Principal Cloud Engineer

We are seeking a dynamic Principal Cloud Engineer who combines deep expertise in cloud architecture and hands-on cloud engineering experience. In this hybrid role, you will be responsible for designing, building, and optimizing cloud-based solutions that drive business growth, operational efficiency, and innovation. You will work closely with cross-functional teams to translate business requirements into scalable, secure, and resilient cloud architectures while also contributing to hands-on development and operational management of cloud infrastructure.

This role is ideal for a highly experienced cloud professional with a strong architectural mindset, who is also comfortable with cloud engineering tasks such as infrastructure automation, continuous deployment, and performance optimization. Leadership, collaboration, and technical prowess across both architecture and engineering disciplines are key to success in this role.

Key Responsibilities

• Architect Cloud Solutions: Lead the design of scalable, resilient, and secure cloud architectures, ensuring they meet both technical and business requirements. Architect solutions across platforms such as AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud, focusing on cloud-native technologies and services.
• Hands-on Cloud Engineering: Implement cloud infrastructure using Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) with tools like Terraform and CloudFormation. Develop automation scripts for provisioning, monitoring, and maintaining cloud environments.
• Cloud-Native Development: Drive the development of cloud-native applications using modern programming languages, frameworks, and microservices architecture. Ensure seamless integration with cloud services, container orchestration, and DevOps practices.
• CI/CD & Automation: Design and build CI/CD pipelines that enable rapid, reliable, and consistent deployment. Implement best practices for automation in cloud environments, utilizing tools such as Jenkins, GitLab CI/CD, and Ansible.
• Security & Compliance: Architect and implement robust security controls, encryption mechanisms, and identity management solutions to safeguard cloud environments and data. Ensure compliance with industry standards and regulations.
• Performance & Cost Optimization: Continuously optimize cloud resources for performance, scalability, and cost-efficiency. Leverage services such as auto-scaling, serverless computing, and load balancing to ensure optimal cloud performance.
• Leadership & Mentorship: Lead technical discussions, mentor team members, and drive the adoption of best practices in cloud architecture, development, and operations. Foster collaboration between teams and ensure alignment on cloud strategies and implementation.
• MLOps: Design and implement scalable, cloud-based infrastructure for the deployment, monitoring, and management of machine learning models, ensuring automation, security, and performance across the ML (Machine Learning) lifecycle.
• Data Analytics: Develop and optimize cloud architectures to support data-driven applications and advanced analytics, ensuring efficient data processing, storage, and accessibility for machine learning and AI (Artificial Intelligence) workloads.
• Innovation & Improvement: Identify opportunities for innovation within existing cloud architectures. Stay updated on emerging cloud technologies, trends, and best practices, and assess their potential to enhance our cloud solutions.
  
  

Qualifications

• Educational Background: Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Engineering, or a related field is required; a master's degree is preferred.
• Experience:
• 12 years of hands-on experience in cloud architecture (minimum of 8 years) and engineering, with a strong emphasis on designing and implementing cloud-based solutions.
• Extensive experience with cloud platforms such as AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud, including computing, storage, networking, and security services.
• Expertise in containerization and orchestration tools (Docker, Kubernetes, AWS ECS).
• Technical Skills:
• Strong understanding of cloud architecture principles, including serverless computing, microservices architecture, and distributed systems.
• Advanced proficiency in IaC tools like Terraform, and CloudFormation, and scripting languages such as Python.
• Hands-on experience with DevOps tools for CI/CD, infrastructure automation, and monitoring (e.g., Jenkins, GitLab CI/CD, AWS CloudWatch).
• Deep knowledge of databases (SQL, MongoDB, Snowflake, RDS, Redshift) and cloud services (AWS Lambda, AWS FSx).
• Problem-Solving Abilities: Demonstrated ability to analyze complex technical problems, think critically, and deliver innovative solutions in a cloud environment.
• Leadership & Communication: Strong leadership skills with the ability to collaborate across teams, mentor engineers, and engage with stakeholders at all levels of the organization. Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Certifications: Relevant certifications such as AWS Certified Solutions Architect, Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert, or Google Cloud Certified - Professional Cloud Architect are highly desirable.
  
  

About Fortellar

We are a boutique IT consulting and business process outsourcing organization supporting mid to enterprise-level organizations. We are a small, but mighty, team of experts who know how to stretch, adapt, and put on any hat required at the moment to make our clients successful and enable Fortellar’s growth. Keys to success at Fortellar include:

• Collaboration: You demonstrate excellence in remote collaboration across your Fortellar and client teams.
• Growth Mindset: You embrace personal growth and are always learning new things to support your team, your clients, and your personal goals.
• Client Success: You have a passion for your client’s success – you don’t just deliver to the contract you ensure that your client’s goals and needs are met.
• Humanity First: Honest and transparency are your natural instincts – your actions speak louder than your words and your team members love working with you.
• Entrepreneurial: You find a way to get it done, no matter what the challenges or seeming blockers are in front of you
  
  

Work Environment

• Remote
• Travel Requirements: 10 - 15%