Google Cloud Engineer

Synthesis Software Technologies; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,500,000; Full time

Job summary

Synthesis Software Technologies in Johannesburg is seeking a Senior Cloud Engineer to design, implement and manage scalable, secure cloud infrastructure on Google Cloud Platform. You will work with development, operations, and security teams to ensure reliability, performance and compliance in cloud-native environments.

You will drive IaC adoption with Terraform, automate workflows, and help mature CI/CD with GitHub Actions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Technology, or a related field.
• Advanced postgraduate qualification would be advantageous.
• GCP Professional Cloud Architect certification or similar cloud certifications are highly desirable.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving mindset.
• Excellent collaboration and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Ability to adapt quickly to emerging technologies and evolving cloud practices.
• Strong leadership and mentoring abilities.
• High attention to detail and commitment to operational excellence.
• Proactive and continuous improvement mindset.

Responsibilities

• Design scalable, reliable, and secure cloud architectures on Google Cloud Platform (GCP).
• Manage and optimise cloud infrastructure for high availability, scalability, and performance.
• Develop automation scripts and tooling to streamline cloud operations.
• Implement and maintain IaC solutions using Terraform.
• Apply cloud security best practices and ensure regulatory compliance.
• Configure monitoring, alerting, and optimisation across cloud environments.
• Collaborate with development, operations, and security teams to integrate cloud solutions.
• Provide advanced troubleshooting and support for cloud infrastructure and incidents.
• Implement and support CI/CD pipelines and automated deployment using GitHub Actions.
• Drive continuous improvement across cloud engineering and operations.
• Mentor and support junior engineers and contribute to knowledge sharing.

Skills

Automation scripting

Cloud architecture

Security & compliance

Leadership & mentoring

Troubleshooting & problem-solving

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/Engineering/IT

Advanced postgraduate qualification

GCP Professional Cloud Architect certification

Tools

Terraform

GitHub Actions

Job description

Role Overview

The Senior Cloud Engineer – Google Cloud Platform (GCP) is responsible for designing, implementing, and managing scalable, secure, and high-performing cloud infrastructure solutions within Google Cloud environments. The role works closely with development, operations, and security teams to ensure the reliability, scalability, optimisation, and operational excellence of cloud-based platforms and services. The successful candidate will drive cloud engineering best practices, automation, infrastructure-as-code adoption, and continuous improvement across modern cloud-native environments.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and implement scalable, reliable, and secure cloud architectures on Google Cloud Platform (GCP).
• Manage and optimise cloud infrastructure to ensure high availability, scalability, and performance.
• Develop automation scripts and tooling to streamline cloud operations and improve operational efficiency.
• Implement and maintain infrastructure-as-code (IaC) solutions using Terraform.
• Apply cloud security best practices and ensure compliance with industry standards and regulatory requirements.
• Configure and maintain monitoring, alerting, and optimisation practices across cloud environments.
• Collaborate with development, operations, and security teams to integrate cloud solutions into broader system architectures.
• Provide advanced troubleshooting and support for cloud infrastructure and operational incidents.
• Implement and support CI/CD pipelines and automated deployment practices, preferably using GitHub Actions.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives across cloud engineering, automation, and operational practices.
• Mentor and support junior engineers and contribute to technical knowledge-sharing initiatives.
• Minimum 3 years’ experience in cloud engineering or cloud infrastructure roles.
• At least 2 years’ hands‑on experience working with Google Cloud Platform (GCP).
• Strong experience with GCP services including Compute Engine, Kubernetes Engine (GKE), Cloud Storage, BigQuery, Cloud Functions, and Pub/Sub.
• Hands‑on experience with Terraform and infrastructure‑as‑code methodologies.
• Strong scripting and automation skills using Python, Bash, or similar languages.
• Experience implementing and supporting CI/CD pipelines and deployment automation.
• Strong understanding of cloud networking, architecture, and security principles.
• Experience applying cloud security best practices and compliance frameworks.
• Strong troubleshooting, analytical, and problem‑solving capabilities.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills within cross‑functional teams.
• Experience mentoring or guiding junior engineers.
• Experience managing and integrating multi‑cloud environments.
• Exposure to big data technologies and tooling within GCP ecosystems.
• Experience tuning and optimising cloud platform performance.
• Exposure to Kubernetes administration and container orchestration best practices.
• Experience supporting enterprise‑scale cloud environments.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Technology, or a related field.
• Advanced postgraduate qualification would be advantageous.
• GCP Professional Cloud Architect certification or similar cloud certifications are highly desirable.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving mindset.
• Excellent collaboration and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Ability to adapt quickly to emerging technologies and evolving cloud practices.
• Strong leadership and mentoring abilities.
• High attention to detail and commitment to operational excellence.
• Proactive and continuous improvement mindset.

What We Offer

• Competitive salary and benefits package.
• Opportunity to work on enterprise‑scale cloud transformation initiatives.
• Exposure to modern cloud‑native technologies and engineering practices.
• Collaborative and innovative engineering environment.
• Professional growth and certification opportunities.
• Opportunity to contribute to impactful cloud and technology solutions.