Cloud Engineer

Cloud Engineer Job Profile

What Is Cloud Engineering?

Many large and increasingly medium-sized companies no longer rely solely on local computers and servers for their IT infrastructure. Instead, cloud services are used to access data, software, and servers via the internet. More and more companies are also foregoing proprietary software purchases — such as ERP systems — in favour of professional service providers who deliver fully managed packages, stored in the cloud and accessible at any time.

Advantages of this approach:

• Acquisition costs are avoided
• Flexible online access from anywhere
• No need for dedicated in-house IT teams
• High compatibility with digitalised enterprise models

What Does a Cloud Engineer Do?

A Cloud Engineer is an IT specialist responsible for all technical tasks related to cloud computing — designing, planning, managing, maintaining, and supporting cloud environments. The role can be divided into several specialisations:

• Cloud Architect — manages cloud infrastructure, architecture, and deployment
• Cloud Software Developer — creates and maintains software, databases, and applications for cloud platforms
• Cloud Security Engineer — develops and maintains security functions for cloud-based systems
• Cloud Administrator — manages the software and hardware associated with cloud services
• Cloud Network Engineer — manages network infrastructures and connections between clients and providers
• Cloud Automation Engineer — focuses on automation, orchestration, and integration

Primary day-to-day responsibilities include setting up and maintaining cloud-based servers, creating infrastructure, establishing security measures, testing systems, and conducting customer conversations.

What Skills Does a Cloud Engineer Have?

• Linux — strong knowledge of the Linux operating system, its structure, maintenance, and server management
• Database skills — experience managing cloud databases with MySQL and Hadoop
• Networking — ability to handle virtual networks and general network management
• Virtualisation — knowledge of deploying and running application software on virtual machines
• Cloud provider expertise — understanding of technical functions and practices across AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud
• Security and recovery — cybersecurity knowledge as it applies to cloud environments

How to Become a Cloud Engineer

There is no dedicated training path for Cloud Engineers yet, though demand is growing rapidly. The foundation is typically a degree in computer science. A degree in a related field combined with proven experience in scripting languages is also a well-recognised route.

Proficiency in several scripting languages — Java, Python, or Ruby — is a core requirement regardless of specialisation. Cloud Engineers must also be comfortable with open-source operating systems such as Linux, as many server architectures rely on them. While a bachelor’s degree is often sufficient, some employers expect a master’s in a field suited to cloud engineering.

What Does a Cloud Engineer Earn?

Although the Cloud Engineer profession is relatively new, specialists are already in extremely high demand — and the job market reflects this. Starting salaries are around €40,000 per year for career entrants. With professional experience, specialisations, and further training, that figure can easily double. On average, Cloud Engineers earn €65,000 gross per year.

Future Prospects

The future for Cloud Engineers is exceptionally strong. Global companies are rapidly adopting Infrastructure as a Service, Amazon Web Services, and tools like Continuous Delivery, Ansible, Bash, and Docker. Cloud Engineers are sought internationally, and remote or location-independent work is increasingly common in the field. As cloud adoption spreads from large enterprises to mid-sized businesses, employment opportunities will continue to grow.