What is a Cloud Architect?
A Cloud Architect works within a business’ IT department and possesses many different skills. Also known as a Cloud or Head Infrastructure engineer, a Cloud Architect is in charge of producing digital tools and software solutions for their business. For instance, they may be tasked with developing algorithms for the management and security of their business’ electronic data.
Their days are often very varied, both in terms of the tasks they are given and the departments they work alongside. However, their main objective never changes: to optimize their company’s performance while securing its data.
How to become a Cloud Architect
There are many pathways to becoming a Cloud Architect. For instance, there are specific virtual architecture schools out there, offering training courses in this domain. It’s also possible to work as a Cloud Architect with a university degree in computer science, network technology or cloud computing.
Additionally, since this profession covers a wide range of skills, you could get into it after graduating from an engineering school such as McGill, Polytechnique Montreal or Concordia. Please note however that this profession requires good English language and management skills.
Finally, it’s even possible to become a Cloud Architect without any formal training in this field. Today, you can secure a Cloud Architect position by demonstrating that you have a substantial level of professional experience in this area. Essentially, everything will come down to your CV and previous work experience.
What does a Cloud Architect do?
As mentioned above, to be a Cloud Architect, you need to have a broad range of skills and be able to adapt easily to different tasks and co-workers.
However, there are some recurring tasks that a Cloud Architect must carry out. Here’s a list below:
Analyze the company's Cloud infrastructure needs
Propose a structured solution for the entire internal IT system
Design Cloud computing solutions
Work alongside a team to find solutions to Cloud problems
Help to design a secure, solid, and intuitive Cloud infrastructure
Produce all the documentation for the team
Manage employees responsible for improving the business’ Cloud computing solutions and infrastructure, from start to finish
What companies are recruiting Cloud Architects?
Cloud Architects are able to work in different domains and for companies of varying sizes. Here’s the top 3 groups of companies that are recruiting Cloud Architects right now:
Digital service providers (DSP)
Software publishing companies
Large groups and corporations (Microsoft, Google, Hydro-Québec).
However, it is important to note that today, and even more so tomorrow, all types of business are entering into the virtual network architecture discussion. This is due to the widespread digitalization of business operations. Just like large corporations, small companies must also be able to secure their data, internally (for employees) and externally (for customers and partners).
Therefore, it is highly likely that every business will be impacted by Cloud architecture in the near future. A fantastic opportunity to take advantage of if you are looking to start a career in this profession.
Cloud Architect skills
The Cloud Architect profession is very demanding, and you need to have a variety of skills, not solely related to IT. For this role, IT expertise is just as important as management and interpersonal skills. To find out if you’d be a good fit for this position, our recruitment experts have summarized the main required skills below:
A strong command of numbers and statistics
A passion for spreadsheets and similar computer applications
An avid interest in digital computing
Broad knowledge of IT solutions (Azure, Openstack),
Fluency in English and French, both written and spoken,
Cloud Architect qualities
In addition to all the technical skills and IT knowledge, a Cloud Architect must possess several key personal qualities in order to win over their recruiter and thrive in their role.
These qualities include:
Good organization – to readily alternate between analytics and strategics
Team player
Pedagogy – to make presentations accessible to other teams
Vigilance - to remain on top of all projects
Management skills
Cloud Architect salary
The average annual salary of a Cloud Architect is $55,000-$80,000 cad. This figure depends on the seniority and experience of the individual. A junior will earn around $50,000 while a senior can negotiate their salary upwards from that.
In addition to this, a candidate will be able to negotiate a higher salary if they have additional skills, especially in cloud computing, or if they are applying to a larger city or company.
Find a Cloud Architect job with Fed IT
Being a Cloud Architect is a cross-functional role that demands great versatility and several key personal qualities. These would need to be demonstrated during an interview.
The IT job market in Quebec is rapidly evolving and salaries are on the rise. It is currently the perfect moment to kickstart a career in this sector, whether that means joining a large or small company.
To help you find a job as a Cloud Architect, our Fed IT experts will be happy to support you throughout your application process. Feel free to consult our Information Technology job offers.
