Lead Cloud Engineer

About VML

VML is a leading creative company that combines brand experience, customer experience, and commerce, creating connected brands to drive growth. VML is celebrated for its innovative and human first, award-winning work for blue chip client partners including AstraZeneca, Colgate-Palmolive, Dell, Ford, Microsoft, Nestlé, The Coca-Cola Company, and Wendy's. The agency is recognized by the Forrester Wave™ Reports, as a Leader among Marketing Creative and Content Service Providers, Commerce Services, Global Digital Experience Services, Global Marketing Services and, most recently, Marketing Measurement & Optimization. In addition, VML’s specialist health network, VML Health, is one of the world’s largest and most awarded health agencies. VML’s global network is powered by 26,000 talented people across 55+ markets, with principal offices in Kansas City, New York, Detroit, London, São Paulo, Shanghai, Singapore, and Sydney.

VML is a WPP agency (NYSE: WPP). For more information, please visit  www.vml.com, and follow along on Instagram, LinkedIn, and X.

We are looking for a lead cloud engineer to join us on a contract basis. You will be designing, developing, and deploying cutting-edge serverless and containerized microservices using NodeJS, TypeScript, and Express, leveraging the full power of AWS (ECS, S3, DynamoDB, API Gateway). You'll not only architect robust solutions and drive critical technical requirements, but also champion DevOps principles, establish advanced CI/CD pipelines, and evolve our MonoRepo architecture. If you thrive in a fast-paced agile environment, enjoy applying graph engineering principles and advanced data modeling (including DynamoDB Single Table Design), and are keen to mentor others while exploring exciting areas like generative AI, multi-tenant systems, and modern authentication protocols, then join us and shape the future of our platform.

What you’ll be doing:

• Designing, developing, and deploying complex cloud-native serverless and containerized applications primarily using NodeJS, TypeScript, and Express.

• Architecting and implementing scalable microservices, leveraging AWS services such as ECS, S3, DynamoDB, and API Gateway.

• Driving technical requirements, defining architectural decisions, and establishing best practices for robust and efficient cloud solutions.

• Implementing and managing Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) solutions, potentially utilizing tools like Pulumi for automation.

• Championing DevOps principles and establishing robust CI/CD pipelines to automate software delivery and operations.

• Working within and evolving a MonoRepo architecture (e.g., NRWL NX), ensuring code quality and maintainability across services.

• Applying graph engineering principles and advanced data modeling techniques, including potentially DynamoDB Single Table Design, for optimized data solutions.

• Collaborating effectively within a fast-paced agile development environment, ensuring timely delivery of high-quality software.

• Mentoring and instructing fellow team members on best practices, technical skills, and architectural patterns.

• Communicating complex technical concepts clearly, both verbally and in writing, to technical and non-technical stakeholders.

What we want from you:

• Complex cloud-native serverless and containerised applications experience

• AWS services: S3, DynamoDB, ECS

• Strong NodeJS + TypeScript experience

• MonoRepo architecture (eg NRWL NX)

• Express applications with Docker containers deployed to ECS

• Familiar with IaC

• API Gateway and microservices patterns

• DevOps principles and CI/CD automation

• Strong communication skills (written and spoken)

• Graph engineering principles and data modeling

• Experience in fast-paced agile environments

• Self-motivated with ability to define and drive tech requirements

• Experience defining technical requirements and architecture decisions

• Comfortable instructing and mentoring others

Desirable Attributes:

• Pulumi for Infrastructure-as-Code

• Automated testing experience (Jest, Playwright)

• DynamoDB Single Table Design

• OAuth 2.1 and SSO/OIDC implementation

• MCP (Model Context Protocol) experience

• Architecting multi-tenant systems with data isolation

• Modern authentication protocols (OAuth2.1, OIDC)

• Generative AI: LLMs and Image Diffusion models

What we can offer you:

Alongside the opportunity to work with some of the most exciting brands around the world, we’ll also prioritise your career development and help you grow your skills. We’ll empower you to make a difference, allow you to be yourself, and respect who you are.

Our culture thrives on our core values, designed for impact-driven individuals: Heart, Brains and Courage.

We lead with Heart, fostering empathy and trust where genuine connections and human-centric work flourish.
We empower your Brains for innovation, valuing relentless curiosity and collaborative intelligence to solve complex challenges.
And we champion Courage, inspiring you to speak up, embrace experimentation, and advocate for bold solutions that push our thinking to be better than yesterday.

AT VML Enterprise Solutions

Our Enterprise Solutions division houses strategic consultants, creative and technical architects and skilled developers and operators that together help some of the world’s leading organisations to deliver outstanding digital experiences across all major routes to market worldwide: marketplaces, online retailers, D2C, B2B and social platforms. With over 4,200 experts in 55 operational centres across 34 countries, our capabilities span the entire buying journey from customer acquisition, through engagement, to conversion and loyalty, driving multi-channel growth for world-leading brands.

We work with some of the most exciting brands such as The Coca-Cola Company, EY, Bosch, Unilever, Ford, DFS, Mercedes-Benz, Johnson & Johnson, Nestlé, Sainsbury’s, Selfridges, Shell and Tiffany & Co. We’ve built over 500 platforms for brands and retailers and generate in excess of $29bn annually for our clients and work with over 50 strategic partners including Adobe, SAP, Salesforce, HCL, Shopify, Sitecore, BigCommerce, commerce tools and Acquia. Our reputation is based on our people, and we believe we have some of the best in the business.

As our business grows internationally, we’re looking for new people to join us on our journey to inspire and take a key role in shaping some of the best commerce solutions, services, and websites in the world. Working as a team, no problem is insurmountable; we share in our client’s successes and believe that anyone can show creative bravery no matter what their role is in the team.

#LI-EMEA #LI-AS1

We believe the best work happens when we're together, fostering creativity, collaboration, and connection. That's why we’ve adopted a hybrid approach, with teams in the office an average of four days a week. If you require accommodations or flexibility, please discuss this with the hiring team during the interview process.

WPP (VML) is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to characteristics. We are committed to fostering a culture of respect in which everyone feels they belong and has the same opportunities to progress in their careers.

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