GCP Cloud Architect / Lead Platform Engineer

Cloud platforms rarely exist in isolation. They need to connect to data centres, enterprise applications, data services and the teams that run them. As a GCP Platform Engineer at NCS, you'll help make those connections work. You'll design, build and operate Google Cloud platforms for enterprise clients. Your work will cover hybrid connectivity, networking, Terraform, CI/CD, security and observability. You'll work with cloud architects, data engineers, security specialists and client stakeholders to take a platform from initial design through implementation and into production support. This is a hands-on role in a consulting practice. We need someone who can do the technical work and talk about it clearly. You'll ask good questions, explain trade-offs, document decisions and make sure the solution fits the client's operating environment. The role suits an engineer with a solid practical foundation who is ready to take more ownership in client conversations and design decisions. What You'll Work On The exact mix will vary from project to project, but you can expect to: Hybrid Cloud and Networking You'll design, implement and support hybrid connectivity between on-premises data centres and Google Cloud using Cloud Interconnect, HA VPN, Cloud Router and BGP. You'll build and operate VPC and Shared VPC environments, including subnetting, routing, firewall policies, Cloud DNS, load balancing and network segmentation. You'll connect cloud infrastructure, data platforms and enterprise applications to on-premises systems using patterns such as SFTP, Kafka and REST APIs. You'll contribute to landing zones, cloud migrations and modernisation initiatives, including the support model that follows delivery. Automation and Delivery You'll develop and maintain Terraform configurations across multiple environments. You'll build and support CI/CD pipelines for infrastructure and platform changes. You'll produce high-level designs, low-level designs, integration specifications, implementation runbooks and operational guides. Operations and Improvement You'll implement logging, metrics, alerting, dashboards and operational reporting across cloud and hybrid environments. You'll troubleshoot complex connectivity and infrastructure issues across GCP, on-premises networks and third-party services. You'll contribute to incident response, root cause analysis and improvements that make the platform easier to support. You'll take part in architecture reviews, design workshops and implementation activities. You'll explain options, risks and trade-offs to technical and non-technical audiences. Security Is Part of the Job Security isn't a separate hand-off in this role. Our platform standard is private by default. Workloads do not have assigned public IP addresses. We use approved hybrid connectivity for on-premises access. Private Service Connect is used where supported and appropriate for access to Google APIs, managed services and published services. VPC Service Controls IAM and network controls work together to protect data and reduce exfiltration risk. Firewall policies follow least privilege, and internet egress is denied by default. Approved outbound access goes through Cloud NAT or another controlled, monitored egress path. Secrets are stored in Secret Manager. Production workloads use workload-specific service accounts and do not rely on default service accounts. Customer-managed keys in Cloud KMS protect data in supported services where client or regulatory requirements call for them. Required audit and security logs are centralised and sent to the enterprise SIEM Technical Experience You have hands-on experience with GCP networking, including VPC, Shared VPC, subnetting, routing, firewall policies, Cloud DNS and load balancing. You have practical experience with hybrid connectivity services such as Cloud Interconnect, Cloud VPN, HA VPN and Cloud Router. BGP experience is useful. You're comfortable writing and maintaining Terraform and supporting CI/CD pipelines across multiple GCP environments. You have working knowledge of IAM, Secret Manager, Cloud KMS, VPC Service Controls, Private Service Connect and Cloud Armor. You've used Cloud Logging, Cloud Monitoring, alerting and dashboards to operate cloud or enterprise platforms. You can troubleshoot problems involving routing, DNS, firewall rules, VPN, Interconnect, IAM and service integration. You can produce clear technical designs, integration specifications, implementation runbooks and operational guides. Consulting and Communication You've worked directly with customers or stakeholders in a delivery, consulting or engineering role. You can explain a technical choice to a non-specialist, capture decisions and call out risks without hiding behind jargon. You contribute confidently to workshops, architecture reviews and delivery activities. You communicate early when a risk, dependency or unclear requirement could affect delivery. You collaborate effectively across network, cloud, security, infrastructure and data teams. Useful to Have You have used GitLab for source control or CI/CD. You have worked with BigQuery or similar data platforms. You have worked with Confluent Kafka or similar event-streaming platforms. You have experience with another public cloud provider or enterprise networking platform. Why NCS? This is a place for people who like to get stuck in, bring ideas to life and make things happen. You'll work alongside experienced people who care about what they do, contribute to meaningful work and have the support to keep learning and grow your career. Whether you want to deepen your expertise, explore something new or take your career in a different direction, there's room to make it your own. We value Adventure, Excellence, Integrity, Ownership and Unity - bringing curiosity, collaboration and accountability to the way we work with our clients and each other. Ready to make extraordinary happen? We'd love to hear from you. We celebrate diversity and inclusion We value different perspectives, experiences and strengths our people bring. We're committed to an inclusive workplace where everyone has the opportunity to contribute, grow and succeed, and to providing equal employment opportunities and reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process. Important information Applicants will need valid Australian work rights and may be required to undergo relevant background, probity and police checks. Agencies: NCS accepts candidate submissions only from agencies on our preferred supplier panel through the NCS Agency Portal. At NCS Australia, we believe in doing technology services better. Our commitment to quality, focus on people, and willingness to challenge traditional thinking set us apart. Our team brings this belief to life by partnering with our clients and communities to make tomorrow together. We are committed to creating an environment that prioritises innovation, collaboration, and purposeful work. Our diverse team is empowered to make a meaningful impact with curiosity, creativity and resilience to shape better outcomes. Join us and accept the challenge of creating a better tomorrow.