Nowadays is the age of cloud computing platforms, which software companies worldwide are increasingly using. Thanks to technological advancements, the reliance on server rooms and site data centers are becoming less and less.
As its name suggests, a cloud engineer will take care of tasks regarding the cloud systems of companies. More and more companies are adopting cloud systems, so it’s no surprise that the demand for the professionals is always high.
Job Description
What is Cloud Engineering?
This term is associated with the cloud computing concept. It helps in utilizing the methods and tools of engineering to maximize the benefit of cloud resources to deliver solutions to business issues.
Duties and Responsibilities
Cloud engineers are IT responsible for daily building, developing, maintaining, and handling cloud infrastructure and communicating with customers.
The roles of these experts are a combination of many cloud-related roles, and each emphasizes a specific type of cloud computing.
Some of the roles these engineers may take on are cloud development (employing cloud coding), cloud architecting (conceptualizing cloud solutions), cloud security, and cloud administration (managing cloud networks).
The role of a cloud engineer will depend on the company and industry. But the following are common responsibilities:
- Design, develop, architect, and deploy cloud-native applications.
- Actively contributes to adopting solid cloud architecture, developing, performing the most promising practices, and adopting the newest cloud technologies.
- Work with other technical professionals and the development team to develop enterprise solutions that meet technical and business requirements.
- Regularly review and check the system and modifications according to the requirement.
- Identify and solve the problems that arise during application deployment.
- Provide guidance, mentorship, and leadership to the development team to build cloud competencies.
- Describe complicated technical concepts to non-technical people.
Where Do Cloud Engineers Work?
Many cloud engineers work in a computer lab, office space, or server room, but others can also work remotely.
Depending on their duties, these professionals only need a computer and decent internet access to complete their work. This flexibility will enable them to do their tasks in a more comfortable work environment, including at home.
Working in various environments and locations may help them focus more on their duties.
The flexibility of freelance also allows these engineers to discover types of cloud computing systems, meet new clients, and have more autonomy over their wages and schedules.
If cloud engineers get enough expertise, they can perform consulting work and hire a cloud specialist team to diversify their talent and contact a wider audience.
Education Requirements
Degree and Certificate
Companies often hire professionals who are experienced and well-educated with cloud-based solutions. The following are the educational requirements of cloud engineers.
Bachelor’s Degree
To become a cloud engineer, you must start by getting a four-year degree in computer science or a similar field.
But other education pathways can also help you launch your career in cloud engineering. It is okay to take reputable courses, which we recommend below.
Certifications
Many employers prefer certified candidates. A certificate is something that proves that you have the expertise and industry-standard knowledge to deal with the design and deployment of the cloud system.
Years of experience
A cloud engineer should have extensive experience in machine learning, database architecture, cloud computing, and cyber security.
They also must be comfortable working with multiple cloud service providers.
Through their experience, they will establish the best options for cloud computing solutions.
Essential Skills
Technical Skills
As a cloud engineer, you must learn and apply hard skills in technology, including data management, web development, software engineering, and solid knowledge of cloud computing applications.
Here are some examples of the technical skills you should develop to be a successful cloud engineer:
- Network security
- Cloud applications
- Programming & scripting
- Database management
- Cloud providers, such as Azure
- Operating systems, such as Linux
- DevOps frameworks and practices
- APIs (Application programming interfaces) and web services
Leadership Skills
You may also manage one technical team or more, where you delegate, organize, or direct processes. You will be responsible for training junior technicians and engineers and acting as a mentor for new experts entering this field.
As an engineer in this field, developing your capabilities as one leader is essential, as you are likely to take on duties requiring these skills. Here are some elements of leadership you can develop to become a successful cloud engineer.
- Delegate project tasks and direct teams.
- Establish network policies and introduce standards.
- Train and mentor junior technicians and engineers.
- Manage project schedules and budgets.
- Motivate team members and provide support.
Communication Skills
Communication skills are essential for professionals in this field. In addition, effectively communicating is vital to reaching goals and finishing any cloud computing and development project.
In addition to allowing you and your team members to get to know each other better, it also helps you communicate effectively with non-technical people.
Here are some areas where your communication skills help you shine:
- Technical writing & documentation
- Presenting information and report writing
- Cooperation, giving ideas, and receiving and applying feedback
- Visual communication, including diagrams, data charts, and programming schemas.
Critical Thinking Skills
As an engineer in this field, you must also rely on your critical thinking skills to handle computational issues, make viable solutions and minimize security risks to digital infrastructures.
Here are some applications that require analytical and critical thinking skills:
- Troubleshoot technical problems.
- Research and test cloud integrations.
- Risk mitigation and analysis, including strategic planning.
- Establish system objectives and computational analysis
- Product planning, analysis, and design.
Engineering Principles
Engineering is a vast field, so cloud and software engineering professionals usually develop foundational knowledge when they advance in their specialties.
For example, a software engineering degree program might focus on any skill in core engineering areas before moving into specialized skills necessary for the cloud engineer.
Some of these skills and principles the cloud engineer apply to include:
- Advanced mathematics, such as geometry, trigonometry, and calculus.
- Physics, such as classical mechanics, optics, electromagnetism, and energy transfer.
- Statistics, computation, and data analysis.
- System and process design and development.
Essential Tools
Here are ten essential tools that cloud engineers should have in their toolkits. They will help you manage your clouds more efficiently and effectively.
- AWS
- GCP
- Azure
- Chef
- Ansible
- Puppet
- Jenkins
- Docker
- Terraform
- CloudFormation
Job Outlook
The demand for cloud engineers is relatively high. According to predictions by the BLS, employment of cloud network engineers can grow by 5% from 2019 to 2029. It is faster than the average of other career paths.
Cloud engineers always benefit from the growth and significance of cloud computing. Their skills are invaluable and essential in many fields, such as business, finance, technology, health, education, and government.
So these professionals can expect to maintain their jobs despite job and economic market conditions. So these professionals can always rest assured about the longevity of their employment.
As the cloud computing industry continues to grow, cloud engineers have more job opportunities to pursue. With cloud engineers always in high demand, these experts might quickly get open job positions and promotions.
Salary
The annual salary of cloud engineers in the US is $126,667, which equates to $60.90 per hour, $2,435 per week, or $10,555 per month.
Advantages and Disadvantages
Here are some pros and cons of working as a cloud engineer:
Pros
There are many advantages of working as a cloud engineer, including:
- Earning potential
- Continuous learning
- Collaborative work
- Diverse work environments
- Job security
- Positive job growth
- Freelance work
Cons
While there are benefits of working as a cloud engineer, some cons include:
- Long hours
- Learning curve
- Educational requirements
- High responsibility
- Changing industry
FAQs
Is Cloud Engineering a Good Career?
Cloud engineering is a dream career since cloud computing is one of the emerging technologies. As a cloud engineer, you will be responsible for solving real-life issues affecting companies and organizations worldwide.
So if you are interested in this profession, you should know that it is a great career option.
How Long Does It Take for Me to Become One Cloud Engineer?
To be successful as one cloud engineer, you must have three to five years of experience in this profession next to your bachelor’s degree in computer science or a related field.
Some organizations and companies even require their candidates to have a certificate or even a master’s degree.
How To Become a Cloud Engineer
- Step 1: Get a Bachelor’s Degree
- Step 2: Earn Proficiency in a Cloud Computing Platform
- Step 3: Get Experience in at Least One Programming Language
- Step 4: Gain Relevant Certifications
- Step 5: Specializing
- Step 6: Internships
For detailed information, please read this.
What Roles Can a Cloud Engineer Take On?
Here are some hot cloud jobs that a cloud engineer can consider:
- Cloud architect.
- Cloud developer.
- DevOps cloud architect.
- Cloud support specialist.
- Cloud systems engineer.
- Cloud security consultant.
- Cloud computing specialist.
- Cloud applications engineer.
Is Being a Cloud Engineer Stressful?
Becoming a cloud engineer can be very stressful if handling multiple projects simultaneously. That’s when time management skills come in handy.
Is a Cloud Computing Course Very Difficult?
Learning cloud computing is not too challenging, as long as you take the guidance and help of a reputed training institute.
If you take a cloud computing certification course, you can learn all the core topics and concepts of cloud computing in a short period.
Which Skills Will Set Me Apart in Cloud Engineering?
To succeed in cloud engineering, you should master a certain set of skills. For instance, you should learn networking, programming, information security, database architecture, and APIs.
Does A Cloud Engineer Know Programming?
Yes, a cloud engineer usually knows how to code. A professional should have experience in at least one programming language, such as Java, Python, and C++.
Is It Okay to Become a Cloud Engineer Without a Degree?
It is possible to become a cloud engineer without a degree. Traditional education models are being phased out, and soft skills and technical skills can be acquired through alternative education programs.
Career Advice
Cloud Computing is considered a demanding and fast-growing technology.
It is helpful for companies and organizations in all industries since it makes security, data backup, and disaster recovery, making processes less expensive and more effortless.
So as a cloud engineer, you can expect to land a critical and well-paying position in any field.
Suppose you plan your career in this profession. In that case, you must complete your education, receive at least a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field, obtain a certificate (optional), and hone the necessary skills. That way, you will soon succeed as a cloud engineer.