What Does a Cloud Engineer Do?
A cloud engineer builds, operates, and secures the infrastructure a company operates on AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud. The role is hands-on: provisioning compute, storage, and networking with code, setting up identity and access controls, and keeping workloads available and within budget. Cloud engineers work for software companies, banks, hospitals, retailers, and any organization that has moved servers out of its own data center. Most employers require a bachelor’s degree in computer science or information systems plus 3 or more years of infrastructure experience, with at least 2 of those years on a major cloud platform.
Here is how the job compares with three similar roles. A cloud architect decides how the environment should be designed and which services to use; the cloud engineer implements and operates that design. A DevOps engineer focuses on the build and release pipeline that moves application code into production, while a cloud engineer focuses on the platform the code lands on. A systems administrator or Linux engineer does similar work on physical or virtual servers, and many cloud engineers started in one of those two jobs.
Looking to Hire a Cloud Engineer?
Speak with one of our recruiting experts today.
Hiring a Cloud Engineer: What to Expect
Most cloud engineer candidates came up through systems administration, network engineering, or a DevOps role and moved to the cloud as their employer did. Screen for an environment the candidate built or migrated and still supports, ask how they handle a change to production infrastructure (the answer should involve a pull request and a plan output), and ask what they did the last time a monthly bill came in higher than expected. A candidate who can walk through an outage they diagnosed will tell you more than a list of services on a resume.
The most common problem in cloud engineer postings is listing all three major platforms as required. Few people have production depth on more than one, and the posting reads as if the employer has not decided which platform it uses. Name the platform you use, name the second one as a plus if a migration is planned, and spend the saved space on the specific services and tools the person will touch in their first month.
A posting for this role should name the cloud platform, the infrastructure as code tool, such as Terraform, CloudFormation, or Bicep, and whether the hire owns cost management. A posting that asks only for experience with AWS without those details attracts candidates who have worked mostly in the console.
On IT searches, 4 Corner Resources submits qualified candidates in an average of 3.7 days, clients interview an average of 1.42 candidates per hire, and we submit 1.86 candidates per hire.
Searching for Your Next Cloud Engineer?
Tell us about your opening, and our technology recruiting team will be in touch to get started.
Cloud Engineer Core Responsibilities
- Provision and manage compute, storage, networking, and database services on AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud using Terraform, CloudFormation, Bicep, or Pulumi
- Design and maintain virtual networks, subnets, security groups, VPNs, and connectivity between cloud and on-premises environments
- Configure identity and access management, including roles, policies, service accounts, and least-privilege access reviews
- Build and support container platforms such as Kubernetes (EKS, AKS, or GKE) and container registries
- Set up monitoring, logging, and alerting with tools such as CloudWatch, Azure Monitor, Datadog, Prometheus, or Grafana, and respond to incidents
- Automate operational tasks with Python, Bash, or PowerShell, and maintain the scripts in version control
- Plan and execute migrations of applications and data from on-premises servers or between cloud accounts
- Track cloud spending, right-size resources, apply reservations or savings plans, and report monthly cost changes to IT leadership
- Implement backup, disaster recovery, and high-availability configurations and test them on a schedule
- Apply security baselines, patch managed services, and remediate findings from vulnerability scans, cloud security posture tools, and compliance audits
- Document architecture, runbooks, and standard operating procedures for the rest of the infrastructure team
- Provision and secure managed AI services such as Amazon Bedrock, Azure OpenAI, or Vertex AI, including access controls and spending limits
- Use AI coding assistants such as GitHub Copilot or Amazon Q Developer to draft Terraform and scripts, and review every plan output before applying changes
Required Skills and Qualifications
Hard skills
- 3 or more years of hands-on experience with at least one major cloud platform (AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud), including production workloads
- Infrastructure as code with Terraform, CloudFormation, Bicep, or Pulumi, managed in Git with code review
- Linux and Windows server administration, including networking fundamentals (TCP/IP, DNS, load balancing, VPN)
- Scripting in Python, Bash, or PowerShell for automation
- Container and orchestration experience with Docker and Kubernetes
- Experience with CI/CD tools such as GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, Azure DevOps, or Jenkins
- Working knowledge of cloud security controls: IAM, encryption, network segmentation, and logging
- Policy as code and guardrails with tools such as AWS Service Control Policies, Azure Policy, or Open Policy Agent
- Familiarity with monitoring and observability tools and with on-call incident response
Soft skills
- Discipline about change control, since a small infrastructure change can take down every application at once
- Clear written documentation, because the next engineer on call needs the runbook at 2 a.m.
- Calm, methodical troubleshooting during outages
- Ability to explain cost and risk tradeoffs to a manager who does not read Terraform
- Willingness to keep learning as the platforms change services and pricing every year
Education
- Bachelor’s degree in computer science, information systems, or a related field
- Many employers accept an associate degree or equivalent hands-on experience with relevant certifications
Certifications
- None required by most employers, though AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate, Microsoft Azure Administrator Associate (AZ-104), and Google Associate Cloud Engineer are common screening signals
- Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) or HashiCorp Terraform Associate for roles heavy on containers or infrastructure as code
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience leading a migration from a data center or from one cloud provider to another
- Multi-account or multi-subscription governance experience (AWS Organizations, Azure Management Groups, or GCP folders)
- Background in a regulated industry with SOC 2, HIPAA, PCI, or FedRAMP requirements
- Experience with a FinOps practice and tools such as AWS Cost Explorer or Azure Cost Management
- Professional-level certification such as AWS Solutions Architect Professional or Azure Solutions Architect Expert
- Exposure to serverless services (Lambda, Azure Functions, Cloud Functions) and managed data platforms
- Experience supporting AI and machine learning workloads, including GPU instances and managed model services
How Much Does a Cloud Engineer Make?
Typical national range: $98,267 to $190,046, with a national average of $128,650. Salary data reviewed October 2026 by 4 Corner Resources.
Cloud engineer salaries vary by experience, industry, organization size, and geography. Click below to explore salaries by local market.
The average national salary for a Cloud Engineer is:
$128,650
Sample Job Description Templates for Cloud Engineers
Cloud Engineer (AWS)
Position Overview
We are hiring a Cloud Engineer to build and operate our AWS environment. You will manage our infrastructure with Terraform, support the engineering teams that deploy to it, and own availability, security, and cost for the accounts you manage. The role reports to the Infrastructure Manager and works daily with application developers and our security analyst.
Responsibilities
- Provision and maintain AWS services (EC2, VPC, RDS, S3, IAM, EKS) through Terraform modules in Git
- Review infrastructure pull requests and apply approved changes through the CI/CD pipeline
- Monitor environments in CloudWatch and Datadog and participate in the on-call rotation
- Manage IAM roles and policies and conduct quarterly access reviews
- Right-size resources and apply savings plans to keep spending within the approved budget
- Maintain runbooks and architecture documentation
- Use AI coding assistants such as Amazon Q Developer or GitHub Copilot for Terraform and scripts, and review all generated code before merging
Requirements
Hard skills
- 3 or more years of AWS experience in a production environment
- Terraform experience, including writing reusable modules
- Linux administration and Bash or Python scripting
- Docker and Kubernetes experience, EKS preferred
- Experience with AWS Organizations, IAM Identity Center, and Service Control Policies
Soft skills
- Careful and methodical with production changes
- Communicates incident status clearly while an outage is in progress
- Comfortable working with developers who have varied infrastructure knowledge
Education
- Bachelor’s degree in computer science or a related field, or equivalent experience
Certifications
- AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate preferred
Senior Cloud Engineer
Position Overview
We are seeking a Senior Cloud Engineer to lead the technical operation of our multi-account cloud platform and mentor 2 junior engineers. You will set standards for infrastructure as code, security, and cost management, lead our upcoming migration off the remaining on-premises servers, and stay hands-on in the environment. This role reports to the Director of Infrastructure.
Responsibilities
- Own the design and operation of landing zones, networking, and identity across all cloud accounts
- Set and enforce infrastructure as code standards, module structure, and review practices
- Lead the migration of remaining on-premises workloads, including planning, cutover, and decommissioning
- Build the cost management practice: tagging, budgets, alerts, and monthly reporting to finance
- Partner with the security team on compliance controls and audit evidence
- Mentor junior engineers through code review and pairing
- Set the policy for AI-generated infrastructure code, including required review and plan checks
- Provision and govern managed AI services such as Amazon Bedrock or Azure OpenAI for application teams
Requirements
Hard skills
- 6 or more years of infrastructure experience with 4 or more on AWS or Azure in production
- Advanced Terraform skills and experience managing state across many environments
- Deep networking knowledge, including hybrid connectivity (Direct Connect, ExpressRoute, or VPN)
- Experience operating Kubernetes clusters at scale
- Policy as code experience with Service Control Policies, Azure Policy, or Open Policy Agent
Soft skills
- Makes decisions with incomplete information and explains the reasoning
- Teaches without taking the keyboard
- Comfortable presenting cost and risk tradeoffs to finance and executive leadership
Education
- Bachelor’s degree in computer science, information systems, or a related field
Certifications
- AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional or Microsoft Azure Solutions Architect Expert preferred
Preferred qualifications
- Prior experience leading a data center exit
- Experience in a SOC 2 or HIPAA environment
- Experience with FinOps tooling and Kubernetes cost allocation tools such as Kubecost
Cloud Engineer (Azure, Healthcare System)
Position Overview
Our health system is adding a Cloud Engineer to our infrastructure team to operate and expand our Microsoft Azure environment. You will support clinical and business applications hosted in Azure, maintain the hybrid connection to our on-site data center, and make sure every workload meets HIPAA and internal security requirements. The role reports to the Manager of Infrastructure Services and works closely with our security and compliance staff.
Responsibilities
- Deploy and manage Azure resources (virtual machines, virtual networks, storage, Azure SQL, AKS) with Bicep or Terraform
- Maintain ExpressRoute and VPN connectivity between Azure and the on-site data center
- Administer Entra ID roles, conditional access, and privileged identity management
- Configure backup, replication, and disaster recovery for clinical systems and test failover twice a year
- Respond to Microsoft Defender for Cloud findings and support compliance audits with evidence
- Support application teams during upgrades and vendor-hosted integrations
- Track spending in Azure Cost Management and right-size resources each month
- Use Microsoft Copilot in Azure to investigate issues and draft scripts, and verify the output before running it in production
Requirements
Hard skills
- 3 or more years of Azure administration in a production environment
- Infrastructure as code with Bicep, ARM templates, or Terraform
- Windows Server and Active Directory or Entra ID administration
- Understanding of HIPAA technical safeguards and audit logging
Soft skills
- Takes patient-facing uptime seriously and plans maintenance windows carefully
- Documents thoroughly for compliance and for the on-call team
- Works patiently with clinical application owners who are not technical
Education
- Bachelor’s degree in information systems, computer science, or a related field, or equivalent experience
Certifications
- Microsoft Azure Administrator Associate (AZ-104) required; AZ-305 preferred
Cloud Engineer (Entry-Level, Google Cloud)
Position Overview
We are hiring an entry-level Cloud Engineer to join our platform team and grow into full ownership of our Google Cloud environment. You will start by handling service requests, monitoring, and small Terraform changes under the guidance of a senior engineer, and take on larger projects as you build experience. This is a good fit for someone with a systems administration or help desk background who has completed cloud coursework or certification.
Responsibilities
- Fulfill infrastructure requests from development teams through Terraform changes reviewed by a senior engineer
- Monitor dashboards and alerts in Cloud Monitoring and escalate incidents according to the runbook
- Manage IAM bindings, service accounts, and project-level settings
- Maintain Cloud Storage buckets, Compute Engine instances, and GKE node pools
- Document procedures and update runbooks after each change
- Assist with monthly cost reviews and tag cleanup
- Use Gemini Cloud Assist or similar AI tools to explain errors and draft commands, and confirm each step with a senior engineer before running it
Requirements
Hard skills
- 1 or more years of IT experience in systems administration, help desk, or a related role
- Working knowledge of Linux and networking fundamentals
- Familiarity with Google Cloud services and with Git
- Basic scripting in Python or Bash
Soft skills
- Asks questions before making a change instead of after
- Keeps careful notes and follows procedures
- Eager to learn and takes feedback from code review well
Education
- Associate or bachelor’s degree in information technology or a related field, or equivalent coursework
Certifications
- Google Associate Cloud Engineer preferred
Preferred qualifications
- Internship or lab experience with Terraform or Kubernetes
- CompTIA Network+ or Linux+