GCP Cloud consultant

Title: Lead GCP Cloud Consultant

Location: Santa Anna, CA

Job Summary:

We are seeking a highly experienced and strategic-minded Principal / Lead GCP Cloud Consultant to join our dynamic team. The ideal candidate will have over 10+ years of experience in IT with a majority of those years spent working on cloud architectures and deployments, with at least 4 years dedicated to Google Cloud Platform (GCP) . This role requires a deep, hands-on expertise in GCP architecture, a proven track record of leading large-scale cloud transformations, and exceptional leadership skills to mentor junior team members and act as a trusted advisor to C-level executives.

You will be responsible for designing, implementing, and optimizing complex, secure, and scalable cloud solutions for our enterprise clients, driving their digital transformation journey from concept to reality.

Key Responsibilities:

• Strategic Leadership & Architecture:
• Serve as the primary technical leader and subject matter expert for GCP, guiding clients through their entire cloud journey.
• Design and document complex, multi-layered cloud architectures that align with client business objectives, security requirements, and cost-optimization goals.
• Lead technical design sessions, workshops, and proof-of-concept projects to demonstrate the value of GCP solutions.
• Develop and champion best practices for cloud architecture, security, and governance across all client engagements.
• Perform comprehensive technical assessments of on-premises or existing cloud environments to develop a strategic migration and modernization roadmap.
• Implementation & Delivery:
• Oversee the end-to-end implementation of large-scale cloud migration projects, including re-hosting, re-platforming, and re-architecting applications.
• Automate infrastructure provisioning and management using Infrastructure as Code (IaC) tools like Terraform or Cloud Deployment Manager.
• Design and implement robust CI/CD pipelines using Google Cloud tools (e.g., Cloud Build, Cloud Deploy) and third-party solutions (e.g., Jenkins, GitLab).
• Provide hands-on technical guidance and troubleshooting for complex issues related to networking, security, and performance.
• Ensure all solutions are highly available, resilient, and performant by leveraging GCP services like Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE), Cloud Load Balancing, and Cloud Monitoring.
• Mentorship & Client Engagement:
• Act as a mentor and coach for junior consultants and client engineering teams, fostering a culture of continuous learning and excellence.
• Communicate complex technical concepts to both technical and non-technical stakeholders, including senior management and C-level executives.
• Manage client relationships, project timelines, budgets, and deliverables, ensuring a high level of client satisfaction.
• Contribute to business development activities by participating in pre-sales conversations, creating proposals, and estimating project efforts.

Required Qualifications:

• Education & Experience:
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical field, or equivalent practical experience.
• 10+ years of professional experience in cloud computing projects and at least the last 3-4 years in a hands-on role as a GCP consultant or architect.
• Proven experience leading and delivering multiple full-lifecycle cloud transformation projects for enterprise-level clients.
• Technical Skills:
• Deep expertise across a wide range of GCP services, including Compute Engine, GKE, Cloud Storage, BigQuery, Cloud SQL, Cloud Spanner, and serverless technologies (Cloud Functions, Cloud Run).
• Extensive experience with Infrastructure as Code (IaC) tools, with a strong preference for Terraform.
• Advanced knowledge of cloud security best practices, including IAM, VPC Service Controls, and network security.
• Proficiency in scripting and automation using languages like Python, Bash, or Go.
• Strong understanding of DevOps principles, containerization (Docker), and orchestration (Kubernetes).
• Experience with data analytics and machine learning services on GCP (e.g., Dataflow, Dataproc, AI Platform) is highly desirable.
• Exposure and awareness to newer AI services like VertexAI and agent development kit
• Certifications:
• Google Cloud Professional Cloud Architect certification is required.
• Additional professional certifications (e.g., Professional DevOps Engineer, Professional Security Engineer) are highly preferred.
• Soft Skills:
• Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills.
• Strong problem-solving and analytical abilities with a focus on practical solutions.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and manage multiple priorities.
• Demonstrated leadership skills with the ability to influence and inspire others.
• Ability to work with business stakeholders and align deliverables with their goals