Assistant Cloud Database Engineer Jobs in Chicago, IL

Join Ingredion, where innovation impacts lives worldwide! Without even realizing it, you've experienced our work in your favorite chocolate, your pet's food, the paper you write on, and your everyday snacks. As a global powerhouse across more than 60 industries, we harness the potential of natural ingredients to transform lives. Whether you're just starting your career or bringing years of experience, there's a place for you here to make a real difference. Be part of our team that values a wide range of perspectives and is committed to shaping a better world with every product we create.

Location: Westchester, Illinois

Workplace Type: (Hybrid)

Reports to: Director, Global Digital Infrastructure & Operations

The Technical Infrastructure & Cloud Architect is responsible for designing, implementing, and optimizing Ingredion's global cloud architecture to ensure performance, scalability, security, and cost efficiency. This role will define and maintain technical standards for cloud infrastructure, integrations, and connectivity across hybrid cloud environments while supporting the company's cloud modernization and digital transformation initiatives. In this hands-on role, you will leverage your technical subject matter expertise to collaborate closely with Enterprise Architecture, Global Information Security, Infrastructure Operations, and DTS Innovation, and DTS Data & Analytics teams to deliver robust, secure, and sustainable cloud solutions that meet business and technical objectives. This role will report to our Director, Global Digital Infrastructure & Operations.

What you will do:

• Cloud Architecture & Design

• Develop and maintain Ingredion's IaaS and PaaS technical architecture across multiple cloud platforms (Azure, AWS, GCP).

• Define and enforce cloud design standards, reference architectures, and best practices for infrastructure and application hosting.

• Partner with application and data teams to deliver scalable, reliable, and cost-optimized cloud solutions.

• Drive cloud infrastructure automation and Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) standards using tools such as Terraform or ARM templates.

• Database Architecture & Optimization

• Design and optimize cloud database architectures (Microsoft SQL, AzureSQL, PostgreSQL, MondoDB, Google Cloud SQL, etc.) to ensure high availability, performance, and cost efficiency.

• Define and implement backup, recovery, and disaster recovery strategies for cloud-based data assets.

• Collaborate with database administrators to ensure compliance with security, performance, and retention standards.

• Cloud Interfaces & Integrations

• Architect and support API integrations and data exchange between on-premises, SaaS, and cloud-hosted systems.

• Ensure interoperability between enterprise systems, cloud workloads, and third-party applications.

• Partner with development and data engineering teams to streamline integration pipelines and automate deployments.

• Cloud Security & Connectivity Architecture

• Define and implement cloud security architecture in partnership with the Global Cybersecurity team, ensuring compliance with Ingredion's security frameworks.

• Design network and connectivity architectures for hybrid and multi-cloud environments, including VPNs, ExpressRoute, and private endpoints.

• Support identity and access management (IAM) design, privileged access controls, and zero-trust principles.

• Conduct risk assessments and remediation planning for cloud-based environments.

• Vendor & Financial Management

• Manage technical relationships with cloud service providers and managed service partners, ensuring adherence to design, cost, and performance expectations.

• Partner with Procurement and Finance to optimize contracts, licensing, and cloud resource usage.

• Lead Cloud FinOps initiatives — monitoring consumption, optimizing spend, and ensuring cost transparency and governance.

• Provide forecasts, utilization reports, and recommendations to align spend with business demand.

• Continuous Improvement & Standards

• Evaluate emerging cloud technologies, trends, and tools for adoption within Ingredion's global infrastructure strategy.

• Contribute to enterprise cloud governance frameworks and change management processes.

• Develop and maintain technical documentation, reference architectures, and runbooks.

• Serve as a technical advisor and mentor for infrastructure and application teams in cloud adoption and design.

What You will bring:

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or related field (Master's preferred).

• 10+ years of hands-on experience in IT infrastructure or cloud architecture, including 3+ years in a hands-on technical cloud architecture role.

• Expertise in designing and managing IaaS and PaaS environments in Azure, AWS, or GCP (Azure or GCP preferred).

• Deep understanding of networking, security, compute, and storage architectures in cloud environments.

• Proven experience with automation, orchestration, and Infrastructure-as-Code (Terraform, ARM, CloudFormation).

• Strong knowledge of cloud database services and optimization techniques.

• Experience with cloud cost management (FinOps) practices and tools.

• Familiarity with DevOps, CI/CD pipelines, and API integration frameworks.

• Excellent analytical, communication, and stakeholder management skills.

Who you are:

• Professional certifications such as Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert, AWS Certified Solutions Architect, or Google Professional Cloud Architect.

• Experience integrating AI/ML, analytics, or data lake platforms within enterprise cloud environments.

• Understanding of ITIL and service management principles in a cloud context.

• Strong vendor management and negotiation experience.

• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional initiatives in a matrixed, global organization.

Why Join Ingredion?

Discover why Ingredion is the ideal place to advance your career with our exceptional rewards and benefits package designed to help you thrive. Create the future with us and enjoy:

• Total Rewards Package – Competitive salary and performance-based pay recognizing your contributions to our success
• Comprehensive Benefits & Wellness Support – Health, long-term savings, and resources for your physical, mental, and emotional well-being
• Flexible Work Arrangements– We value flexibility to support you both professionally and personally
• Career Growth – Learning, training, and development opportunities, including tuition reimbursement
• Employee Recognition Program – A culture of real-time appreciation, with personalized recognition rewards globally
• Employee Discount Program – Provides exclusive discounts on everyday products, services, and travel

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. Ingredion seeks to provide a work environment that is free from harassment and discrimination. We will not tolerate any form of discrimination based on race, color, religion, age, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ancestry, handicap or disability—mental or physical—marital status, sexual orientation, veteran status, disability resulting from military service, or any other classification protected by law ("protected classifications"). We are committed to establishing and maintaining a work environment where everyone is treated with dignity and respect.

Ingredion provides accommodations to job applicants with disabilities throughout the hiring process. If a job applicant requires an accommodation during the application process or through the selection process, we will work with the applicant to meet the job applicant's accommodation needs.

Ingredion uses AI-enabled tools to support parts of the recruitment process, including resume screening and interview scheduling. These tools help match candidate skills to job requirements and streamline communication. All AI-assisted decisions are reviewed by our Talent Acquisition team to ensure fairness and compliance with applicable laws. By applying, you acknowledge that AI may be used to support your application journey.

Relocation Available:

Yes, Within Country

Pay Range:

$149,400.00-$199,200.00 Annual

This pay range is not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Final base salary will be determined based on several factors which may include but are not limited to responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data and applicable bargaining agreement (if any).

Incentive Compensation:

As a part of the total compensation package, this role may be eligible for the Ingredion Annual Incentive Plan or a role-specific commission/bonus.

Benefits:

Full-time roles are eligible for our comprehensive benefits package which includes medical, dental and vision coverage as well as a 401(k) plan with a competitive company match.