Cloud Architect - Azure / GCP at Creative Solutions Services, LLC — NeverHard

Cloud Architect - Azure / GCP Location: Toronto, ON Onsite Flexibility: Hybrid Contract Details Position Type: Contract Contract Duration: 12 months Pay Rate: C$90.00–C$115.00 / Hour (CAD) Job Summary Our client is seeking an experienced Cloud Architect to support the review, optimization, and strategic evolution of their current cloud environment across Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud Platform. This is a hands‑on architecture role focused on assessing the existing cloud landscape, identifying improvement opportunities, recommending best practices, and helping guide the organization's future‑state cloud strategy. The successful candidate will bring strong multi‑cloud architecture experience, practical implementation capability, and previous experience supporting AI or machine learning workloads in Google Cloud Platform. This role requires someone who can operate at both a strategic and execution level: reviewing current‑state architecture, advising leadership and technical teams, producing clear recommendations, and contributing directly to solution design and implementation where required. The ideal candidate is a senior cloud architect who can review an existing Azure and GCP environment, identify what is working and what needs to improve, and provide clear, actionable guidance. This person should be comfortable operating as a strategic advisor while still being hands‑on enough to validate designs, support proofs of concept, and help move recommendations into execution. A strong fit would be someone who has previously helped an organization establish or mature AI capabilities in Google Cloud Platform and can guide the client on architecture, security, governance, scalability, and operational best practices. Key Responsibilities Review the current Azure and Google Cloud Platform environments, including architecture, services, integrations, security, governance, scalability, and operational practices. Assess existing cloud solutions and provide recommendations aligned to cloud best practices, performance, resiliency, cost optimization, security, and maintainability. Design and document future‑state cloud architecture patterns across Azure and GCP. Provide strategic guidance on multi‑cloud architecture, cloud governance, landing zones, workload placement, integration patterns, and platform modernization. Support the design and enablement of AI capabilities within Google Cloud Platform. Advise on GCP AI/ML services, data architecture, model deployment patterns, security, monitoring, and operational readiness. Partner with infrastructure, security, data, application, and business stakeholders to translate requirements into practical cloud architecture solutions. Develop architecture diagrams, decision records, technical recommendations, standards, and implementation roadmaps. Identify gaps in the current environment and recommend improvements related to automation, observability, DevOps, CI/CD, identity, network design, data protection, and cloud security. Provide hands‑on support for architecture validation, proof‑of‑concepts, implementation planning, and technical execution as needed. Guide internal teams on cloud best practices and support knowledge transfer throughout the engagement. Required Skills Strong architecture experience with Microsoft Azure. Strong architecture experience with Google Cloud Platform. Proven experience reviewing current‑state cloud environments and providing practical future‑state recommendations. Experience designing scalable, secure, resilient, and cost‑effective cloud architectures. Hands‑on experience with cloud implementation, not just advisory or documentation. Experience with cloud governance, landing zones, networking, IAM, security controls, monitoring, backup/recovery, and operational best practices. Experience supporting AI, machine learning, data, or analytics workloads in Google Cloud Platform. Ability to produce clear architecture documentation, diagrams, standards, recommendations, and executive‑level summaries. Strong stakeholder management skills with the ability to work across technical and non‑technical teams. Strong communication skills and the ability to provide both strategic direction and practical execution support. Preferred Skills Experience standing up AI capabilities in Google Cloud Platform using services such as Vertex AI, Gemini, BigQuery, Cloud Storage, Cloud Run, Kubernetes Engine, or related GCP AI/data services. Experience with Azure AI, Azure OpenAI, Azure Kubernetes Service, Azure App Services, Azure Functions, Azure DevOps, or related Azure‑native services. Experience with Terraform, Infrastructure as Code, CI/CD pipelines, automation, and DevOps practices. Experience in retail, consumer products, eCommerce, manufacturing, supply chain, or global business environments. Experience with cloud cost optimization, FinOps, observability, and operational maturity assessments. Cloud certifications such as Google Professional Cloud Architect, Google Professional Machine Learning Engineer, Microsoft Azure Solutions Architect Expert, or related certifications. Required Experience 8 years of experience in cloud, infrastructure, platform engineering, or solution architecture roles. About the Client Industry: Beauty & Personal Care (E‑commerce & Technology) #J-18808-Ljbffr