The role of a cloud engineer in shaping the future of IT

As businesses increasingly migrate their operations to the cloud, the role of a cloud engineer has become pivotal in transforming the IT landscape.

LinkedIn reported cloud computing-related positions are one of the fastest-growing jobs in the tech industry, with an expected annual growth rate of 30%.

Let’s see what tangible benefits a cloud engineer brings to organizations. 

In this article, we’ll explore this multifaceted role’s responsibilities, qualifications, and expected salary. We’ll also discuss the telltale signs that your business may need the expertise of a cloud engineer.

What is a cloud engineer?

A cloud engineer is an IT specialist responsible for designing, implementing, and maintaining an organization’s cloud infrastructure.

Cloud engineers are skilled professionals who work with various cloud service providers to leverage cloud technologies for improved business outcomes.

Notable cloud service providers used by a cloud engineer include:

• Amazon Web Services (AWS)
• Microsoft Azure
• Google Cloud Platform (GCP)
• Alibaba Cloud
• SAP
• Salesforce
• IBM Cloud
• Oracle Cloud
• VMWare
• Rackspace Cloud
  

Duties of a cloud engineer

The responsibilities of a cloud engineer cover a wide range of tasks, including:

• Cloud architecture design. Cloud engineers develop cloud architecture solutions that align with business objectives, ensuring scalability and security.
• Infrastructure deployment. These professionals set up and configure cloud resources, virtual machines, and containers.
• Security management. They implement robust security measures to protect data and applications in the cloud.
• Performance optimization. A cloud engineer monitors and optimizes cloud infrastructure for cost efficiency and performance.
• Disaster recovery planning. Cloud engineers create backup and recovery strategies to ensure data resilience.
• Automation. These IT specialists install automation tools and scripts to streamline operations and minimize manual tasks.
• Collaboration. Cloud engineers work with cross-functional teams like DevOps and IT to understand their cloud requirements and provide solutions.

Cloud engineer skills and qualifications

Cloud engineers’ educational background would often show they have a bachelor’s degree in; computer science, information systems and technology, or software engineering. 

A qualified cloud engineer must have a combination of technical skills and qualifications, including:

• Cloud platform proficiency. A cloud engineer must have in-depth knowledge of one or more cloud platforms. This includes knowing their services, networking, and security.
• Scripting and coding. Cloud engineers should be proficient in scripting languages and understand infrastructure as code (IAC) tools.
• Security expertise. A cloud engineer should have knowledge of cloud security best practices, identity and access management, encryption, and compliance standards.
• Networking. Cloud engineers must have an understanding of cloud networking concepts, including VPCs, subnets, and VPNs.
• DevOps practices. They need to be familiar with DevOps principles and practices for continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD).
• Problem-solving. A cloud engineer has strong analytical and problem-solving skills to troubleshoot issues and optimize cloud resources.
• Certifications. Cloud engineers often hold certifications like AWS Certified Solutions Architect, Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect, or Google Cloud Professional Cloud Architect.

Cloud engineer salary

The salary of a cloud engineer varies greatly depending on the country of employment and experience a candidate has.

According to ZipRecruiter, the average annual salary for a cloud engineer based in the United States is around $132,000. That is equivalent to around $11,000 a month or $2,500 a week.

Cloud application architects under AWS could make between $140,000 and $150,00. 

A cloud solution architect for Microsoft Azure could earn about $89,000 and $183,000. While cloud-related jobs for the Google Cloud Platform are paid between $134,000 to $174,000.

Benefits of hiring a cloud engineer

Hiring a cloud engineer can provide your business with numerous benefits, including:

• Reduced IT costs. Cloud engineers can help your business save costs by identifying inefficient processes and optimizing cloud environments.
• Improved security and compliance. A cloud engineer can ensure your cloud systems and applications are secure and compliant with data protection and privacy regulations.
• Enhanced scalability and flexibility. Cloud engineers can help your firm scale its IT infrastructure quickly and easily, depending on business needs.
• Faster innovation. These specialists can help your company use the latest cloud technologies and features to drive innovation, collaboration, and growth.
• Competitive advantage. Leveraging cloud technology effectively can give your business a competitive edge in the digital landscape.

Signs your business needs a cloud engineer

If you’re unsure whether your business requires a cloud engineer, here are some signs to consider:

• Slow and inefficient IT processes. If your IT team struggles to keep up with business demands and experiences slow and inefficient processes, it may be time to hire a cloud engineer.
• Security and compliance issues. If your business is facing security and compliance issues, including data breaches, regulatory violations, and legal action, a cloud engineer can help ensure that your cloud systems are secure and compliant.

• Unable to adapt. If your firm has difficulties scaling its IT infrastructure quickly and efficiently, a cloud engineer can help achieve greater scalability and flexibility.
• Dealing with complexity. As your cloud infrastructure becomes more complex, a cloud engineer can simplify management and optimize costs.
• Resource inefficiency. High cloud costs or underutilized resources may indicate the need for resource optimization that a cloud engineer can handle.
• Experiencing constant downtime. Frequent service disruptions or downtime could signal a need for improved cloud reliability that a cloud engineer could provide.