Zencore

Cloud consulting for Google Cloud transformations

Principal Architect - Infrastructure

Cloud EngineeringConfirmed live in the last 24 hours

Full-timeRemote in UKNo salary listed

About the Job

Requirements

A bachelor’s degree or equivalent practical experience.
Deep experience integrating Google Cloud within complex enterprise ecosystems, including mapping Google Cloud capabilities to strict governance, security, and compliance frameworks.
A proven track record of architecting solutions that integrate or migrate legacy infrastructure, including on-premises or data-center environments, into modern cloud-native environments without service disruption.
Advanced proficiency with modern DevOps and site reliability engineering tooling, such as Terraform and infrastructure as code, continuous integration and continuous delivery, Kubernetes and Google Kubernetes Engine, and service mesh, including implementation in operationally complex environments.
A solid grasp of enterprise networking and security best practices, such as identity and access management, Confidential Computing, and Security Command Center, for large-scale production deployments.
Ability to develop deep expertise in one or more of these domains: Software Architecture, Data Platform Modernization, Platform Engineering, or Large-scale Networking.
Ability to remain calm, professional, and solution-oriented in challenging client situations.
Ability to identify necessary work and execute proactively without waiting for specific instructions.
Ability to foster a collaborative team environment, including during challenging situations.
Ability to manage enterprise stakeholders, diffuse conflict, and ensure alignment.

Responsibilities

Lead the technical vision for client engagements and translate complex business requirements into actionable proposals and Statements of Work, with accurate resource estimates and timelines.
Serve as the primary technical lead on project teams, balancing architectural oversight with hands-on execution and unblocking technical or organizational challenges.
Navigate the internal complexities and matrixed structures of large organizations, maintain project progress, and influence stakeholders at all levels.
Educate and upskill client teams, fostering technical excellence and sustainable engineering practices.
Build trust, manage client expectations, navigate complexity, and maintain focus on successful delivery as circumstances change.
Provide technical oversight and end-to-end delivery of projects, bridging legacy infrastructure and modern cloud architecture, integrating enterprise-grade tooling, and aligning with Google Cloud standards.
Provide strategic guidance, facilitate technology decisions, and execute projects collaboratively through a co-development approach.

Zencore is a fast-growing company founded by former Google Cloud leaders, architects, and engineers. We are seeking candidates with significant experience in Google Cloud to join our team. Our engagements aim to eliminate obstacles, reduce risk, and accelerate timelines for customers transitioning to Google and seeking assistance with data and application modernization. We embed within customer teams to provide strategic guidance, facilitate technology decisions, and execute projects in a collaborative, co-development style.

As a Principal Architect at Zencore, you will primarily work with large, complex enterprise organizations, helping them navigate the challenges of modernization. Our clients look to you as a resilient, trusted advisor who can deliver results in highly demanding environments. You are responsible for the technical oversight and end-to-end delivery of projects and will be expected to bridge the gap between legacy infrastructure and modern cloud architecture, integrating with enterprise-grade tooling while ensuring seamless alignment with Google Cloud standards. You must be comfortable managing complex stakeholder dynamics, diffusing tension, and maintaining a cool head when engagements become high-pressure.

Responsibilities

Strategic Delivery: Lead the technical vision for client engagements. Turn complex business requirements into clear, actionable proposals and Statements of Work (SoW), while providing accurate resource estimates and timelines.

Technical Stewardship: Act as the primary technical lead on project teams. Maintain the balance between architectural oversight and "hands-on" keyboard execution. Unblock the team when projects encounter technical or organizational friction.

Organizational Navigation: Successfully navigate the internal complexities and matrixed structures of large organizations. Keep projects on track by maintaining professional composure and influencing stakeholders at all levels, even in complex or resistant environments.

Mentorship: Act as an expert practitioner within client organizations. Educate and up-skill client teams, fostering a culture of technical excellence and sustainable engineering practices.

Relationship Management: Serve as a stabilizing force during high-pressure engagements. Build trust managing client expectations, navigate complexity, and maintaining a strong focus on successful delivery through changing circumstances.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent practical experience.

Enterprise GCP Expertise: Deep experience integrating Google Cloud within complex enterprise ecosystems. You understand how to map Google Cloud capabilities to strict governance, security, and compliance frameworks.

Legacy & Modernization: Proven track record of architecting solutions that integrate or migrate legacy infrastructure (on-prem/data center) into modern, cloud-native environments without service disruption.

Platform & Tooling Mastery: Advanced proficiency with modern DevOps/SRE tooling (e.g., Terraform/IaC, CI/CD, Kubernetes/GKE, Service Mesh). You understand how to implement these in environments with high operational complexity.

Security & Networking: Solid grasp of enterprise networking and security best practices (e.g. IAM, Confidential Computing, Security Command Center etc) required for large-scale production deployments.

Domain Specialization: Ability to go deeper than most on one or more domains: Software Architecture, Data Platform Modernization, Platform Engineering, or Large-scale Networking.

Behavioral Competencies & Mindset

Resilience & EQ: Exceptional emotional intelligence. You remain calm, professional, and solution-oriented when clients become challenging. You don’t get flustered by friction.

Proactive Ownership: You have a bias for action. You identify what needs to be done and execute without waiting for specific instructions.

Collaborative Professionalism: You foster a positive team environment and remain easy to collaborate with, even during challenging situations.

Consultative Savvy: You understand that for an enterprise client, the "human" and "political" aspects of a project are as critical as the code. You are comfortable managing stakeholders, diffusing conflict, and ensuring alignment.

We are a fully remote company and offer competitive compensation and benefits.

Zencore is committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace. Zencore is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, disability, age, or other legally protected status.

About the Company

Zencore

Cloud consulting for Google Cloud transformations

Zencore is a cloud consulting firm that helps enterprises move to and optimize on Google Cloud. It provides services for cloud migration, application modernization, and data analytics, applying AI and ML to improve operations and security. Zencore’s offerings work through tailored, hands-on consulting: they assess client needs, design cloud architectures, migrate workloads, unwind complex systems, and implement data solutions on Google Cloud, delivering practical outcomes rather than vendor-driven choices. What sets Zencore apart is its exclusive focus on Google Cloud and its commitment to unbiased recommendations, which helps clients avoid vendor lock-in and choose the best-fit solutions. The company is goal-oriented: to accelerate business outcomes by optimizing total cost of ownership, enhancing security, and driving innovation through Google Cloud transformations.

Company size: 51-200
Company stage: Not listed
Total funding: Not listed
Headquarters: San Francisco, CA
Founded: 2021

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