Cloud Principal Engineer

Experience level: 5 Years

Compensation: Negotiable

Role Summary

We are building a new Cloud Engineering function to modernize our platform, improve infrastructure economics, and increase delivery reliability across AWS, Azure, and limited GCP workloads.

The Cloud Principal Engineer will work in define the cloud strategy and execution model, build the initial team, and deliver measurable business outcomes across cost optimization, platform standardization, observability modernization, and application modernization.

Why This Role Exists

Our current environment is operational but fragmented across deployment patterns and cloud operations workflows. This role exists to create a single execution backbone that aligns engineering work with business priorities:

Infrastructure cost reduction and waste elimination.

Standardized, scalable Kubernetes-based platform foundations.

Simplified and cost-aware observability strategy.

Automation-first operations for non-production controls.

Application modernization toward stateless, Linux-aligned deployment patterns.

Business Objectives This Role Owns

Drive cloud cost optimization initiatives from audit to remediation execution.

Lead platform direction for managed Kubernetes in a multi-cloud operating model.

Lead migration programs such as Kafka to Kafka-as-a-Service and ARM adoption.

Establish decision framework and rollout plan for Datadog alternatives.

Implementation of governance and automation for non-production shutdown schedules.

Partner with application teams to enable stateless architecture transitions.

Key Responsibilities

Work in Defining the cloud engineering operating model and role boundaries across DevOps, Cloud Ops, and R&D teams.

Build and mentor the initial cloud engineering team and hire pipeline.

Prioritize roadmap initiatives into quarterly execution plans with clear owners and milestones.

Establish platform and automation standards for infrastructure provisioning, CI/CD integration, security controls, and reliability.

Lead cross-functional programs that require coordinated cloud, platform, and application changes.

Ensure decisions are evidence-driven with transparent measurement and reporting.

Required Qualifications

5+ years in cloud/platform engineering, SRE, or infrastructure leadership roles.

3+ years leading cross-functional technical programs with direct business impact.

Strong hands-on depth in at least two of the following: Kubernetes platforms, cloud infrastructure automation, cost optimization, observability, CI/CD systems.

Experience across AWS and Azure in production environments.

Proven ability to translate business goals into technical roadmap execution.

Strong written and verbal communication skills for technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Technical Skills

Managed Kubernetes platforms: EKS and/or AKS architecture and operations.

Infrastructure as Code: strong hands-on depth in Terraform or OpenTofu or Pulumi.

Cloud automation and scripting: Python and/or TypeScript for workflow and operations automation.

CI/CD implementation: Git-based pipelines, environment promotion, release controls, rollback patterns.

Cloud security foundations: IAM, secrets management, policy enforcement, and least-privilege design.

Cost optimization engineering: rightsizing, idle resource remediation, schedule automation, and governance controls.

Observability foundations: metrics, logs, traces, alert design, and SLO-oriented operating practices.

Preferred Technical Skills

Configuration management and systems automation (Ansible or equivalent).

Experience evaluating or migrating monitoring stacks (for example, Datadog alternatives).

Experience with Kafka platform migrations, including Kafka-as-a-Service adoption.

Experience enabling ARM64 migration and multi-arch build/deployment practices.

Experience driving stateless architecture transitions and config externalization patterns.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience leading cloud transformation in multi-tenant or regulated environments.

Experience with FinOps practices and cost governance operating models.

Experience with platform migration programs (for example, KaaS, ARM, stateless modernization).

Experience hiring and developing high-performing platform teams.

Leadership Competencies

Systems thinking with bias for execution.

Strong ownership and accountability.

Pragmatic decision-making under delivery constraints.

Ability to build alignment across engineering, operations, and business stakeholders.

The US base salary range for this full-time position is Negotiable.  Our salary ranges are determined by role, level and location.  The range for each job posting reflects the minimum and maximum target for new hire salaries for the position across all US locations.  Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience and relevant education or training.  Please note that the compensation details listed reflect the base salary and certain positions may be offered with additional variable incentives.

Centric Software provides equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, color, age, religion, protected veteran or disability status or genetic information.