Cloud Optimization Engineer (Azure SME)

About the Role: CloudZero is the leading cloud cost intelligence platform helping businesses align cloud spend with business goals. We’re looking for a Cloud Optimization Research Engineer with a strong foundation in cloud cost optimization, particularly across Azure environments, to help uncover savings opportunities, refine automation strategies, and enhance our platform’s intelligence.

This is a hands-on, technical role focused on solving cost efficiency problems at scale. While you’ll need Azure experience, we’re looking for optimization thinkers first; people who understand the tradeoffs, mechanics, and modeling behind efficient architectures. You’ll collaborate with our data science and engineering teams to turn insights into action through automation, light scripting, and intelligent design.

What You’ll Do

• Analyze Azure workloads to uncover inefficiencies and propose cost-saving strategies

• Design and document scalable optimization logic, patterns, and algorithms

• Collaborate with data science to incorporate AI/ML into optimization workflows

• Write clean, maintainable Python code for lightweight automation and analysis

• Use SQL and scripting to explore, model, and validate optimization ideas

• Work with APIs and platform metadata to surface actionable insights

• Track evolving Azure pricing, resource configurations, and ecosystem trends

• Partner with cross-functional teams and customers to drive adoption of best practices

What We’re Looking For

• Proven experience in cloud optimization, ideally in enterprise environments

• Working knowledge of Azure services (e.g., Databricks, Snowflake, Kubernetes)

• Strong command of SQL, Python, and lightweight scripting for data analysis

• Familiarity with API interactions, metadata parsing, and infrastructure modeling

• Conceptual understanding of ML pipelines (MLP) and data science workflows

• An analytical mindset with the ability to model and validate savings strategies

• Strong written and verbal communication skills, especially for technical documentation

• Comfortable working across functions: product, engineering, and customer-facing teams

Bonus Points!

• Azure certifications or cross-cloud experience (e.g., AWS, GCP)

• Previous consulting, research, or platform roles focused on cost optimization

• Experience influencing product direction through experimentation and insight

• Understanding of DevOps principles and how they intersect with cost strategies

Please note: CloudZero is unable to sponsor employment visas or provide immigration-related support now or in the future. All candidates must have current, unrestricted authorization to work in the United States permanently.