Microsoft Corporation is actively seeking an exceptional professional to join our organization as a Cloud Solution Architect (CSA) – Cloud & AI Data within the Cloud Solution Architecture division. Positioned at the core of Microsoft’s technological innovation, this role offers direct involvement in mission-critical engineering initiatives, planetary-scale cloud services, and next-generation product architectures.

Role Overview & Strategic Impact

As a Cloud Solution Architect (CSA) – Cloud & AI Data based in Ottawa, Canada, you will play an integral role in architecting, engineering, and delivering transformative technology solutions. Operating within Microsoft’s Cloud Solution Architecture practice, your efforts will directly shape the scalability, performance, and security of software systems and platforms trusted by billions of users worldwide.

Microsoft’s enduring mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. Team members thrive within an inclusive culture grounded in a growth mindset, cross-team empathy, and uncompromising customer focus. In this position, you will collaborate with industry-leading engineers, researchers, and product leaders to solve complex technical problems at unprecedented scale.

Technical Domain: Hyperscale Cloud Architecture & Frontier AI Integration

Operating at the nexus of planetary-scale cloud infrastructure, Microsoft Azure powers the foundation for enterprise digital transformation and generative AI breakthroughs. Engineers and architects in this domain design, deploy, and optimize highly resilient, multi-region cloud services, intelligent API pipelines, and secure data topologies. Leveraging deep integrations with Azure OpenAI, foundational LLMs, and distributed microservices, team members accelerate production-grade intelligence while upholding strict standards for reliability, zero-trust security, and operational latency.

Professionals in this specialization combine strong computer science fundamentals with practical, real-world systems engineering. Whether delivering distributed microservices, designing custom silicon interconnects, managing physical datacenter infrastructure, or scaling AI-powered customer workflows, you will operate within a mature engineering ecosystem supported by Microsoft’s global technical community.

Key Responsibilities & Scope of Work

In this capacity, your daily priorities and core technical contributions will center on the following key operational deliverables:

• Engage customer IT and business leaders to understand data estates, AI priorities, governance needs, success measures, and business outcomes; design secure, scalable Cloud & AI Data solutions for unified, governed, AI-ready estates.
• Lead architecture design, create Data & AI platform roadmaps, and drive POCs, pilots, and production milestones across analytics, database, Fabric, Foundry, Microsoft IQ, and agent-enabled scenarios.
• Own technical delivery for dispatched engagements, partnering with CSAMs to ensure Azure consumption and customer success plans are accurate, aligned, and feasible.
• Use and contribute repeatable IP, templates, frameworks, and agents to accelerate deployment, improve consistency, grow Data share, and support Azure consumption outcomes.
• Provide delivery oversight and escalation support for Factory, Unified, and data acceleration engagements across Data & Analytics workloads.
• Lead workload health, resiliency, sovereignty, security, capacity management, and optimization for mission-critical data workloads and production-scale AI and agent use cases.
• Resolve technical blockers and adoption issues and share customer and field feedback with product and engineering teams to improve platform readiness and outcomes.
• Maintain rigorous code quality, comprehensive automated test coverage, and security compliance throughout all phases of software delivery.
• Participate actively in technical design reviews, operational post-mortems, and architectural discussions across global engineering cohorts.

Candidate Profile & Experience Requirements

Candidates for the Cloud Solution Architect (CSA) – Cloud & AI Data position are evaluated based on their practical experience, technical depth, and demonstrated track record of problem-solving:

• Professional Background: Minimum of 4 years (48 months) of verified experience directly relevant to cloud solution architecture or related technical specializations.
• Maintain advanced proficiency in priority workloads, including Microsoft Fabric, Azure Databricks, Microsoft Purview, Azure SQL, PostgreSQL, MySQL, Cosmos DB, Microsoft IQ, and related AI/agent scenarios.
• Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, Business, or related field AND 4+years experience in cloud, data platform, analytics, database, AI, or infrastructure technologies, information technology (IT) consulting/support, systems administration, data engineering, database administration, network operations, software development/support, technology solutions, practice development, architecture, and/or consulting OR equivalent experience.
• The successful candidate currently has the ability to obtain Reliability Status screening from a duly authorized department or agency of the Government of Canada.  This process includes but is not limited to: Verification of identity, background, education, professional credentials, personal and professional references, credit check and criminal background check. Reliability Status screening may also require a security questionnaire and security interview. To obtain the requisite clearance within required timelines, applicants must have five (5) years of continuous Canadian residency and must not have lived or worked outside of Canada for more than six (6) months during that time unless Microsoft is satisfied that the requisite clearance can nevertheless be obtained within required timelines.
• To obtain the requisite clearance within required timelines, applicants must have five (5) years of continuous Canadian residency and must not have lived or worked outside of Canada for more than six (6) months during that time unless Microsoft is satisfied that the requisite clearance can nevertheless be obtained within required timelines.
• Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, Business, or related field AND 8+years experience in cloud, data platform, analytics, database, AI, or infrastructure technologies, information technology (IT) consulting/support, systems administration, data engineering, database administration, network operations, software development/support, technology solutions, practice development, architecture, and/or consulting OR Master’s Degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, Business, or related field AND 6+years experience in cloud, data platform, analytics, database, AI, or infrastructure technologies, technology solutions, practice development, architecture, and/or consulting OR equivalent experience.
• Strong understanding of data engineering and experience in data modeling, ETL/ELT pipelines, performance optimization, Business Intelligence and real-time analytics.
• Deep experience in data governance, security, and compliance frameworks.
• Technical Competence: Demonstrated mastery of programming environments, distributed systems, modern cloud infrastructure, or specialized analytical methodologies relevant to the domain.
• Cross-Functional Leadership: Strong written and verbal communication skills, with an established ability to articulate complex technical architectures clearly to engineering peers and executive stakeholders.
• Culture & Values: Demonstrated alignment with Microsoft’s core values of respect, integrity, and accountability, alongside a proactive dedication to diversity and inclusion.

Work Environment, Workplace Schedule & Location Structure

This position is designated with an official location in Ottawa, Canada. Work arrangements for this role are structured as Onsite Model (Ottawa, Canada). Microsoft provides modern, accessible work environments equipped with state-of-the-art developer tooling, ergonomic facilities, and collaborative hybrid infrastructure.

Compensation, Total Rewards & Comprehensive Benefits

Microsoft offers a comprehensive, highly competitive total rewards framework designed to support employees’ personal, professional, and financial well-being:

• Estimated Annual Base Salary: CAD 120,000 – CAD 210,000 per annum (exact compensation determined based on verified qualifications, technical evaluation, specialized experience, and local market benchmarks).
• Incentive & Equity Rewards: Eligibility for annual performance-based cash bonuses and Microsoft restricted stock units (RSUs).
• Comprehensive Healthcare: Premium medical, dental, and vision coverage, including mental health support programs and wellness reimbursements.
• Retirement & Financial Security: Robust 401(k) / national retirement savings plans with generous company matching contributions, alongside financial planning resources.
• Time Off & Work-Life Harmony: Generous paid time off, comprehensive parental leave programs, public holiday allowances, and caregiver leave support.
• Growth & Learning: Unlimited access to Microsoft Learn, internal technical conferences, tuition assistance, and structured career mobility pathways across worldwide business units.

Application Process & Requisition Reference

This position is actively open and monitored by Microsoft Talent Acquisition. In alignment with corporate hiring policies, applications are accepted on an ongoing basis with no rigid pre-determined closing deadline until a qualified candidate is formally selected (Open Until Filled).

To submit your application, select the Apply Now button on this listing to navigate directly to the official Microsoft Careers requisition portal. When submitting your candidacy, reference Requisition ID 200053906. Ensure your resume and supporting documentation highlight your relevant technical deliverables, system achievements, and professional qualifications.