Senior Azure Data & AI Engineer / Architect

Senior Azure Data & AI Engineer   Join a team that builds solutions for global leaders We are an IT services company specializing in building cutting-edge data platforms for large enterprises worldwide. Our solutions help some of the biggest global corporations stay ahead in a fast-changing digital landscape. What makes us different? 👉 A team of experienced consultants — mostly senior-level experts 👉 Real impact on large-scale, business-critical systems 👉 A strong focus on quality, innovation, and knowledge sharing   About the role   We are looking for a Senior Azure Data & AI Engineer to join a high-impact project for one of our global enterprise customers. You will be a key contributor to designing, building, and maintaining a cloud-native data solution that powers a multi-model AI engine. This is a hands-on engineering role with significant ownership - you will be expected to make architectural decisions, not just execute on specifications. The ideal candidate combines deep Azure data engineering expertise with a security-first mindset and a track record of building cost-efficient data & AI solutions.   Key responsibilities   • Design and implement data ingestion pipelines from multiple cloud data sources - including SharePoint Online, SQL databases, and REST APIs - using Azure Data Factory and complementary Azure services (Functions, LogicApps, etc.) • Develop custom Python-based ingestion and transformation components where native ADF connectors fall short (propose and justify the right tooling) • Orchestrate and automate end-to-end data pipelines, ensuring reliability, observability, and maintainability • Load and manage structured and unstructured data in Azure AI Search, including index design and automation, chunking strategies, and document lifecycle management • Collaborate on the integration layer between Azure AI Search and a multi-model OpenAI-based AI engine • Apply security and compliance controls consistently across all pipeline components • Proactively identify and drive cost optimization and architectural simplification opportunities • Participate in architecture reviews and contribute to technical decision-making   Must-have skills and experience   • 5+ years of hands-on experience with Azure data services in production environments • Advanced proficiency with Azure Data Factory - including parameterized pipelines, custom activities, triggers, and monitoring • Proficiency in Python for data engineering tasks (data transformation, automation) • Practical experience of working with Azure AI Search (indexes, skillsets, indexers) • Understanding of RAGs, vector search, semantic ranking, and hybrid search patterns • Experience with document chunking strategies and embedding pipelines • Good knowledge of prompt engineering patterns and practices • Solid understanding of Azure networking and security fundamentals (VNets, Key Vault, Managed Identities, RBAC) • Hands-on experience with Infrastructure-as-Code and CI/CD for Azure deployments (Azure DevOps, Bicep/Terraform) • Ability to critically evaluate and simplify existing architectures, not just extend them   Nice-to-have skills and experience   • Experience with Azure Web Apps and Azure Cache for Redis in data-serving scenarios • Familiarity with Microsoft Foundry and Azure OpenAI in Foundry Models • Exposure to Snowflake as a data source for Azure integrations • Prior projects for regulated industries or large global enterprises   What’s in it for you? ✨ Certification & training budget to support your growth 🏡 Flexible work model — remote or hybrid, your choice 🏥 Private medical care & sports card 📚 Additional training opportunities 🤝 Supportive, knowledge-sharing environment with senior experts 🚀 Opportunity to grow within a high-impact, international project Hiring process — simple & transparent 1. Quick HR call to get to know you 2. Technical meeting with a Manager or Architect 3. Feedback & next steps