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Agent guide: [/agents.md](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/agents.md). --- # Cloud Architect - **Company:** Robots & Pencils - **Location:** Houston, TX, United States - **Experience:** Experienced - **Contract:** Temporary to permanent - **Skills:** Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), Artificial Intelligence, Airflow, Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, Big Data, BigQuery, Cloud Computing, Cloud Engineering, Continuous Integration, Data Architecture, Extract Transform Load (ETL), Cursor (Graphical User Interface Elements), DevOps, Github, Identity and Access Management, Python (Programming Language), PostgreSQL, MongoDB, NoSQL, Tensorflow, Software Engineering, Pulumi, Google Cloud, Cloud Platform System, Pytorch, Large Language Models, Snowflake, Apache Spark, Multi-Cloud, Cloudformation, Togaf, Servicebus, Event Driven Architecture, Containerization, Data Lakes, Kubernetes, Infrastructure Automation Frameworks, HuggingFace, Apache Kafka, Data Management, Machine Learning Operations, Functional Programming, Terraform, Data Pipelines, Serverless Computing, Docker, Amazon Redshift, Microservices - **Published:** August 16, 2026 - **Apply:** https://www.dice.com/job-detail/5cb66535-0f95-475d-b7f6-ec6a27599d96 ## About the Role * 7+ years of experience in software engineering, with at least 3 years in architecture or technical leadership roles * Deep expertise in cloud platforms and cloud-native architectures (e.g., AWS, Azure, Google Cloud Platform) * Strong background in microservices, serverless, containers, and event-driven systems (e.g., Kubernetes, Docker, Lambda, EventBridge) * Proficiency with infrastructure as code and CI/CD (e.g., Terraform, CloudFormation, Pulumi, GitHub Actions) * Strong data architecture expertise across relational, NoSQL, and big data systems (e.g., PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Snowflake, BigQuery, Spark, Kafka) * Hands-on experience with data modeling, ETL/ELT pipelines, and orchestration (e.g., Airflow, Prefect, dbt) * Strong experience designing AI/ML systems for production, including LLMs, MLOps, and model serving (e.g., SageMaker, Vertex AI, MLflow, Hugging Face, PyTorch, TensorFlow) * Solid understanding of networking, security, identity, and access management in cloud environments * Experience with governance, compliance, and observability frameworks * Strong software engineering skills (Python, APIs, containerization) * Demonstrated leadership and technical mentoring experience * Strong stakeholder communication skills, with the ability to translate technical depth across audiences * Demonstrable usage of AI-forward tools such as Claude and Cursor * Multi-cloud architecture experience, AI ethics or responsible AI experience, or enterprise architecture certifications (e.g., TOGAF, AWS/Azure/Google Cloud Platform) is a plus You'll Do Well Here if You Are * A doer. You see something broken and fix it. You'd rather move on clarity than wait for certainty. * A fast learner who knows you don't know everything. The AI landscape changes weekly. You're senior enough to know better and curious enough to keep learning anyway. * Direct in a way that makes the work better. You give honest feedback. You'd rather have the hard conversation than blow smoke. * Obsessed with craft. You know genius is in the details. You ship exceptional, not perfect, and you don't put your name on work you wouldn't stand behind. * Built for ownership. You honor commitments, admit mistakes fast, and back your teammates when a decision costs something. No handoffs, no finger-pointing. * All in. You treat clients' businesses like your own. You take the work seriously without taking yourself seriously. * Resourceful when the budget, timeline, or team is tight. Constraints don't slow you down. They sharpen you. * Glad to be in the room with people who care as much as you do. Our teams average fifteen-plus years of experience. We hire people who push each other to do better work. ## Description We're looking for a Staff Architect to lead the design and delivery of complex, multi-domain systems spanning cloud, data, and AI. This role is ideal for an experienced engineer who can define technical strategy, own end-to-end architecture for major engagements, and provide technical leadership across teams. In this role, you will work as a delivery-embedded technical leader on cross-functional teams, defining architecture across cloud infrastructure, data platforms, and AI/ML workloads. You'll act as a technical escalation point on complex challenges, mentor mid-level engineers, partner with leadership on technical direction, and ensure systems are scalable, secure, and built to last. Why This Role Matters At Robots & Pencils, we design AI systems for a human world. Our name says it all. Robots and pencils means engineering paired with creativity, because every agent we ship has to work for real people in real workflows. That balance is baked into how we operate. Every role here contributes directly to that mission. Here, you shape how AI systems integrate into enterprise operations, how teams move at real velocity, and how products create measurable impact for clients and the people they serve. We ship production-ready AI in 30 to 45 days. That pace demands people who take ownership, lead with craft, and care deeply about what they put their name on. What You'll Do Craft & Delivery * Define technical strategy and lead architectural design across cloud, data, and AI/ML systems for end-to-end engagements * Architect scalable cloud-native solutions, including multi-cloud and hybrid strategies (e.g., AWS, Azure, Google Cloud Platform, Kubernetes) * Design data architectures including warehouses, data lakes, and pipelines for batch and streaming workloads (e.g., Snowflake, Redshift, BigQuery, Spark, Kafka) * Design AI/ML systems including model serving, MLOps pipelines, feature stores, and LLM-based applications (e.g., SageMaker, Vertex AI, MLflow, Hugging Face) * Define infrastructure as code, CI/CD, and DevOps standards across engagements (e.g., Terraform, CloudFormation, GitHub Actions) * Drive performance, scalability, cost, and reliability optimization across deployed systems * Ensure architecture meets security, governance, and compliance requirements (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA, SOC2) * Lead cloud migrations and platform modernization initiatives * Bring an AI-forward mindset to your daily work, using tools like Claude, Cursor, and other modern AI assistants to ship higher-quality work at pace Collaboration & Communication * Partner with leadership and clients on technical direction, translating business goals into architectural decisions * Communicate complex technical concepts clearly to engineering and non-engineering stakeholders alike * Engage closely with engineering, data, AI, and product teams to align architecture with broader business priorities * Develop and maintain architecture documentation, standards, and guidelines Leadership & Influence * Establish architectural standards and best practices that lift quality and consistency across the team * Mentor junior and mid-level engineers, helping them grow their architectural thinking and craft * Act as a technical escalation point on complex architectural and integration challenges * Evaluate emerging technologies and recommend tools, frameworks, and patterns that improve architecture over time ## Related Videos - [Docker Compose: Rediscovered](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1978-docker-compose-rediscovered) - [Leveraging Real time data in FSIs](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/806-leveraging-real-time-data-in-fsis) - [Shipping Faster with Less: Render on Cloud Hosting, AI Workloads, and the Future of DevOps](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1894-shipping-faster-with-less-render-on-cloud-hosting-ai-workloads-and-the-future-of-devops) - [Docker build without Docker](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/100114-docker-build-without-docker) - [NoSQL Data Modeling for Front-end Developers](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/297-nosql-data-modeling-for-front-end-developers) - [Reference Architecture of AI in the Cloud](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1613-reference-architecture-of-ai-in-the-cloud) ## Related Articles - [Navigating the AI Shift](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/629-navigating-the-ai-shift) - [7 Cloud Computing Trends Coming in 2025 for Developers](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/412-7-cloud-computing-trends-coming-in-2025-for-developers) - [What Are The Top Skills Required For Azure Developers?](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/77-what-are-the-top-skills-required-for-azure-developers) - [What is Software Engineering in the Age of AI?](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/640-what-is-software-engineering-in-the-age-of-ai) - [How to Become an AI Engineer](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/331-how-to-become-an-ai-engineer) - [Never delegate the understanding](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/749-never-delegate-the-understanding)