📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Cloud Architect Engineer (GCP)
Company: Artefact
Location: Riyadh, Ar Riyāḑ, Saudi Arabia
Job Type: Full-Time
Category: DevOps, Cloud Infrastructure
Date Posted: 2025-07-15
Experience Level: 5-10 years
Remote Status: Remote OK

🚀 Role Summary

Lead the design and implementation of cloud infrastructure architectures aligned with business requirements.
Define and enforce best practices for cloud platform deployment, security, networking, operations, and tools selection.
Oversee the integration of cloud platforms with data pipelines, storage, and compute services.
Standardize coding, deployment, and monitoring practices across cloud environments.
Design and implement automated solutions to set up, monitor, and adjust cloud infrastructure efficiently.
Lead problem-solving initiatives for complex technical challenges related to cloud environments.
Provide technical leadership across multiple cloud projects, ensuring efficient resource management.
Foster teamwork by mentoring, coaching, and guiding cloud engineers and ensuring knowledge transfer.
Manage client relationships regarding project expectations, timelines, and outcomes.
Contribute to Artefact’s growth by maintaining tech partnerships, leading technical proposals, and identifying potential growth areas with existing accounts.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role requires a strong background in GCP architecture, security, and networking, with a proven track record in designing scalable and secure cloud solutions.

💻 Primary Responsibilities

Cloud Architecture & Design: Lead the design and implementation of cloud infrastructure architectures, ensuring they align with business requirements and are scalable, secure, and cost-efficient.
Best Practices & Standards: Define and enforce best practices for cloud platform deployment, security, networking, operations, and tools selection to ensure consistency and quality across projects.
Cloud Integration: Oversee the integration of cloud platforms with data pipelines, storage, and compute services, ensuring seamless data flow and optimal performance.
Automation & Efficiency: Design and implement automated solutions to set up, monitor, and adjust cloud infrastructure efficiently, reducing manual effort and improving reliability.
Problem Solving: Lead problem-solving initiatives for complex technical challenges related to cloud environments, ensuring timely resolution and minimal impact on business operations.
Technical Leadership: Provide technical leadership across multiple cloud projects, ensuring efficient resource management, stakeholder communication, and project delivery.
Team Mentoring: Foster teamwork by mentoring, coaching, and guiding cloud engineers, ensuring knowledge transfer and continuous skill development.
Client Management: Manage client relationships regarding project expectations, timelines, and outcomes, ensuring client satisfaction and project success.
Business Growth: Contribute to Artefact’s growth by maintaining tech partnerships, leading technical proposals, and identifying potential growth areas with existing accounts.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field. A relevant master's degree is a plus.

Experience: Proven track record in architecting and deploying large-scale Google Cloud solutions, with at least 5-10 years of experience in cloud architecture, data pipelines, and infrastructure management.

Required Skills:

Proven expertise in GCP security, networking, and compliance best practices (VPC Service Controls, IAM, Organization Policy).
Experience designing end-to-end GCP environments that are highly available, secure, and cost-efficient, leveraging GKE, Cloud Run, Compute Engine, and Cloud SQL.
Proven ability to define global DR/HA strategies using Cloud Load Balancing, Cloud CDN, and automated failover with multi-region Bigtable/Spanner or persistent disk replication, achieving sub-hour RTOs for critical workloads.
Experience architecting end-to-end data pipelines, built both streaming and batch ETL workflows using Pub/Sub, Dataflow (Apache Beam), and Dataproc to ingest high-throughput events into BigQuery for real-time insights.
Proven ability to design scalable data models in BigQuery, implementing dimensional schemas with partitioning and clustering to achieve sub-second query times on petabyte-scale datasets.
Experience orchestrating and scheduling workflows leveraging Cloud Composer (Airflow) and Workflows, adding automated retries, data-quality validations, and alerting to guarantee pipeline reliability.
Proven ability to automate infrastructure lifecycle via Terraform and Cloud Build pipelines, implementing auto-scaling, patch management, and monitoring workflows that boost operational efficiency.
Mastery of cost control in GCP, including committed-use discounts, custom machine types, billing export analytics, and budget alerts, plus high-availability patterns for resilience.
Experience partnering with data teams to fine-tune architectures on Cloud Storage, BigQuery, Dataflow, and Dataproc, delivering performant, scalable analytics platforms.
Proven leadership in guiding cross-functional teams and steering complex, multi-phase cloud projects to on-time delivery.
Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to craft business-focused presentations and lead stakeholder workshops on GCP strategy.
Strong problem-solving skills, experienced in diagnosing and resolving architectural challenges across compute, data, and networking domains.
Skilled at stakeholder management, from technical deep dives with engineering teams to strategic discussions with C-level executives.
Proven ability to mentor and coach cloud engineers, developing talent through hands-on training, code reviews, and best-practice evangelism.
Demonstrated ability to drive business growth by leveraging GCP innovations to unlock new revenue streams and streamline operations.

Preferred Skills:

Experience with multi-cloud environments and hybrid cloud architectures.
Familiarity with infrastructure as code (IaC) tools, such as Terraform or CloudFormation.
Knowledge of containerization and orchestration tools, such as Kubernetes or Docker.
Experience with cloud security certifications, such as the Google Cloud Security Engineer certification.
Familiarity with Agile development methodologies and DevOps practices.

📊 Web Portfolio & Project Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

A well-structured portfolio showcasing your experience in cloud architecture, data pipelines, and infrastructure management.
Case studies demonstrating your ability to design, implement, and manage scalable, secure, and cost-efficient cloud solutions.
Examples of your problem-solving skills and how you've addressed complex technical challenges in cloud environments.
Documentation of your experience in mentoring and coaching cloud engineers, including any training materials or workshops you've led.

Technical Documentation:

Detailed documentation of your cloud architecture designs, including diagrams, use cases, and any relevant code snippets.
Documentation of your data pipeline designs, including ETL workflows, data models, and any relevant code snippets.
Documentation of your infrastructure management processes, including automation scripts, monitoring tools, and any relevant configuration files.
Documentation of your problem-solving processes, including root cause analysis, troubleshooting steps, and resolution strategies.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the complexity of this role, it's essential to provide detailed and well-structured portfolio materials that demonstrate your technical expertise, problem-solving skills, and leadership capabilities.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: The salary range for this role is expected to be between SAR 30,000 - 45,000 per month, depending on experience and qualifications. This estimate is based on market research for cloud architect roles in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and may vary based on individual circumstances.

Benefits:

Competitive health, dental, and vision insurance plans.
Retirement savings plans with company matching contributions.
Generous vacation and leave policies, including paid time off, sick leave, and parental leave.
Employee development and training opportunities, including access to online learning platforms and professional certifications.
A dynamic and collaborative work environment with a strong focus on teamwork and innovation.

Working Hours: The standard workweek is 40 hours, with flexible scheduling options to accommodate remote work arrangements. Some projects may require occasional overtime or adjusted working hours to meet project deadlines or maintenance windows.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range is an estimate based on market research and may vary depending on individual circumstances. It's essential to research and understand the local salary standards and cost of living in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for a more accurate salary expectation.

🎯 Team & Company Context

Company Culture:

Industry: Artefact is a data service provider specializing in data consulting and data-driven digital marketing. It operates in the technology industry, focusing on transforming data into business impact across the entire value chain of organizations.

Company Size: Artefact is a growing company with over 400 consultants covering various offers, including data marketing, data governance, strategy consulting, and product ownership. This size allows for ample opportunities for growth, collaboration, and innovation.

Founded: Artefact was founded in 2013 and has since experienced skyrocketing growth, establishing itself as a leading data service provider in the market.

Team Structure:

Cloud Architecture Team: The cloud architecture team is responsible for designing, implementing, and overseeing cloud solutions that support clients’ data and technology ecosystems. The team consists of cloud architects, cloud engineers, and cloud specialists, working collaboratively to ensure cloud architecture aligns with business needs.
Data Consulting Team: The data consulting team consists of over 400 consultants covering various offers, including data marketing, data governance, strategy consulting, and product ownership. The team works closely with clients to deliver data-driven solutions that optimize business performance and drive growth.
Cross-Functional Teams: Artefact fosters a collaborative work environment, with cross-functional teams consisting of data consultants, data engineers, data scientists, and data analysts working together to deliver comprehensive data solutions.

Development Methodology:

Agile/Scrum: Artefact follows Agile/Scrum methodologies for project management, with sprint planning, daily stand-ups, and regular retrospectives to ensure continuous improvement and efficient project delivery.
Code Review & Quality Assurance: Artefact emphasizes code review and quality assurance practices to ensure the delivery of high-quality, reliable, and maintainable cloud solutions.
Deployment Strategies: Artefact employs deployment strategies, such as continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipelines, to automate the deployment process and ensure consistent, reliable, and efficient cloud infrastructure management.

Company Website: Artefact Website

📝 Enhancement Note: Artefact's company culture emphasizes collaboration, innovation, and data-driven decision-making. The company's size and growth trajectory provide ample opportunities for professional development and career advancement in the cloud architecture and data consulting domains.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Cloud Architecture Career Level: This role is at the senior level, requiring a proven track record in cloud architecture, data pipelines, and infrastructure management. The role involves leading technical teams, mentoring engineers, and driving innovation in cloud technology.

Reporting Structure: The Cloud Architect Engineer reports directly to the Cloud Architecture Manager, who is responsible for overseeing the cloud architecture team and ensuring alignment with business needs. The role may also involve cross-functional collaboration with data consultants, data engineers, and other stakeholders within the organization.

Technical Impact: The Cloud Architect Engineer has a significant impact on the design, implementation, and management of cloud solutions that support clients’ data and technology ecosystems. The role requires a deep understanding of GCP architecture, security, and networking, as well as the ability to lead technical teams and drive innovation in cloud technology.

Growth Opportunities:

Technical Progression: As a senior-level role, there are opportunities for technical progression into more specialized or senior roles within the cloud architecture domain, such as Cloud Architecture Manager or Principal Cloud Architect.
Technical Skill Development: The role offers opportunities to develop technical skills in emerging cloud technologies, data pipelines, and infrastructure management. This can be achieved through hands-on experience, training, and professional certifications.
Technical Leadership: The role provides opportunities to develop technical leadership skills through mentoring, coaching, and guiding cloud engineers. This can lead to roles with more significant technical leadership responsibilities, such as Technical Lead or Engineering Manager.

📝 Enhancement Note: The growth opportunities in this role are significant, with a clear path for technical progression, skill development, and technical leadership. The role's senior level and the company's growth trajectory provide a solid foundation for career advancement in the cloud architecture domain.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Artefact has a hybrid work environment, with offices in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and remote work options available for eligible roles.

Office Location(s): Artefact's Riyadh office is located in the King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD), providing easy access to public transportation and amenities.

Workspace Context:

Collaborative Work Environment: Artefact fosters a collaborative work environment, with open-plan offices and dedicated team spaces for cross-functional collaboration and knowledge sharing.
Modern Workspace Amenities: The Riyadh office features modern workspace amenities, including ergonomic furniture, high-speed internet, and state-of-the-art audio-visual equipment for meetings and presentations.
Flexible Work Arrangement: The hybrid work arrangement allows for flexible scheduling options, with remote work options available for eligible roles. This enables employees to balance their work and personal lives more effectively.

Work Schedule: The standard workweek is 40 hours, with flexible scheduling options to accommodate remote work arrangements. Some projects may require occasional overtime or adjusted working hours to meet project deadlines or maintenance windows.

📝 Enhancement Note: Artefact's hybrid work environment and flexible scheduling options provide a balanced and collaborative work environment that supports the needs of cloud architecture professionals. The modern workspace amenities and remote work options enable employees to maintain a healthy work-life balance while delivering high-quality cloud solutions.

📄 Application & Technical Interview Process

Interview Process:

Technical Phone Screen: A 30-45 minute phone screen to assess your technical skills, experience, and cultural fit with Artefact. This may include technical questions related to cloud architecture, data pipelines, and infrastructure management.
Technical Deep Dive: A 60-90 minute technical deep dive to discuss your cloud architecture experience, problem-solving skills, and leadership capabilities. This may include case studies, architecture design exercises, and technical architecture reviews.
Stakeholder Workshop: A 60-90 minute stakeholder workshop to assess your communication skills, presentation abilities, and cultural fit with Artefact. This may include a presentation on a cloud architecture project or a workshop on GCP strategy.
Final Evaluation: A final evaluation to assess your overall fit for the role, including your technical skills, leadership capabilities, and cultural alignment with Artefact. This may include a discussion on your career goals, expectations, and any remaining questions you have about the role or the company.

Portfolio Review Tips:

Portfolio Structure: Organize your portfolio into clear and concise sections, highlighting your cloud architecture experience, data pipeline designs, and infrastructure management processes.
Case Studies: Include detailed case studies demonstrating your ability to design, implement, and manage scalable, secure, and cost-efficient cloud solutions. Highlight any challenges you faced and how you overcame them.
Technical Documentation: Include detailed technical documentation of your cloud architecture designs, data pipeline designs, and infrastructure management processes. This should include diagrams, use cases, and any relevant code snippets.
Presentation Strategy: Tailor your presentation strategy to the specific audience and context of each interview round. For the stakeholder workshop, focus on your ability to communicate complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders and drive business-focused discussions.

Technical Challenge Preparation:

Cloud Architecture Fundamentals: Brush up on your cloud architecture fundamentals, including GCP architecture, security, and networking best practices. Review your knowledge of data pipelines, infrastructure management, and automation tools.
Problem-Solving Skills: Practice problem-solving exercises related to cloud architecture, data pipelines, and infrastructure management. Focus on your ability to diagnose and resolve complex technical challenges in cloud environments.
Leadership Skills: Prepare for leadership-focused questions, focusing on your ability to mentor, coach, and guide cloud engineers. Practice your communication skills and presentation abilities to ensure you can articulate your technical concepts clearly and effectively.

ATS Keywords: [Comprehensive list of cloud architecture, data pipeline, and infrastructure management-relevant keywords for resume optimization, organized by category: cloud platforms, data technologies, infrastructure tools, methodologies, soft skills, industry terms]

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process for this role is designed to assess your technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and leadership capabilities. It's essential to prepare thoroughly for each interview round, tailoring your portfolio and presentation strategy to the specific audience and context. The provided tips and strategies will help you navigate the interview process and demonstrate your fit for the Cloud Architect Engineer role at Artefact.

🛠 Technology Stack & Web Infrastructure

Cloud Platform: Google Cloud Platform (GCP)

Compute Services:

Compute Engine: GCP's Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) offering, providing virtual machines (VMs) for running workloads in the cloud.
Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE): GCP's container orchestration platform, enabling the deployment and management of containerized applications at scale.
Cloud Run: GCP's serverless compute platform, allowing you to run stateless containers without worrying about the underlying infrastructure.

Storage Services:

Cloud Storage: GCP's object storage service, providing scalable, durable, and high-performance storage for your data.
Cloud SQL: GCP's fully-managed database service, offering SQL databases in the cloud with automated backups, updates, and high availability.
Bigtable & Spanner: GCP's NoSQL database services, providing wide-column and relational database solutions for large-scale, mission-critical applications.

Data Pipeline & Analytics Services:

Pub/Sub: GCP's real-time messaging service, enabling event-driven architectures and asynchronous communication between applications.
Dataflow (Apache Beam): GCP's cloud-native service for executing Apache Beam pipelines within the Google Cloud Platform ecosystem.
Dataproc: GCP's fully-managed Apache Hadoop service, providing a simple, cost-effective, and highly scalable analytics platform for big data processing.
BigQuery: GCP's serverless, cost-effective, and fast multi-cloud data warehouse designed to help you manage and analyze your data with ease.

Infrastructure Management Tools:

Terraform: An open-source infrastructure as code (IaC) software tool that enables you to define and provision cloud infrastructure in a declarative way.
Cloud Build: GCP's continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD) platform, enabling automated and reliable software delivery pipelines.

Monitoring & Logging Services:

Cloud Monitoring: GCP's unified monitoring service for cloud-based and on-premises workloads, providing insight into the performance, availability, and health of your cloud resources.
Cloud Logging: GCP's centralized logging service, providing a unified view of log data from Google Cloud Platform services, as well as custom and external sources.

📝 Enhancement Note: The technology stack for this role is centered around Google Cloud Platform (GCP), with a focus on compute services, storage services, data pipeline and analytics services, infrastructure management tools, and monitoring and logging services. Familiarity with GCP architecture, security, and networking best practices is essential for success in this role.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Cloud Architecture Values:

Innovation: Artefact values innovation in cloud architecture, driving business growth through the adoption of emerging technologies and best practices.
Scalability: Artefact emphasizes scalability in cloud architecture, ensuring that cloud solutions can grow and adapt to meet the evolving needs of clients and the business.
Security: Artefact prioritizes security in cloud architecture, ensuring that cloud solutions are secure, compliant, and resilient to threats.
Cost Efficiency: Artefact focuses on cost efficiency in cloud architecture, optimizing cloud solutions for performance, scalability, and cost-effectiveness.
Collaboration: Artefact fosters a collaborative work environment, with cross-functional teams working together to deliver comprehensive data solutions.

Collaboration Style:

Cross-Functional Integration: Artefact encourages cross-functional integration between cloud architecture teams, data consulting teams, and other stakeholders within the organization. This ensures that cloud solutions are aligned with business needs and deliver value to clients.
Code Review Culture: Artefact emphasizes code review culture, with regular code reviews and peer programming practices to ensure the delivery of high-quality, reliable, and maintainable cloud solutions.
Knowledge Sharing: Artefact promotes knowledge sharing, with regular training, workshops, and brown bag sessions to ensure that cloud architecture professionals remain up-to-date with the latest technologies, best practices, and industry trends.

📝 Enhancement Note: Artefact's cloud architecture values and collaboration style emphasize innovation, scalability, security, cost efficiency, and collaboration. The company's commitment to these values ensures that cloud architecture professionals have the support and resources they need to deliver high-quality, scalable, and secure cloud solutions that drive business growth.

🌱 Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Technical Challenges:

Cloud Architecture Complexity: Designing, implementing, and managing complex cloud architectures that meet the evolving needs of clients and the business.
Security & Compliance: Ensuring that cloud solutions are secure, compliant, and resilient to threats, while maintaining performance, scalability, and cost-effectiveness.
Cost Optimization: Optimizing cloud solutions for performance, scalability, and cost-effectiveness, while balancing the needs of clients and the business.
Emerging Technologies: Staying up-to-date with emerging cloud technologies, best practices, and industry trends, and incorporating them into cloud solutions where appropriate.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

Technical Skill Development: Developing technical skills in emerging cloud technologies, data pipelines, and infrastructure management through hands-on experience, training, and professional certifications.
Leadership Development: Developing leadership skills through mentoring, coaching, and guiding cloud engineers, with a focus on technical leadership, team management, and architecture decision-making.
Business Growth: Contributing to Artefact’s growth by maintaining tech partnerships, leading technical proposals, and identifying potential growth areas with existing accounts.

📝 Enhancement Note: The technical challenges and learning and development opportunities in this role require a strong background in cloud architecture, data pipelines, and infrastructure management. The role's senior level and the company's growth trajectory provide ample opportunities for professional development, career advancement, and technical leadership.

💡 Interview Preparation

Technical Questions:

Cloud Architecture Fundamentals: Brush up on your cloud architecture fundamentals, including GCP architecture, security, and networking best practices. Review your knowledge of data pipelines, infrastructure management, and automation tools.
Problem-Solving Skills: Practice problem-solving exercises related to cloud architecture, data pipelines, and infrastructure management. Focus on your ability to diagnose and resolve complex technical challenges in cloud environments.
Leadership Skills: Prepare for leadership-focused questions, focusing on your ability to mentor, coach, and guide cloud engineers. Practice your communication skills and presentation abilities to ensure you can articulate your technical concepts clearly and effectively.

Company & Culture Questions:

Cloud Architecture Culture: Research Artefact's cloud architecture culture, values, and collaboration style. Be prepared to discuss how your technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and leadership capabilities align with Artefact's cloud architecture values and culture.
Cloud Architecture Challenges: Research the technical challenges and learning and development opportunities in cloud architecture at Artefact. Be prepared to discuss how you would approach these challenges and how you would contribute to Artefact’s growth in the cloud architecture domain.
Cloud Architecture Growth: Research Artefact's growth trajectory and the opportunities for career advancement in the cloud architecture domain. Be prepared to discuss your long-term career goals and how you would contribute to Artefact’s growth and success in the cloud architecture space.

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

Cloud Architecture Portfolio: Organize your portfolio into clear and concise sections, highlighting your cloud architecture experience, data pipeline designs, and infrastructure management processes.
Case Studies: Include detailed case studies demonstrating your ability to design, implement, and manage scalable, secure, and cost-efficient cloud solutions. Highlight any challenges you faced and how you overcame them.
Technical Documentation: Include detailed technical documentation of your cloud architecture designs, data pipeline designs, and infrastructure management processes. This should include diagrams, use cases, and any relevant code snippets.
Presentation Strategy: Tailor your presentation strategy to the specific audience and context of each interview round. For the stakeholder workshop, focus on your ability to communicate complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders and drive business-focused discussions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview preparation strategies provided are designed to help you navigate the technical interview process for the Cloud Architect Engineer role at Artefact. By focusing on your cloud architecture fundamentals, problem-solving skills, and leadership capabilities, you can demonstrate your fit for the role and contribute to Artefact’s growth in the cloud architecture domain.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this cloud architecture role at Artefact, follow these steps:

Tailor Your Resume: Customize your resume to highlight your cloud architecture experience, data pipeline designs, and infrastructure management processes. Include relevant keywords and phrases to optimize your resume for Applicant Tracking System (ATS) screening.
Prepare Your Portfolio: Organize your portfolio into clear and concise sections, highlighting your cloud architecture experience, data pipeline designs, and infrastructure management processes. Include detailed case studies, technical documentation, and any relevant code snippets.
Research the Company: Thoroughly research Artefact's cloud architecture culture, values, and collaboration style. Understand the company's growth trajectory and the opportunities for career advancement in the cloud architecture domain.
Prepare for Technical Interviews: Brush up on your cloud architecture fundamentals, problem-solving skills, and leadership capabilities. Practice problem-solving exercises, leadership-focused questions, and company & culture questions. Tailor your presentation strategy to the specific audience and context of each interview round.
Apply: Submit your application through the application link provided in the job listing. Include your tailored resume, organized portfolio, and any additional materials that showcase your cloud architecture experience, data pipeline designs, and infrastructure management processes.

📝 Enhancement Note: By following these application steps, you can effectively tailor your resume and portfolio, research the company, and prepare for technical interviews. This will increase your chances of success in the application process and help you secure the Cloud Architect Engineer role at Artefact.

Cloud Architect Engineer (GCP)