Job description

Job Title: Principal Cloud Infrastructure Architect. Location: Washington, DC (On-site). Employment Type: Contract (W2 through ZipStaff — No C2C or 1099). About the Opportunity ZipStaff is seeking a Principal Cloud Infrastructure Architect for technology modernization at a major passenger-rail organization. You will set target-state enterprise architecture, Zero Trust baselines, and PCI-DSS patterns across hybrid cloud, networking, applications, and regulated payments. This is a senior individual-contributor architecture seat — not a team-manager role and not a hands-on cloud-admin role. What You’ll Do: • Define and govern target-state architectures, standards, and multi-year roadmaps across hybrid cloud, infrastructure automation, analytics, asset management, and AI-enabled decision support. • Evaluate Generative AI, machine learning, and process-automation use cases and turn them into secure deployment architectures with data governance, access control, auditability, and ownership. • Set architectural direction for Zero Trust, cloud networking, identity-aware access, and microsegmentation, on-premises and in cloud. • Run technical risk assessments and set patterns aligned to PCI-DSS, NIST, ISO/IEC 27001, and Federal Railroad Administration rules. • Use AI-assisted architecture workflows to speed designs, risk analyses, and executive material, and leave reusable patterns behind. • Coach peer architects and engineering through design walkthroughs and reference implementations, without direct reports. • Hold clear integration boundaries with platform architects. Required Qualifications: • 13+ years in enterprise architecture, infrastructure architecture, or related technical leadership. • 2–3 years embedded in a formal Enterprise Architecture practice. • Delivery of business value in a large enterprise environment ($500M+ scale). • Architectures for AI/ML integration, Zero Trust, microsegmentation, and PCI-DSS payment environments. • Ability to explain complex designs to C-suite and senior engineers without direct authority. • Concurrent architecture engagements and portfolio transformation. • Bachelor’s in Computer Science, Data/Intelligence, or a related field, or equivalent experience. • Ability to work on-site in Washington, DC. • Must be legally authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship now or in the future. Preferred Qualifications: • Master’s or MBA. • Travel, transportation, or passenger rail. • Breadth across business, solution, infrastructure, and data architecture. • DevSecOps pipelines, automated policy enforcement, software-defined networking, and AI-assisted architecture workflows. Benefits: • Health Insurance. • Dental Insurance. • Vision Insurance. • 401(k) + 401(k) matching. • Paid time off. • Referral Program. About ZipStaff ZipStaff partners with leading organizations to connect skilled technology professionals with high-impact contract opportunities. We focus on quality matches, clear communication, and long-term success for candidates and clients. To apply, submit your resume highlighting enterprise architecture you governed, a Zero Trust or microsegmentation pattern you set, and PCI-DSS or another regulated-payment architecture you owned. Cloud engineers with no architecture-practice tenure will not be considered. Pay: $60 - $62 per hour

Requirements

Must-haves

Job Title: Principal Cloud Infrastructure Architect.
Location: Washington, DC (On-site).
Employment Type: Contract (W2 through ZipStaff — No C2C or 1099).
Define and govern target-state architectures, standards, and multi-year roadmaps across hybrid cloud, infrastructure automation, analytics, asset management, and AI-enabled decision support.
Evaluate Generative AI, machine learning, and process-automation use cases and turn them into secure deployment architectures with data governance, access control, auditability, and ownership.
Set architectural direction for Zero Trust, cloud networking, identity-aware access, and microsegmentation, on-premises and in cloud.
Run technical risk assessments and set patterns aligned to PCI-DSS, NIST, ISO/IEC 27001, and Federal Railroad Administration rules.
Use AI-assisted architecture workflows to speed designs, risk analyses, and executive material, and leave reusable patterns behind.
Coach peer architects and engineering through design walkthroughs and reference implementations, without direct reports.
Hold clear integration boundaries with platform architects.
13+ years in enterprise architecture, infrastructure architecture, or related technical leadership.
2–3 years embedded in a formal Enterprise Architecture practice.
Delivery of business value in a large enterprise environment ($500M+ scale).
Architectures for AI/ML integration, Zero Trust, microsegmentation, and PCI-DSS payment environments.
Ability to explain complex designs to C-suite and senior engineers without direct authority.
Concurrent architecture engagements and portfolio transformation.
Bachelor’s in Computer Science, Data/Intelligence, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
Ability to work on-site in Washington, DC.
Must be legally authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship now or in the future.

Nice-to-haves

Master’s or MBA.
Travel, transportation, or passenger rail.
Breadth across business, solution, infrastructure, and data architecture.
DevSecOps pipelines, automated policy enforcement, software-defined networking, and AI-assisted architecture workflows.

Application prep

Use the role’s language and application details while tailoring your materials.

Keywords to mirror

aimachine learningml

Platform: betterteam
Effort: medium

Benefits

Benefits detected in the listing.

Health Insurance

Dental

Vision

401(K)

Paid Time Off