Job Title: Principal - Platform Engineer
Location(s): Warren, NJ
(Remote)
Job Summary:Seeking a Principal Platform Engineer (APIM/AI Gateway) to lead the architecture, design, engineering, and modernization of the Enterprise API and AI Platform. This strategic role will drive an Enterprise API & AI Security Modernization Program focused on transforming Azure API Management into a secure, scalable, and governed platform supporting Internal APIs, External APIs, AI Services, Large Language Models (LLMs), AI Agents, and future AI workloads.
The ideal candidate will collaborate with Platform Engineering, Cloud Engineering, Information Security, Networking, Enterprise Architecture, and Application teams to build a secure, resilient, automated, and developer-friendly API platform.
Key Responsibilities:Platform Architecture & Strategy- Lead the architecture and implementation of a next-generation Enterprise API and AI Platform using Azure API Management and Azure AI Gateway.
- Define target-state architecture for Internal APIM, External APIM, AI Gateway, Disaster Recovery, and platform security.
- Develop platform standards, governance models, reference architectures, engineering best practices, and technical roadmaps.
- Drive architectural decisions around traffic segregation, Web Application Firewall (WAF) integration, firewall architecture, identity management, and AI governance.
Azure API Management & AI Gateway- Design and implement Azure API Management solutions for internal, external, partner, SaaS, and AI integrations.
- Implement Azure AI Gateway capabilities including:
- LLM access governance
- Model routing and failover
- Token and rate controls
- MCP and Agent Gateway patterns
- AI observability and reporting
- Content safety and guardrails
- AI security and Data Loss Prevention (DLP) controls
- Develop reusable APIM policy frameworks supporting:
- Authentication and Authorization
- OAuth and JWT validation
- Mutual TLS (mTLS)
- Rate limiting and quotas
- Request/response transformation
- Routing
- Logging and monitoring
- Error handling
Security & Platform Hardening- Strengthen API security using policy-based controls, managed identities, token validation, least-privilege access, and network restrictions.
- Collaborate with Security and Network Engineering teams to improve WAF inspection and reduce exceptions.
- Implement platform hardening through:
- Microsoft Defender for Cloud
- Azure Key Vault integration
- Secret management
- API security testing
- Identity governance
- Security monitoring and alerting
Platform Engineering & Automation- Build Infrastructure as Code (IaC) solutions using Terraform.
- Implement CI/CD pipelines using Azure DevOps and Git-based deployment workflows.
- Develop automation for platform provisioning, policy deployment, governance enforcement, and operational efficiency.
- Enable self-service capabilities for API onboarding, governance, and lifecycle management.
Migration & Modernization- Lead API inventory, classification, migration planning, and phased migration execution.
- Develop migration playbooks, cutover plans, rollback procedures, and operational runbooks.
- Coordinate application testing and production migrations with development teams.
Observability & Operational Excellence- Design monitoring and observability using Azure Monitor, Log Analytics, Application Insights, Microsoft Defender for Cloud, and enterprise monitoring solutions.
- Create operational dashboards, governance scorecards, API health reporting, AI usage reporting, and platform KPIs.
- Develop support models, disaster recovery documentation, operational procedures, and platform documentation.
Required Skills & Experience- Extensive experience with Microsoft Azure cloud platform.
- Deep expertise in Azure API Management (APIM).
- Experience implementing Azure AI Gateway and AI platform solutions.
- Strong understanding of API security, authentication, authorization, OAuth, JWT, mTLS, and Zero Trust principles.
- Experience with AI governance, LLM integrations, AI security, content safety, and DLP controls.
- Expertise with Terraform and Infrastructure as Code.
- Experience building CI/CD pipelines using Azure DevOps and Git.
- Strong knowledge of networking, WAF, firewalls, identity management, and cloud security.
- Experience with Azure Monitor, Log Analytics, Application Insights, and observability platforms.
- Strong automation, scripting, and platform engineering experience.
- Experience leading enterprise platform modernization and migration initiatives.
- Excellent architecture, documentation, and cross-functional leadership skills.
