Principal Engineer Cloud Platform Economics & Optimization

Job Responsibilities

Job Summary

The Principal Engineer, Cloud Economics & Optimization drives cloud cost optimization outcomes by translating FinOps policies, telemetry, and insights into measurable savings and sustained cost discipline. This role executes optimization strategies and savings initiatives across Azure, AWS, GCP and OCI partnering closely with Cloud Engineering, Operations, and Finance to improve cost visibility through tagging and cost telemetry, embed cost governance into platform and operational processes, and ensure cost actions are accurate and repeatable. The Principal Engineer tracks, validates, and reports savings realization against enterprise targets and supports MSP execution by strengthening the controls, workflows, and automation that turn cost signals into concrete actions.

Core Responsibilities

Execute FinOps policies, optimization strategies, and savings initiatives across cloud services, subscriptions/accounts, and products to deliver measurable cost reduction.

Partner with Cloud Engineering to improve cost telemetry and allocation accuracy (tagging/metadata standards, data quality controls, and consistent cost dimensions).

Identifyoptimization opportunities by analyzing cost signals (usage, rates, reservations/savings plans, idle/overprovisioned resources) andtranslateinsights into actionable engineering and operational work.

Track,validate, and report savings realization against enterprise targets, including baselines, attribution, realized vs. forecast savings, and variance explanations.

Embed cost governance into platform and operational processes (intake, change, provisioning, architecture patterns), ensuring guardrails drive sustained cost discipline.

Drive automation for optimization actions (rightsizing workflows, schedule/stop-start, policy-based enforcement, and continuous detection/remediation) to reduce manual effort and improve consistency.

Support MSP execution by clarifying cost actions,validatingimplementation accuracy, and ensuring evidence and reporting are audit-ready and consistent.

Additional Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Finance, or a related field (or equivalent practical experience); advanced degree preferred.

Strong cloud cost management experience across Azure and AWS, including cost allocation, forecasting, optimization levers, and service pricing/consumption drivers.

Working knowledge of the FinOps framework with an outcome-oriented execution mindset (turning policy and insights into delivered savings and sustained discipline).

Ability to analyze cost signals and telemetry (usage trends, unit costs, anomalies, commitments, and idle resources) and translate findings into concrete, trackable actions.

Experience partnering with engineering teams on tagging standards, cost data quality, and automation (e.g., policy-based controls and repeatable optimization workflows).

Comfortable operating across engineering, operations, finance, and vendor/MSP stakeholders; able to influence priorities using data, standards, and clear reporting.

Strong communicationskills, attention to detail, and control mindset to ensureoptimizationactions and savings reporting areaccurate, repeatable, and audit ready.

Years of experience required

Minimum of 8 years of Cloud Engineering experience

Get to know Syneos Health

Over the past 5 years, we have worked with 94% of all Novel FDA Approved Drugs, 95% of EMA Authorized Products and over 200 Studies across 73,000 Sites and 675,000+ Trial patients.

No matter what your role is, you’ll take the initiative and challenge the status quo with us in a highly competitive and ever-changing environment. Learn more about Syneos Health.

http://www.syneoshealth.com

Additional Information

Tasks, duties, and responsibilities as listed in this job description are not exhaustive. The Company, at its sole discretion and with no prior notice, may assign other tasks, duties, and job responsibilities. Equivalent experience, skills, and/or education will also be considered so qualifications of incumbents may differ from those listed in the Job Description. The Company, at its sole discretion, will determine what constitutes as equivalent to the qualifications described above. Further, nothing contained herein should be construed to create an employment contract. Occasionally, required skills/experiences for jobs are expressed in brief terms. Any language contained herein is intended to fully comply with all obligations imposed by the legislation of each country in which it operates, including the implementation of the EU Equality Directive, in relation to the recruitment and employment of its employees. The Company is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, including the provision of reasonable accommodations, when appropriate, to assist employees or applicants to perform the essential functions of the job.