Hybrid Cloud Architect

Location

Boston, MA, United States; Chicago, IL, United States

About Charles River Associates

For over 50 years, Charles River Associates has been a premier consulting firm that offers employees a place to learn from a diverse group of consultants, industry experts, and academics. At CRA you will be exposed to leading minds who use economic, financial, and business analysis to solve complex world problems for an impressive roster of clients, including major law firms, Fortune 100 companies, and government agencies. Through a collegial environment, formal and informal training opportunities, and a broad array of professional development resources, your experience at CRA will open doors for you throughout your career.

Information Technology Department

The ITS department at Charles River Associates is a team of more than 40 professionals dedicated to enhancing, maintaining, and developing the firm's technology infrastructure and security. The team is comprised of four functions:

• Service Delivery & Telecom
• Enterprise Application Solutions
• Infrastructure, Networking and Cloud Solutions
• Information Security

Information Technology staff are based in the Boston, Chicago, London, Munich, New York, Oakland, San Francisco, College Station and Washington, DC offices.

Position Overview

The Hybrid Cloud Architect will enable CRA’s transition to a hybrid cloud environment by assessing workload migration readiness, running proof-of-concept projects, and building frameworks for cloud governance and automation. This role is central to preparing on‑premises infrastructure for cloud integration and supporting the organization’s modernization goals.

Key Responsibilities

• Cloud Migration Assessment: Evaluate existing workloads and infrastructure for cloud migration readiness and identify opportunities and challenges for moving workloads to AWS, Azure, or GCP.
• Proof-of-Concept Leadership: Lead hybrid cloud proof-of-concept initiatives (e.g., analytics sandboxes, VDI burst capacity), collaborating with infrastructure and modernization teams to validate solutions and prepare for future migrations.
• Cloud Governance & FinOps: Develop and implement cloud governance frameworks, including security, compliance, and cost management (FinOps) practices.
• Automation & Integration: Support the adoption of automation tools (e.g., Ansible, Terraform) for cloud provisioning, configuration, and management. Work with the Automation Engineer to standardize hybrid workflows.
• Collaboration: Partner with on-premises and cloud teams to share expertise, standardize practices, and support hybrid initiatives.
• Documentation & Enablement: Document cloud migration processes, governance standards, and lessons learned. Contribute to training and enablement efforts for broader team upskilling.

Qualifications

• Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) and hybrid cloud architectures
• Strong understanding of workload migration, cloud governance, and automation tools
• Familiarity with infrastructure-as-code (e.g., Terraform, Ansible)
• Ability to lead proof-of-concept projects and collaborate across teams
• Effective communicator with experience in documentation and knowledge sharing
• Background in security, compliance, and cost management in cloud environments is a plus

Career Growth and Benefits

• CRA’s robust skills development programs, including a commitment to offering 100 hours of training annually through formal and informal programs, encourage you to thrive as an individual and team member. Training ranges from research and analysis skill building to technical training, presentation skills, internal seminars, and career mentoring.
• We offer a comprehensive total rewards program including a superior benefits package, wellness programming to support physical, mental, emotional and financial well‑being, and in‑house immigration support for foreign nationals and international business travelers.

Work Location Flexibility

We expect individuals to spend at least three to four days a week working in the office—potentially traveling to another CRA office or client meetings—with specific days determined in coordination with your practice or team.

Our Commitment to Equal Employment Opportunity

Charles River Associates is an equal opportunity employer (EOE). All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.

Salary and Compensation

A good‑faith estimate of the annual base salary range for this position is $130,000 – $140,000. The exact amount may vary based on education level, experience, skills, geographic location, market conditions, and other qualifications. This position may be eligible for additional bonus incentive compensation.

Benefits Summary

CRA offers a comprehensive benefits package, subject to eligibility requirements, which may include: medical, dental, and vision insurance; 401(k) retirement plan with employer match; life and disability insurance; paid time off (vacation, sick leave, holidays); paid parental leave; wellness programs and employee assistance resources; and commuter benefits.