Cloud Automation Engineer - GCP & AI (W2 Only)

Senior Cloud Automation Engineer – GCP & AI

Location: Chicago, IL

Focus: Cloud Infrastructure | Python | Java | Automation | AI

W2 Only: $60.00 per hour; we cannot work C2C

No Sponsorship or visa transfer available

6 -month contract that will be extended based on performance

Our client is seeking a hands-on Cloud Automation Engineer to help modernize and automate complex technology operations within a large-scale, high-availability environment.

This role is ideal for an engineer who enjoys solving technical challenges, writing code, and finding creative ways to eliminate manual work. You'll work with cloud infrastructure, automation tools, and emerging AI technologies to improve how systems are monitored, managed, and supported.

A key focus will be leveraging agentic AI and automation to simplify operational processes, develop intelligent dashboards, and improve efficiency across critical platforms.

What You'll Be Working On

• Develop Python-based automation tools and scripts to streamline infrastructure and operational processes.
• Build and enhance automated dashboards that provide visibility into system performance and operations.
• Explore opportunities to leverage agentic AI, including Google Gemini and related technologies, to automate complex operational tasks.
• Support cloud infrastructure automation within Google Cloud Platform (GCP).
• Develop and maintain Infrastructure as Code (IaC) solutions.
• Work with CI/CD pipelines to improve deployment and operational workflows.
• Identify repetitive or manual processes and create scalable automation solutions.
• Work with compute infrastructure and cloud services to improve platform efficiency and reliability.
• Collaborate with engineering and operations teams supporting business-critical, 24/7 platforms.
• Troubleshoot technical challenges and contribute to ongoing infrastructure improvements.

What We're Looking For

• Strong hands-on Python development experience, including coding, scripting, and automation.
• Java development experience, ideally 2–3 years.
• Approximately 2–3 years of Python development experience.
• Practical experience working with Google Cloud Platform (GCP).
• Experience with Infrastructure as Code (IaC), preferably Terraform.
• Understanding of cloud compute infrastructure and how different components work together.
• Experience with CI/CD pipelines and automated deployment processes.
• Ability to write, troubleshoot, and maintain production-quality code.
• Strong problem-solving skills and an interest in improving operational processes through automation.
• Ability to work effectively in an environment supporting highly available, business-critical systems.

Nice to Have

• Experience with agentic AI, Google Gemini, or other AI-powered development tools.
• Exposure to AI-driven operations, intelligent dashboards, or automated remediation.
• Experience with Terraform and Terragrunt.
• Background supporting large-scale cloud infrastructure or 24/7 technology platforms.
• Familiarity with Site Reliability Engineering (SRE) or DevOps practices.

What Makes This Opportunity Interesting

This isn't a traditional SRE position focused primarily on monitoring and incident response. You'll have the opportunity to build solutions that change how infrastructure operations are managed, using a combination of software engineering, cloud technologies, and AI-driven automation.

We're looking for someone who enjoys both keeping complex systems running and developing better ways to operate them.