Remote: Google Cloud Platform Principal Cloud Architect

Google Cloud Platform Principal Cloud Architect

100% Remote

Short term(2-3 Months)

Job Description:

Engagement Overview

Client is staffing a Google Cloud Platform Principal Cloud Architect for an eight-week embedded architecture engagement at a large client. The client has been directed to build an enterprise Google Cloud Platform environment from the ground up. Google Cloud Platform exists in a fragmented, unofficial state today with researchers and individual teams running workloads outside the governance of Central IT, cybersecurity, and identity management. The client needs a seasoned Google Cloud Platform architect to partner with their internal directory services team and help them design the enterprise Google Cloud Platform landing zone that will serve as the official, centrally governed foundation for the organization.

This is not a deliver-and-present engagement. The architect will function as an embedded member of the client''s architecture team, working alongside their Director of Directory Services, their directory services lead, and their lead principal engineer in collaborative working sessions. The client''s internal team has deep expertise in Azure and Entra ID but has no Google Cloud experience. They need someone who has built enterprise Google Cloud Platform platforms before and can guide them through the process while transferring knowledge along the way.

The client''s identity management function sits within the cybersecurity division. Identity is the first pillar being addressed, but additional teams (cybersecurity operations, networking, billing, and other teams) will be brought into the initiative as the Google Cloud platform design progresses. The architect should expect to participate in cross-team working sessions as the engagement expands beyond identity.

Client Environment Context

1. Azure is the primary cloud platform with a mature, centrally governed Entra ID environment integrated with Workday (ERP).
2. AWS has a limited presence with a small number of application integrations and no centrally managed identity.
3. Google Cloud Platform is fragmented and unofficial. Researchers and individual teams have adopted it independently. No enterprise organization structure, no centralized identity, no cybersecurity monitoring.
4. HIPAA applies. Protected health information may be present in workloads on the Google Cloud Platform platform.
5. The client wants the Google Cloud Platform foundation to support future expansion into Google Workspace, AI/ML workloads, and other Google Cloud services.

Scope of Work for the Resource

The Google Cloud Platform architect will work across the following areas collaboratively with the client''s internal team:

Stage 1: Discovery and Orientation (Weeks 1-2)

1. Assess the existing unofficial Google Cloud Platform footprint (projects, workloads, accounts).
2. Meet with the directory services team to understand the current Entra ID architecture and Workday-based identity lifecycle.
3. Identify compliance, regulatory, and organizational requirements (HIPAA, etc.).
4. Begin meeting with cybersecurity, networking, and other stakeholders who will join the initiative.

Stage 2: Collaborative Architecture Design (Weeks 3-6)

This is the primary design phase. The architect will work through each architecture domain in collaborative working sessions with the client''s team. Areas include:

1. Google Cloud Identity model and integration with the client''s existing Entra ID environment.
2. Super admin access controls and administrative governance.
3. Google Cloud Platform organization structure, folder hierarchy, project model, and naming conventions.
4. IAM roles, access policies, and least-privilege model.
5. Security baseline, organization policies, and compliance guardrails.
6. Network architecture and cross-cloud connectivity (collaboration with client''s networking team).
7. Logging, monitoring, audit architecture, and SIEM integration (collaboration with client''s cybersecurity team).
8. Billing structure and cost management.
9. Strategy for consolidating existing unofficial Google Cloud Platform accounts and environments.

Stage 3: Blueprint Finalization and Deployment Planning (Weeks 7-8)

1. Consolidate design work into an enterprise Google Cloud Platform architecture blueprint.
2. Document architecture decision rationale.
3. Develop deployment plan and implementation roadmap for the client''s Phase B build.
4. Conduct final architecture review with all stakeholders.

Important: This engagement covers architecture and design only. No implementation, deployment, or Infrastructure as Code development is included. The client may choose to extend into a Phase B implementation engagement after the architecture is complete, but that is not committed at this time.