Google Cloud Architect / Lead Platform Engineer

NCS Australia; Sydney; On-site; AUD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

NCS Australia is expanding its Google Cloud practice. As a Google Cloud Architect & Lead Platform Engineer, you will own end-to-end architecture, security governance, and hands-on platform engineering across ~15 core solutions.

You will define architectural blueprints, landing zones, IaC with Terraform, and lead governance reviews, collaborating with principal engineers to deliver a secure, scalable GCP foundation.

Qualifications

• Senior GCP Architecture Leadership with enterprise-scale experience.
• Balance high-level design with deep execution, Terraform coding.
• Security-first mindset: zero-trust, IAM, KMS, secrets.
• Advanced IaC and automation using Terraform, GitOps, Python/Bash.
• Clear architectural docs and diagrams bridging strategy to delivery.
• Professional Google Cloud Certification (Architect/DevOps/Security).

Responsibilities

• Component Solution Architecture & Blueprints for ~15 platform solutions.
• Enterprise Security & Zero-Trust Governance alignment with security teams.
• Hands-on Core Platform Build using GKE, Cloud Run, GCVE, Compute Engine.
• Advanced IaC with modular Terraform and GitOps workflows.
• Modern CI/CD & Platform Automation with GitHub Actions, Cloud Build.
• Observability with OpenTelemetry and service mesh architectures.

Skills

Senior GCP Architecture Leadership

Hands-on Engineering Rigor

Security-First Mindset

Advanced IaC & Automation

Technical Documentation

Google Cloud Certifications

Tools

Terraform

GitHub Actions

Cloud Build

OpenTelemetry

KMS/Secret Manager

GKE

Job description

• Full-time
• Department: ACE

Company Description

At NCS Australia, we believe in doing technology services better. Our commitment to quality, focus on people, and willingness to challenge traditional thinking set us apart. Our team brings this belief to life by partnering with our clients and communities to make tomorrow together.

We are committed to creating an environment that prioritises innovation, collaboration, and purposeful work. Our diverse team is empowered to make a meaningful impact with curiosity, creativity and resilience to shape better outcomes. Join us and accept the challenge of creating a better tomorrow.

Job Description

NCS Google Cloud Solutions Group is expanding its enterprise cloud transformation capabilities. As a Google Cloud Architect & Lead Platform Engineer, you will operate at the intersection of enterprise architecture, zero-trust security governance, and deep, hands-on platform engineering.

We are seeking a high-caliber technical authority to take end-to-end ownership of designing, securing, and building ~15 core platform component solutions ahead of our major January go-live.

This is not a purely advisory role, nor is it a standard operational DevOps position. You will act as a primary technical SME—defining architectural blueprints, establishing landing zones, writing modular Infrastructure-as-Code (Terraform), and steering solutions through complex enterprise security reviews alongside principal engineers.

Key Responsibilities & Focus Areas

Component Solution Architecture & Blueprints: Take end-to-end ownership for designing, documenting, and building ~15 enterprise-grade platform component solutions (e.g., secrets management, Workload Identity Federation, custom landing zones, and advanced CI/CD pipelines).

Enterprise Security & Zero-Trust Governance: Partner directly with enterprise security architects to incorporate threat-modeling feedback, enforce secure-by-default standards, and successfully guide architecture through formal governance controls.

Hands-on Core Platform Build: Design and provision resilient, scalable GCP foundations leveraging GKE, Cloud Run, Google Cloud VMware Engine (GCVE), Compute Engine, and enterprise VPC topologies.

Advanced Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC): Architect and deploy production-ready Terraform modules using GitOps methodologies, Cloud Foundation Fabric patterns, and automated delivery frameworks.

Modern CI/CD & Platform Automation: Design robust, automated build/release workflows using GitHub Actions, Cloud Build, Cloud Deploy, and custom Python/Bash automation.

Observability & Service Mesh: Implement comprehensive telemetry, auditability, and operational visibility across GKE and GCP workloads (utilizing OpenTelemetry, New Relic, and service mesh architectures).

Qualifications

Senior GCP Architecture Leadership: Demonstrated track record acting as a Senior/Staff Cloud Architect or Principal Platform Engineer leading enterprise-scale GCP implementations.

Hands-on Engineering Rigor: Proven ability to balance high-level architectural design with deep execution—writing production-grade Terraform, configuring network topologies, and debugging complex platform pipelines.

Security-First Mindset: Expertise in zero-trust architecture, GCP IAM policies, KMS/Secret Manager, Workload Identity, and enterprise network security controls.

Advanced IaC & Automation: Mastery of Terraform (modular architecture/state management), GitOps, GitHub Actions, and scripting (Python/Bash).

Technical Documentation & Artifacts: Ability to produce clear, structured solution design documents (SDDs) and architectural diagrams that bridge strategic vision with hands-on squad delivery.

Google Cloud Certifications: Professional Google Cloud Certification required (e.g., Professional Cloud Architect, Professional Cloud DevOps Engineer, or Professional Cloud Security Engineer).

Additional Information

Why NCS?

This is a place for people who like to get stuck in, bring ideas to life and make things happen. You'll work alongside experienced people who care about what they do, contribute to meaningful work and have the support to keep learning and grow your career. Whether you want to deepen your expertise, explore something new or take your career in a different direction, there's room to make it your own. We value Adventure, Excellence, Integrity, Ownership and Unity - bringing curiosity, collaboration and accountability to the way we work with our clients and each other.

Ready to make extraordinary happen?

We'd love to hear from you.

We celebrate diversity and inclusion

We value different perspectives, experiences and strengths our people bring. We're committed to an inclusive workplace where everyone has the opportunity to contribute, grow and succeed, and to providing equal employment opportunities and reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process.

Applicants will need valid Australian work rights and may be required to undergo relevant background, probity and police checks.

Agencies: NCS accepts candidate submissions only from agencies on our preferred supplier panel through the NCS Agency Portal.