Lead Cloud Architect / Head of Cloud Infrastructure

We are seeking a visionary Lead Architect to be the technical Master Architect of SNM Cloud. You will be responsible for the end-to-end lifecycle of our cloud stack, from sourcing the most cost-effective bare-metal hardware to designing the virtualization layer and implementing the customer-facing orchestration platform.

This is not a maintenance role; you are building a public cloud from zero to one.

Key Responsibilities

Infrastructure Design: Design a scalable, multi-tenant cloud architecture (Compute, Storage, Networking) optimized for our initial two-rack footprint at Equinix.

Tech Stack Selection: Evaluate and implement the core virtualization and orchestration layers (e.g., OpenStack, KVM, or the C-DAC Meghdoot suite) to ensure high performance with low licensing overhead.

Cost-Optimized Procurement: Lead the sourcing of best-value hardware (refurbished enterprise gear, white-box servers, or OCP-spec hardware) to minimize CAPEX while ensuring reliability.

Sovereign Cloud Compliance: Ensure the architecture meets the rigorous security and data residency requirements for Sovereign Cloud lighthouse clients.

Implementation & Automation: Hands-on deployment of the initial stack, followed by the development of automated provisioning and billing systems.

Vendor & Partner Management: Coordinate with Equinix and partners like C-DAC to ensure seamless integration and support.

Required Skills & Experience

Bare Metal Expertise: Deep experience with physical server hardware, BIOS/UEFI, RAID configurations, and high-speed networking (10/40/100G).

Cloud Orchestration: Proven track record building or managing private/public clouds using OpenStack, CloudStack, or custom KVM-based solutions.

Storage Specialist: Proficiency in software-defined storage (e.g., Ceph, MinIO) to build cost-effective, scalable storage tiers.

Network Engineering: Experience with SDN (Software Defined Networking), BGP, and firewall management in a multi-tenant environment.

Frugal Engineering: A mindset geared toward ROI, knowing where to save on hardware and where to invest in quality to ensure uptime.

Background: 8+ years in infrastructure engineering, preferably having worked at a mid-scale ISP, Data Center, or a niche Cloud Service Provider (CSP).