Cloud Principal Engineer

Centric Software, Inc.; South Dakota; On-site; USD 130,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Centric Software, Inc. is looking for a Cloud Principal Engineer to lead the development of a new Cloud Engineering function. This role involves modernizing the company’s platform and improving infrastructure economics across AWS, Azure, and limited GCP workloads.

The ideal candidate should have over 5 years of experience in cloud engineering, a deep understanding of Kubernetes, cloud automation, and proven technical leadership. This position is remote within the U.S., offering competitive salary and opportunities for growth.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in cloud/platform engineering or infrastructure leadership roles.
• Strong hands-on depth in Kubernetes, cloud automation, and cost optimization.
• Experience across AWS and Azure in production environments.

Responsibilities

• Define the cloud engineering operating model and role boundaries.
• Build and mentor the initial cloud engineering team.
• Establish platform and automation standards for infrastructure provisioning.

Skills

Kubernetes platforms

Cloud infrastructure automation

Cost optimization

Observability

CI/CD systems

Tools

Terraform

Python

TypeScript

Job description

About Centric Software: Centric Software® is a global leader, providing an innovative and AI‑enabled product‑concept‑to‑commercialization platform for retailers, brands and manufacturers of all sizes. We equip retail, fashion, luxury, footwear, outdoor, home and consumer goods brands with pioneering best‑of‑breed solutions to plan, design, develop, source, comply, buy, make, price, allocate, sell and replenish products. Our technology powers brands to streamline processes, drive efficiency and operate with confidence in an ever‑changing market. Our story is one of rapid growth, bold ideas and extraordinary opportunities. We’re here to challenge the status quo—and we’re looking for brilliant people who want to do the same.

Job Title

Cloud Principal Engineer

Location

Anywhere in the US / Remote

Experience Level

5 Years

Role Summary

We are building a new Cloud Engineering function to modernize our platform, improve infrastructure economics, and increase delivery reliability across AWS, Azure, and limited GCP workloads. The Cloud Principal Engineer will define the cloud strategy and execution model, build the initial team, and deliver measurable business outcomes across cost optimization, platform standardization, observability modernization, and application modernization.

Why This Role Exists

Our current environment is operational but fragmented across deployment patterns and cloud operations workflows. This role exists to create a single execution backbone that aligns engineering work with business priorities: infrastructure cost reduction and waste elimination; standardized, scalable Kubernetes‑based platform foundations; simplified and cost‑aware observability strategy; automation‑first operations for non‑production controls; and application modernization toward stateless, Linux‑aligned deployment patterns.

Business Objectives

• Drive cloud cost optimization initiatives from audit to remediation execution.
• Lead platform direction for managed Kubernetes in a multi‑cloud operating model.
• Lead migration programs such as Kafka to Kafka‑as‑a‑Service and ARM adoption.
• Establish a decision framework and rollout plan for Datadog alternatives.
• Implement governance and automation for non‑production shutdown schedules.
• Partner with application teams to enable stateless architecture transitions.

Key Responsibilities

• Define the cloud engineering operating model and role boundaries across DevOps, Cloud Ops, and R&D teams.
• Build and mentor the initial cloud engineering team and hire pipeline.
• Prioritize roadmap initiatives into quarterly execution plans with clear owners and milestones.
• Establish platform and automation standards for infrastructure provisioning, CI/CD integration, security controls, and reliability.
• Lead cross‑functional programs that require coordinated cloud, platform, and application changes.
• Ensure decisions are evidence‑driven with transparent measurement and reporting.

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years in cloud/platform engineering, SRE, or infrastructure leadership roles.
• 3+ years leading cross‑functional technical programs with direct business impact.
• Strong hands‑on depth in at least two of the following: Kubernetes platforms, cloud infrastructure automation, cost optimization, observability, CI/CD systems.
• Experience across AWS and Azure in production environments.
• Proven ability to translate business goals into technical roadmap execution.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills for technical and non‑technical stakeholders.

Preferred Technical Skills

• Managed Kubernetes platforms: EKS and/or AKS architecture and operations.
• Infrastructure as Code: strong hands‑on depth in Terraform or OpenTofu or Pulumi.
• Cloud automation and scripting: Python and/or TypeScript for workflow and operations automation.
• CI/CD implementation: Git‑based pipelines, environment promotion, release controls, rollback patterns.
• Cloud security foundations: IAM, secrets management, policy enforcement, and least‑privilege design.
• Cost optimization engineering: rightsizing, idle resource remediation, schedule automation, and governance controls.
• Observability foundations: metrics, logs, traces, alert design, and SLO‑oriented operating practices.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience leading cloud transformation in multi‑tenant or regulated environments.
• Experience with FinOps practices and cost governance operating models.
• Experience with platform migration programs (e.g., KaaS, ARM, stateless modernization).
• Experience hiring and developing high‑performing platform teams.

Leadership Competencies

• Systems thinking with bias for execution.
• Strong ownership and accountability.
• Pragmatic decision‑making under delivery constraints.
• Ability to build alignment across engineering, operations, and business stakeholders.

The U.S. base salary range for this full‑time position is Negotiable. Compensation is determined by role, level, location, and other factors such as experience and relevant education or training.

Centric Software provides equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, color, age, religion, protected veteran or disability status, or genetic information.