Google Cloud Platform Cloud Engineer / Developer

Title: Google Cloud Platform Cloud Engineer / Developer
Location: Chicago, IL (Hybrid)
Employment Type: 3 Month Contract-to-Hire (W2 Only)
Work Authorization: or Required

Overview
We are seeking a Google Cloud Platform Cloud Engineer / Developer who can design, build, and scale cloud-native solutions on Google Cloud Platform.
This role is not about maintaining systems-it is about standing up modern cloud infrastructure, automating deployments, and enabling scalable, secure application delivery.
The ideal candidate is a hands-on builder who can operate across cloud engineering, DevOps, and application development to deliver measurable outcomes.

Performance Objectives
First 30 Days - Assess & Stabilize

• Evaluate current Google Cloud Platform environment, architecture, and deployment pipelines
• Identify gaps across infrastructure, security, and automation
• Gain alignment with engineering and business stakeholders

60 Days - Build & Automate

• Implement or enhance Infrastructure as Code (Terraform preferred)
• Establish or improve CI/CD pipelines (Cloud Build, Jenkins, GitLab)
• Begin optimizing application deployment workflows

90 Days - Scale & Optimize

• Deliver scalable, production-ready cloud infrastructure
• Improve system performance, reliability, and cost efficiency
• Implement monitoring, alerting, and observability across environments

Ongoing Success

• Ensure secure, compliant, and resilient cloud architecture
• Continuously optimize cost, performance, and deployment speed
• Support engineering teams with best practices and reusable patterns

Key Responsibilities

• Design and deploy scalable Google Cloud Platform infrastructure using:
  • Compute Engine
  • Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE)
  • App Engine
• Build and maintain Infrastructure as Code (IaC) using:
  • Terraform (preferred)
  • Google Cloud Deployment Manager
• Develop and optimize CI/CD pipelines:
  • Cloud Build, Jenkins, GitLab
• Implement monitoring and observability:
  • Google Cloud Operations Suite (Stackdriver)
• Manage security and compliance:
  • IAM policies
  • Encryption
  • Network security (VPCs, firewalls, load balancers)
• Support data-driven solutions:
  • BigQuery
  • Cloud SQL
  • Cloud Storage

Technical Requirements

• Strong experience with Google Cloud Platform (Google Cloud Platform)
• Hands-on experience with:
  • Terraform / IaC
  • Docker & Kubernetes (GKE)
  • CI/CD pipelines
• Programming proficiency in:
  • Python, Java, Go, or Bash
• Strong understanding of:
  • Networking (VPCs, firewalls, load balancing)
  • Cloud security and IAM
• Experience with:
  • Git (GitHub / GitLab)
  • Agile development environments

What We're Really Looking
We want someone who can:

• Take a cloud environment and make it scalable, automated, and production-ready
• Reduce manual work through automation and pipelines
• Improve system performance while controlling cloud costs
• Work across teams and own delivery-not just tasks

Preferred Qualifications

• Google Cloud certifications:
  • Professional Cloud Architect
  • Professional Cloud Developer
• Experience in regulated environments (HIPAA, PCI, etc.)
• Exposure to multi-cloud environments (AWS/Azure)

This Role Is NOT

• Not a support-only role
• Not a ticket-based cloud admin
• Not limited to one tool or silo

Must Have:

• Google Cloud Platform hands-on experience
• Terraform / IaC
• CI/CD pipeline experience
• Kubernetes (GKE)