Cloud Engineers are IT professionals who manage cloud-based environments. There are a variety of roles including planning, designing and monitoring cloud computing.

The Work

There are three main types of cloud engineer:

• A cloud architect is responsible for designing applications used in cloud-based computing.
   
• A system operations engineer is responsible for maintaining applications once they have been created. They might also be responsible for maintaining any security features associated with the cloud.
   
• A cloud developer is responsible for developing new cloud applications. This includes developing new applications and debugging any issues. They might also be responsible for managing any hardware and software associated with cloud-based services.

Pay

The figures below are only a guide. Actual pay rates may vary, depending on:

• where you work
• the size of the company or organisation you work for
• the demand for the job.

The starting salary for a cloud engineer in the UK is typically £45,000. The salary for a trained and qualified cloud engineer can be around £55,000 per year or £28.21 per hour.

Senior cloud engineers can earn up to £75,000 a year.

Conditions

Cloud Engineers will typically work in an office and you will be working at a computer most of the time. You may also have the opportunity to work remotely from home.

Working hours are usually standard 9:00am to 5:00pm from Monday to Friday. Project deadlines might mean that you need to work overtime.

Getting In

• You need a degree (SCQF Levels 9-11) in a computer science related discipline.
   
• While programming may be a feature of your degree, it is recommended you learn some programming languages, such as Python and Javascript as this will be essential to your role.
   
• If you don’t have a relevant degree, you can take a postgraduate course (SCQF Level 11) in a subject such as data science, business analytics, data science and analytics, or big data. Many universities in Scotland offer MSc courses in these subjects.
   
• To gain more experience you can also apply for internships during your time at University or volunteer for open source development projects.

Job Outlook Scotland

Job Outlook Scotland and UK

  Scotland

2022

9594

1.8 %

RISE

2027

9767

  United Kingdom

2022

123887

2.3 %

RISE

2027

126680

LMI data powered by EMSI UK

What Does it Take?

• A knowledge of operating systems and networks
• Good communication skills
• Strong computer skills
• A willingness to learn
• High attention to detail
• The ability to meet deadlines

Training

As technology continues to develop you will need to keep up to date with the latest developments and programming languages in your profession.

Getting On

It is predicted that cloud engineer will be among the top ten most in demand IT jobs in 2022. As more businesses move towards cloud-based storage the demand for skilled cloud engineers continues to grow. This means there is the opportunity to work for a wide range of businesses, though the leading employers are in finance, e-commerce and retail.

More Information

There are a number of online courses for beginners that will give you some understanding of cloud computing.

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