About this role
About the Role The Cloud FinOps Architect is the technical engine of Motorola Solutions' FinOps practice, bridging high-level financial targets with engineering execution. This role combines deep software engineering expertise with cost-optimization discipline to drive substantial savings and ensure cost governance is embedded in the software development lifecycle. What You'll Do
- Conduct deep-dive architectural reviews of high-spend cloud services to identify inefficiencies and provide code-level and infrastructure recommendations (e.g., refactor for serverless, right-size containerized workloads, optimize storage tiering).
- Advise engineering teams on cost-efficient design patterns during the initial design phase to prevent technical debt in the cloud bill.
- Translate annual savings targets into actionable technical backlogs for engineering squads; provide the benchmarks and proof needed for teams to adopt optimization recommendations.
- Act as the primary technical partner for the cross-MSI network of FinOps Champions; drive collaboration and ensure governance targets are translated into concrete engineering work.
- Build and maintain automation guardrails via scripts (Python, Bash) and infrastructure as code (Terraform) to prevent cost leaks and to remediate orphaned resources, unoptimized snapshots, or inefficient patterns.
- Deliver executive-level reporting by translating complex technical optimization outcomes into business value metrics and by evaluating feasibility for long-term cloud commitments and strategic procurement decisions. What We're Looking For
- Basic Requirements:
- 5+ years of experience in Software Engineering, Cloud Architecture, or DevOps.
- Expert-level understanding of AWS, Azure, or GCP and how architectural choices (e.g., Microservices vs. Monolith, SQL vs. NoSQL) impact billing.
- Proficiency in at least one programming language (e.g., Python, Go) and hands-on experience with Infrastructure as Code (Terraform, CloudFormation).
- Analytical skills to parse complex billing data and correlate it with application performance and architectural bottlenecks.
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related technical field.
- Desired Qualifications & Attributes:
- Professional-level Cloud Architect certification (e.g., AWS Solutions Architect Professional).
- Modern Infrastructure Expertise: Kubernetes cost management, pod right-sizing, and cluster optimization.
- FinOps Certified Practitioner (FOCP) with experience scaling technical governance across large, decentralized engineering organizations.
- Strategic Influence: ability to challenge engineering "status quo" with data-driven architectural alternatives that save money without sacrificing performance or reliability.
- The "Bridge": an innate ability to explain a $100k code fix to a developer and a 10% margin improvement to a CFO in the same conversation.
- Travel/Relocation: None.
- Travel/Relocation notes from posting: None. Nice to Have
- FOCP certification and hands-on FinOps leadership experience.
- Deep Kubernetes cost management experience (pod right-sizing, cluster optimization).
- Proven ability to influence cross-functional teams and drive cost-aware architectures at scale. Compensation & Benefits
- Not disclosed in the posting.