Cloud Architect
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Job description
Cloud Architect
Stanowisko: Cloud Architect
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About the Position
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What Sets Us Apart?
Why Choose SmartWays?
What You Gain by Partnering with Us
- Partnering relationships
- Knowledge and experience exchange
- Reports needed for business decision-making
- Listening to your needs
20+ people
in the team
6 years
of market experience
3000
satisfied clients
Who is a Cloud Architect and What Do They Do?
A Cloud Architect is a specialist responsible for designing, implementing, and managing IT system architectures based on public, private, or hybrid cloud. Their task is to translate business requirements into scalable, secure, and cost-effective infrastructure solutions in environments such as AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud Platform.
The demand for Cloud Architects in the Polish IT market remains at a record level – according to the Bulldogjob 2025 report, over 62% of companies planning to migrate to the cloud indicate the lack of a cloud architect as the main barrier to transformation. Recruiting a Cloud Architect at the lead level is a process requiring precise headhunting, as the pool of candidates with Professional/Expert certifications and experience in enterprise projects does not exceed 2,500 people in Poland. The average time to fill a Cloud Architect position through direct search is 45–60 days.
Key Responsibilities of a Cloud Architect
The scope of responsibilities of a lead-level Cloud Architect extends beyond infrastructure design – it includes technology leadership, cloud governance, and collaboration with C-level on budgeting.
- Designing a reference cloud architecture (landing zone, networking, IAM) for an organization employing 200+ engineers
- Defining multi-cloud or hybrid-cloud strategy and migration roadmap for legacy systems
- Creating and enforcing cloud security standards compliant with ISO 27001, SOC 2, and GDPR
- Optimizing cloud costs (FinOps) – managing a cloud budget exceeding 500,000 PLN/month
- Leading Architecture Decision Records (ADR) and technical reviews for development teams
- Mentoring Senior DevOps Engineers and platform engineers – building internal cloud competencies
- Collaborating with Engineering Manager on capacity planning and allocation of platform teams
- Evaluating and implementing managed services (Kubernetes, serverless, databases) with SLA 99.95%+
- Designing disaster recovery and business continuity with RPO < 15 min and RTO < 1 h
- Participating in technological due diligence processes during mergers and acquisitions
Required Skills and Experience
Headhunting a lead-level Cloud Architect requires verification of both deep technical knowledge and stakeholder communication skills. The table below presents the competency profile used by Smartways.io in recruitment processes.
| Competency | Required Level | Details |
|---|---|---|
| AWS / Azure / GCP | Expert (min. 2 platforms) | Min. 5 years of production experience, Professional/Expert certification on the main platform |
| Infrastructure as Code | Advanced | Terraform (modules, state management), Pulumi, or CloudFormation – projects with 50+ resources |
| Networking and Security | Advanced | VPC peering, Transit Gateway, WAF, Zero Trust Architecture, end-to-end encryption |
| Kubernetes and Containerization | Advanced | EKS/AKS/GKE in production, service mesh (Istio/Linkerd), Helm charts |
| FinOps | Intermediate+ | Experience in cloud cost optimization above $100,000/month |
| CI/CD and Developer Platform | Advanced | GitOps (ArgoCD/Flux), Internal Developer Platform, golden paths |
| Application Architecture | Advanced | Microservices, event-driven architecture, CQRS/Event Sourcing at enterprise scale |
| Compliance and Governance | Intermediate+ | Implementation of cloud policies (OPA/Sentinel), ISO 27001, SOC 2 audits |
| Technical Leadership | Min. 3 years | Leading an architectural guild, mentoring 5+ engineers, C-level presentations |
| English Language | C1 | Architectural documentation, collaboration with global vendors |
Salary and Market Range 2026
A lead-level Cloud Architect in Poland earns between 25,000 to 38,000 PLN gross per month on an employment contract. On a B2B contract, rates range from 180 to 280 PLN net/hour, which at full-time gives 30,000–47,000 PLN net per month.
- Location – Warsaw and Tricity offer a 10–15% premium over the national average; remote-first equalizes differences
- Industry – fintech, gaming, and e-commerce pay 15–20% more than the public sector or outsourcing
- Certifications – having AWS Solutions Architect Professional or Azure Solutions Architect Expert increases the offer by 3,000–5,000 PLN/month
- Scale of Environment – experience with a cloud budget > 1 million PLN/month justifies the upper range
- Multi-cloud – practical experience on 2+ platforms increases market value by 10–12%
The standard benefits package for a Cloud Architect includes: private medical care (Medicover/Luxmed), Multisport card, conference budget 8,000–15,000 PLN/year, budget for certifications (full exam coverage), ESOP or annual bonus 10–20% of base salary, and a flexible remote-first work model.
How Smartways.io Executes Cloud Architect Headhunting
Smartways.io specializes in Cloud Architect recruitment through direct search, reaching passive candidates who do not apply for job postings. Our process combines market mapping with technical competency verification.
- Technical Briefing and Market Mapping (days 1–3) – workshop with the hiring manager, defining must-have vs. nice-to-have, identifying 80–120 potential candidates from Smartways' database + LinkedIn Recruiter
- Outreach and Qualification (days 4–10) – personalized contact, initial technical interview, verification of certifications and experience with specific cloud platforms
- Technical Assessment and Case Study (days 11–15) – architecture review session: candidate designs a solution based on a real client scenario, evaluation by our consultant with cloud experience
- Shortlist and Client Interview (days 16–20) – presentation of 3–4 verified candidates with a full competency report, coordination of interviews and feedback loop
- Offer and Onboarding Support (days 21–25) – negotiating terms, support during counter-offer, check-ins at 30 and 90 days of employment
The total time from briefing to signing the contract is 3–4 weeks. For niche requirements (e.g., GCP + FinOps + regulated sector) the process may extend to 5 weeks. Smartways.io guarantees each hired candidate.
FAQ – Common Questions About the Cloud Architect Position
How Does a Cloud Architect Differ from a DevOps Engineer?
A Cloud Architect designs cloud architecture and strategy at the organizational level, while a DevOps Engineer implements CI/CD pipelines and operational automation. A Cloud Architect makes decisions about service selection, network patterns, and governance – DevOps implements these decisions in daily work. At the lead level, a Cloud Architect often oversees the DevOps team.
What Certifications Are Most Important for a Cloud Architect in 2026?
The three most highly regarded are: AWS Solutions Architect Professional, Azure Solutions Architect Expert (AZ-305), and Google Cloud Professional Cloud Architect. Additionally, Kubernetes (CKA/CKAD) and HashiCorp Terraform Associate certifications significantly enhance the profile. Candidates with 2+ Professional-level certifications receive offers 15–20% higher.
Can a Cloud Architect Work Fully Remotely?
Yes – over 78% of Cloud Architect offers in Poland are remote-first or fully remote. However, willingness to visit on-site 1–2 times a month is required for firms in the regulated sector (banking, insurance). Fintech and SaaS companies almost universally accept remote work.
What Does a Career Path Look Like After the Role of Cloud Architect?
Natural progression paths are: VP of Engineering / Infrastructure, CTO in a mid-size company (100–500 employees), or Principal Architect / Distinguished Engineer. Some Cloud Architects transition to Engineering Manager roles with a focus on platform and infrastructure. At Smartways.io, we also recruit for these higher-level positions.
How Long Does It Take to Recruit a Lead-Level Cloud Architect?
When working with an agency specializing in Cloud Architect headhunting – 3 to 5 weeks from briefing to signing the contract. Independent recruitment by an HR department without IT experience takes an average of 60–90 days and is successful in less than 40% of cases. Smartways.io shortens this time thanks to a database of over 12,000+ verified IT specialists.
Does a Cloud Architect Need to Know Programming?
Proficiency in at least one language (Python, Go, TypeScript) is required – a Cloud Architect writes IaC modules, automations, and proof-of-concepts. However, they do not need to code production applications. Python knowledge is particularly useful – many cloud tools (AWS CDK, Pulumi, automation scripts) are based on this language, making collaboration with Senior Python Developers a natural part of the work.
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Zatrudnij
Position: Cloud Architect
Możemy w krótkim czasie przesłać Ci dobrych kandydatów. Skontaktuj się z nami
Zatrudnij
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About the Company SmartWays Recruitment offers bespoke and scalable recruitment solutions tailored to the evolving needs of businesses across various industries. The company focuses on recruitment within EMEA markets but delivers projects globally. Their services include direct search, contracting, body leasing, executive search, recruitment process outsourcing, and HR on-demand services. Products, Services & Tech Stack Core Solutions: Direct Search Contracting Body Leasing Executive Search Recruitment Process Outsourcing HR on-demand Project Scope & Target Clients Client Base: IT Finance Sales Purchasing Other industries Engineering Scale: Projects for large corporations, small businesses, and start-ups.