Contents

More than 90% of organizations are using Cloud technology today. Benefits such as eliminating the need to purchase hardware, pay-as-you-go modality, and reduced deployment time have made Cloud Computing the preferred choice. 

Companies need Cloud Engineering to design the systems necessary to make the most out of the Cloud to solve critical business challenges. 

This article provides insights and strategies for hiring Cloud Engineers and shows the potential of hiring these talents from Poland and Ukraine. 

What Is a Cloud Engineer?

A Cloud Engineer helps to create and maintain the cloud infrastructure. Their role involves architecting cloud solutions, deploying applications to the cloud, and working with cloud networks. 

What Does a Cloud Engineer Do? Roles & Responsibilities

A Cloud Engineer needs to wear multiple hats to solve problems relating to Cloud security, DevOps Integration, and cost optimization among many more. 

Some of the key Cloud Engineer responsibilities include: 

  • Migrating the data from current systems to the cloud 
  • Setting up cloud infrastructure components including security and networking services
  • Organizing the cloud database and ensuring efficient data storage
  • Creating applications that are optimized for performance on cloud platforms
  • Automating infrastructure tasks with tools such as Terraform
  • Developing strategies to stay protected from any disasters or contingency situations
  • Ensuring maximum uptime of the cloud environment and services running on it
  • Optimizing the cloud performance and minimizing costs
  • Providing troubleshooting support for any cloud-related issues
"In the world of data, the engineer is the architect of the future." - Jacques Leroy
“The cloud services companies of all size. The cloud is for everyone. The cloud is a democracy.” – Marc Benioff​

Types of Cloud Engineer

Over time, Cloud Engineering has developed into a diverse field with different roles based on the requirements of a company. Here are three major types of Cloud Engineers. 

1. Solutions Architect

A Solutions Architect, also known as a Cloud Architect, helps to design cloud-distributed systems and applications based on best practices. 

They are involved in migrating the organization’s applications to the cloud, deploying these cloud applications, and providing cloud maintenance support. 

2. SysOps Engineer

A System Operations Engineer, better known as SysOps Engineer, works to administer the system for the applications once they are deployed. Their core tasks include monitoring and auditing various workloads. 

This can include looking into any risk of downtime, identifying the major bottlenecks, and automating operational tasks. 

3. Cloud Developers

Cloud developers help to develop cloud applications whose performance is optimized for the cloud environment. They also need to make certain the applications are free from bugs and aligned to the user’s needs. 

A key aspect to look out for in such talents is their familiarity with various cloud service providers to guarantee seamless integration. 

Why Do You Need Cloud Engineers?

The size of the Cloud Computing market is set to increase from $480 billion in 2022 to $2.2 trillion by 2032. Such growth in the space is why Cloud Engineering talents are in high demand. 

They are the professionals who help to implement the cloud infrastructures, ensure optimal resource allocation, and increase the overall efficiency of cloud systems. 

For instance, the Salesforce Cloud Engineering team helped the company save millions of dollars every year by migrating its entire data lake from an on-premises infrastructure to AWS. 

Therefore, Cloud Engineers are needed to execute the necessary tasks that help companies increase their scalability, optimize costs, and conduct complex migrations on the Cloud. 

Key Skills to Look Out for When Hiring Cloud Engineers

Cloud Engineer skills should be a fundamental measure of assessing a candidate’s competency. Some of the Cloud Engineer required skills include:

1. Technical Skills

Among the key skills for Cloud Engineers, technical skills need priority when assessing candidates since they form the key part of their work. Some of the important Cloud Engineer technical skills are: 

  • Understanding Linux OS: Linux is an open-source operating system that has strong security features that help to increase the uptime of the Cloud Infrastructure. Since its lightweight distribution helps for efficient resource allocation, Cloud Engineers prefer using it. 
  • Programming Skills: Programming helps to automate processes and manage the Cloud Infrastructure efficiently. Some Cloud Engineer programming languages to assess include:

1. Python: It is considered the top choice for Cloud Engineering since it has high-quality libraries and modules that fasten the development process. Additionally, it is usable across the entire cloud development lifecycle. 

2. Golang: Golang is essential, especially for businesses looking to hire Google Cloud Engineers as it was developed by Google itself. Thus, it is suitable to work with Google Cloud with features such as concurrency support and package management. 

3. Ruby: Ruby is known for its high functionality and security. Engineers need to write less code when working with Ruby along with ease of deploying applications on it. 

4. Java: It is a reliable programming language that has reusability of code ensuring faster development. Java is also platform-independent and helps businesses that are running on multiple Cloud platforms. 

5. ASP.NET: If a company is looking to hire an Azure Cloud Engineer, ASP.NET is a must-have as it is created by Microsoft. It has easy maintenance and extensive support for creating modern cloud applications. 

  • Networking and Internet Protocols: Understanding protocols of networking and the internet enables knowing how Cloud servers communicate with applications and each other. Consider asking about major protocols such as TCP/IP, HTTP, and HTTPS. 
  • DevOps and Containerization: DevOps helps Cloud Engineers automate processes and ensure continuous integration and delivery. Additionally, containerization helps to accelerate the deployment of applications on the Cloud by creating isolated units called containers. 
  • Web Services and API: Linking various cloud computing web services requires experience with APIs. This skill helps manage all the different integrations that a Cloud Engineering project has. 
  • Database Skills: Examine their experience in managing and migrating databases within the cloud environment. Also, evaluate their knowledge of SQL and Hadoop. 
  • Understanding Virtualization: Virtualization will help to keep the storage within a close virtual environment. It also allows multiple virtual machines to run within a single server helping with resource utilization. 
  • Cloud Service Providers: Knowing the ins and outs of Cloud service providers helps to make strategic choices for managing cloud costs. Only 3 out of 10 organizations know exactly where their Cloud expenses are going so talents should be aware of the services of AWS, Google Cloud Platform, and Microsoft Azure. 
  • Security and Recovery: Examine their past experience in creating plans for scenarios of disaster recovery. Furthermore, it is essential to understand the principles of data integrity to maximize the security of all data. 

2. Critical Thinking Skills

Critical thinking enables Cloud Engineers to understand complex technicalities in their projects and identify areas of improvement. 

Candidates with this skill will be able to make decisions based on analyzing multiple factors to ensure that risks are minimized. 

3. Communication Skills

Contrary to what many people assume, a Cloud Engineer needs to have constant interaction with multiple parties. 

For instance, If a business needs to hire Cloud Migration Engineers, they would require communicating about timelines and updates to all stakeholders, having client interaction to understand requirements, and conducting training for knowledge transfer. 

4. Leadership Skills

Cloud Engineers who can recommend new tools and techniques to improve existing processes through their own initiatives can help a company’s Cloud Engineering drastically. 

Furthermore, assessing how helpful they are as mentoring juniors is also an important contribution to this role. 

"In the world of data, the engineer is the architect of the future." - Jacques Leroy
“In the world of data, the engineer is the architect of the future.” – Jacques Leroy

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Hiring Cloud Engineers

As more businesses are relying on the Cloud to run their businesses digitally, Cloud Engineers have a crucial role in providing a seamless Cloud environment. Here are some common mistakes that need to be avoided to make sure a wrong hire isn’t made: 

  • Neglecting Soft Skills: The ability to communicate updates and collaborate with other team members is crucial for key Cloud Engineer tasks such as implementation and maintenance of the Cloud Infrastructure. 
  • Ignoring Business Alignment: Talents who are technically proficient but lack business acumen may focus on lower-impact areas. For example, if the company’s cloud strategy is focused on cost optimization but the Cloud Engineer is more focused on other ad-hoc tasks, may lead to inferior results. 
  • Overlooking Security Expertise: Consider asking candidates about their past experience on how they manage security to stay safe from the dangers of data breaches. Lacking security expertise can lead to legal and reputational consequences. 
  • Neglecting Hands-On Experience: Though a candidate’s qualifications are important, their past experience is the best measure to understand whether they are a competent Cloud Engineer able to fulfill their responsibilities. 
  • Not Assessing Adaptability: Cloud technologies are constantly evolving so it’s important for talents to adapt to new changes. Assess their adaptability by asking how they think new technologies can positively enhance their role as a Cloud Engineer. 

How to Hire a Cloud Engineer: Choosing the Perfect Candidate

Choosing the right Cloud Engineer can help accelerate the growth of a company’s Cloud Engineering initiatives. Here on some key strategies on how to hire a Cloud Engineer who will be the best fit.

1. Conducting an Effective Assessment

To filter the best candidates after receiving applications, start by creating a standardized assessment that is tailored to the job requirements. 

A popular assessment option is a take-home assignment which features case studies and technical questions. Ensure there is a balance of tasks that help to measure technical proficiency, problem-solving skills, and adaptability. 

2. Interviewing for Validation

Once the top candidates have been chosen, the second step is to conduct interviews. There may be multiple interviews with different team members before finalizing a hire. 

The first interview could be with the recruiter to develop an introduction and get to know about the candidate’s interests and expectations. 

This can be followed by the technical interview which can be led by a team member from the Cloud Engineering team. It should include questions that directly relate to the role and help to gather an in-depth understanding of the competency of the candidate. 

3. Addressing the Cloud Skills Gap

A key pain point for businesses is the cloud skills gap since many talents don’t possess the important skills that they require. 

For instance, around 78% of organizations have their workloads deployed in more than three public clouds. To effectively manage such workloads, a business would need to hire Multi-Cloud Engineers who can work across different Cloud platforms. 

Yet, finding this kind of quality talent isn’t easy. 

Therefore, consider prioritizing candidates with relevant qualifications such as being AWS Certified and being familiar with important platforms for Cloud Engineering such as Terraform. 

4. Aligning with Organizational Goals

Once the candidate has passed the assessments along with an assurance of the necessary skills, consider if they align with the organization’s goals. 

For example, if the talent only wants a short work engagement but the organization wants a candidate who can be nurtured into a senior Cloud Engineering position there may be a lack of alignment. 

Thus, try to understand the candidate’s long-term aspirations to see if they align with those of the organization. 

How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Cloud Engineer?

The average yearly cost to hire Cloud Engineers in the US is $105,000 while in Canada it is $93,000. 

The costs are much lower in Poland with yearly costs being only $44,000 while in Ukraine it is $32,000 per year. 

Best Models for Hiring Cloud Engineers

The specific requirements of a business determine the best model for hiring the right Cloud Engineer. Below are the three best models to hire such talents.

1. In-House

In-house Cloud Engineers work as full-time workers who are paid a monthly stipend. 

Advantages

  • Direct Control: Tasks such as Cloud migration and deployment can be complex and require direct supervision which is more convenient with In-house Engineers
  • Easier Collaboration: It is more convenient to have regular meetings and get updates frequently under this model

Disadvantages

  • Longer Recruitment Time: The hiring process can span from weeks to months to find the right talent
  • Wrong Hires can be Costly: A wrong hire can slow down the entire team’s output along with costly monthly payments and benefits

2. Freelance

Freelancers are independent professionals who usually work with multiple clients on a project basis. 

Advantages

  • Lower Costs: Freelancers don’t need to be paid the benefits and perks that full-time employees are eligible for
  • Immediate Availability: The business will not have to wait out long notice periods and can get the work started straight away

Disadvantages

  • Breakdown in Communication: Freelancers work with multiple clients which may lead to irregular communication during the project duration
  • Security Concerns: Passing over sensitive Cloud data to freelancers would need careful consideration

3. Outsourcing

Outsourcing is about partnering with a third-party recruitment firm to delegate the hiring process. 

Advantages

  • Faster Time to Hire: Businesses can find the ideal Cloud Engineers who meet the requirements much faster since these firms have a large database of available talents. 
  • Talent Quality Assurance: The talents go through a vetting process that ensures that they have the necessary standard of skills and experience

Disadvantages

  • Coordination Issues: There can be miscommunication and mismatch in expectations during the process of working together
  • Approval Time from Management: In bigger companies, it may take time to gain approval for working with third-party recruitment firms

Hire Offshore Cloud Engineers

Businesses all over the world are recognizing the benefits that come with hiring Offshore Cloud Engineers. 

Choosing talents from countries who have strong expertise in specialized areas such as Cloud Engineering along with affordable costs can help businesses develop a competitive edge. 

There is also the added advantage of working across various time zones which is helpful for providing continuous support of the Cloud infrastructure. 

Why Hire Cloud Engineers from Poland Or Ukraine?

Poland and Ukraine have emerged as two top destinations for hiring Cloud Engineers. Some of the reasons for this growing trend are: 

  • Skilled Workforce: Talents from these countries are working on some of the most innovative tech projects. The Cloud Engineers here are known for their high expertise in Cloud Architecture and Deployment. 
  • Cost-Effective Talent: In comparison to North America and Western Europe, the cost of the talent from Poland and Ukraine is more affordable yet with high quality. 
  • Strong Educational Background: Information Technology is a top pick among Polish and Ukrainian students as a career option. This has resulted in large numbers of these students choosing these studies leading to a growing number of job-ready graduates each year. 
  • Thriving Tech Communities: The influx of many Fortune 500 companies here such as Amazon, IBM, and Capgemini along with home-grown tech startups has led to a vibrant tech community in these countries. 
  • Fluency in English: Working in Cloud Engineering requires constant exchange of ideas and updates. Talents in these countries are fluent in English which is helpful for improving communication and collaboration. 

Let RemoDevs Help You Hire Cloud Engineers

RemoDevs can help to hire Cloud Engineers by providing 3 to 5 candidates within 72 hours through our database of Cloud Engineers from Poland and Ukraine. We ensure that candidates are recommended who best align with your offer and company culture. 

Visit us

Find a moment in your calendar and come to our office for a delicious coffee

Make an apointment
Lukasz Wybieralski

Lukasz Wybieralski

Founder and Chief Executive Officer at RemoDevs

Make an apointment