery, and DR for ransomware scenarios, including immutability and isolated recovery.
• Experience in regulated environments, ideally healthcare under HIPAA, and comfort working under a Business Associate Agreement (BAA).
• Professional English fluency for live technical discussions with US stakeholders.
• Consistent availability for one to two hours per business day with overlap during US Pacific business hours.

Requirements

• Palo Alto Networks experience, especially VM-Series firewalls and Prisma SD-WAN ION appliances running as virtual machines in Azure and hosted environments.
• Azure VMware Solution, VMware NSX (including distributed firewall micro-segmentation), and VMware HCX experience.
• Exposure to Epic or comparable EHR platforms and their connectivity and integration security patterns.
• Experience working alongside or inside an MSSP, including log source onboarding and alert tuning.
• Familiarity with the NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) 2.0, the Microsoft cloud security benchmark, CIS Benchmarks, and the HHS 405(d) Health Industry Cybersecurity Practices (HICP).
• Certifications such as Microsoft AZ-500 or SC-100, Palo Alto PCNSE, CISSP, CCSP, or HCISPP.
• Bilingual English and Spanish; the team works comfortably in both.

Engagement Details

• Engagement type: Hourly independent contract, starting on a trial basis with room to grow.
• Time commitment: One to two hours per business day, flexible scheduling.
• Start: As soon as possible, ideally the week of September 28, 2026.
• Location: Remote, for candidates based in the United States and already authorized to work here.
• Languages: English required; Spanish a plus.
• Compensation: $95 to $110 per hour, depending on experience, on a 1099 or corp-to-corp (C2C) basis, engaged through Nearshore Cyber. No benefits are provided.

How We Hire

• Shortlisted candidates complete a short written assessment. It tests judgment and priorities; it does not ask for design work.
• A recorded video interview follows. Our client reviews the recordings, so you speak to us once rather than sitting through several rounds.
• Finalists meet the client directly.

Your Information

Nearshore Cyber handles applicant information under its privacy policy: https://nearshorecyber.com.mx/privacy . If you are shortlisted, your application, assessment, and interview recording will be shared with the hiring client for this role.

Nearshore Cyber recruits for cybersecurity and AI roles. See all open roles at https://nearshorecyber.com.mx/careers .