FinOps Engineer

Role: FinOps Engineer Location: Remote Job Description: Establish and continuously improve Cengage's AWS FinOps operating model, defining clear responsibilities and review cadences. Build and maintain cost allocation standards, improving the completeness and quality of tags and account metadata. Develop practical frameworks and safeguards for account structure, tagging, ownership, budget thresholds, resource lifecycle, non-production scheduling, commitments, and exception handling. Build driver-based AWS forecasts, partnering with Finance and technology leaders to establish budgets and variance thresholds. Implement AWS Budgets, AWS Cost Anomaly Detection, and monitoring patterns to identify cost anomalies. Identify and assist in applying rightsizing, scheduling, autoscaling, and other opportunities to reduce AWS expenses. Develop dependable pipelines and services using AWS-native features for capturing and sharing AWS cost and usage data. Build pragmatic policies and guardrails regarding account development and resource lifecycle without slowing delivery. Identify where automation can enforce a standard safely and where human judgment is required. Translate financial and technical data into clear recommendations, encouraging a cost-aware culture among engineering and product teams. Help teams make cost-aware architecture decisions early, when changes are less expensive and non-disruptive. Skills you will need here: We are seeking an exceptionally skilled FinOps Engineer with demonstrated expertise in cloud infrastructure development, financial management, and AWS cost optimization. Five or more years of work in cloud engineering, FinOps, or similar areas, with practical AWS experience. Solid experience with tools for managing AWS expenses and consumption, such as Cost Explorer and AWS Budgets. Experience with infrastructure as code and version-controlled engineering practices, such as Terraform, CloudFormation, or an equivalent approach. Proficiency in SQL and Python, and experience with APIs, data pipelines, and cloud-native automation. Ability to analyze complex cost and usage data, test assumptions, identify root causes, and turn findings into actions that teams can implement. Demonstrated ability to analyze complex data, test assumptions, and drive actionable recommendations. Strong communication abilities, able to clarify economic and technological tradeoffs to varied audiences. Ability to influence without authority, establish accountability, and deliver through repeatable processes. Preferred qualifications include FinOps certifications, experience with the FinOps Framework, and knowledge of sustainability-conscious workload optimization.