Hiring a cloud engineer: the complete guide for clients
What does a freelance cloud engineer cost, which hiring structure fits, and how do you keep DBA risk under control? Everything you need to know before you hire — explained clearly, no sales pitch.
Schedule a free intake callWhen do you hire a cloud engineer?
A cloud engineer builds, manages and secures your cloud infrastructure on AWS, Azure or Google Cloud. You hire one when a project temporarily needs extra capacity, when you are migrating and lack the knowledge in-house, or when your permanent team simply has no time for optimisation or security.
One distinction matters here, because it determines who you need and what you pay. A cloud engineer focuses on the practical implementation and management of your cloud environment. A cloud architect designs the strategy and architecture behind it. For most assignments in the SME segment, you are looking for an engineer, not an architect.
This guide walks through everything you need to make a sound decision: the rates, the two hiring structures and the difference between them, the DBA risk and how to manage it, and what to look for during selection. Maedium places cloud and network engineers exclusively in the Randstad; this guide shares what we encounter in practice.
What does it cost to hire a cloud engineer?
In 2026 a freelance cloud engineer costs roughly €60 to €110 per hour, excluding VAT. The exact rate depends on experience, platform, scarcity and the complexity of your assignment. Scarce profiles — multi-cloud, Kubernetes, or a security angle — sit structurally higher, simply because supply is smaller than demand.
| Level | Hourly rate (excl. VAT) | Profile |
|---|---|---|
| Junior (0–3 yrs) | €60 – €75 | One platform, with guidance |
| Medior (3–6 yrs) | €75 – €95 | Independent, single- or multi-cloud |
| Senior (6+ yrs) | €95 – €110+ | Multi-cloud, security, architecture-adjacent |
Maedium's brokerage or intermediation fee comes on top of the engineer's hourly rate: indicatively around 10% for brokerage and around 15% for intermediation. A worked example for intermediation: at an hourly rate of €85, around €12.75 is added, resulting in an invoiced rate of around €97.75 per hour. No hidden surcharges — you know in advance what you pay and what for.
Brokerage (fee ± 10%)
The contractor works directly for you and also invoices you directly. Maedium makes the match, keeps a finger on the pulse and safeguards DBA compliance through proper contract structuring. You remain the contractual client of the engineer. Suitable for shorter or incidental assignments.
Intermediation (fee ± 15%)
Maedium sits contractually between you and the engineer: you contract Maedium, Maedium contracts the contractor, and invoicing runs through Maedium. The engineer remains an independent contractor — no employment, no payroll tax. Through this structure Maedium carries the risk, safeguarded via a model agreement and contract structuring. Suitable for longer assignments or extra certainty around the Wet DBA.
No payroll, no secondment — and the DBA risk
Intermediation is not payrolling and not classic secondment. The engineer does not enter Maedium's employment, Maedium does not become an employer and pays no payroll tax. In both structures it remains a freelance assignment — that is the essential difference.
Since the Dutch Tax Authority began actively enforcing the Wet DBA, direct contractor hiring carries the risk of reclassification as employment, with possible back-payments. The risk hinges on two things: authority and embedding. Do you direct the engineer like an employee, or have they effectively become part of your organisation? That points towards employment. A clearly scoped, results-oriented assignment without a relationship of authority points the other way. Maedium deliberately only takes on assignments that can genuinely be structured as independent. Read more about hiring safely under the Wet DBA.
What to look for when selecting
The rate is rarely the problem — the mismatch is. Look at platform match: don't hire a pure AWS engineer if you run on Azure, the overlap is smaller than job ads suggest. Look at depth versus breadth (management or building, implementation or architecture?) and at demonstrable results rather than a long list of certifications.
And after the match?
A freelancer works independently — does that suit how your team is organised? And who covers in case of absence or if the assignment runs long? At Maedium continuity is arranged: we stay involved after placement and arrange replacement where needed. That is the difference between forwarding a CV and a match that lasts.
Frequently asked questions
What does it cost to hire a cloud engineer in 2026?
Roughly €60 to €110 per hour excluding VAT. Juniors €60-75, medior €75-95, senior €95-110 or more. On top of that comes Maedium's fee: around 10% for brokerage, around 15% for intermediation.
What is the difference between brokerage and intermediation?
Under brokerage the engineer works and invoices directly for you; Maedium makes the match and safeguards compliance. Under intermediation Maedium sits contractually in between and invoicing runs through Maedium, which then also carries the risk. In both cases the engineer remains an independent contractor.
Do I run DBA risk when hiring a cloud engineer?
With direct contractor hiring, yes — especially for long-term, integrated deployment. The risk hinges on authority and embedding. Maedium only takes on clearly scoped, independent assignments and, under intermediation, carries the risk via a model agreement and contract structuring.
Is intermediation the same as secondment or payroll?
No. The engineer does not enter employment, Maedium does not become an employer and pays no payroll tax. It remains a freelance assignment — that is the essential difference from secondment and payrolling.
Cloud engineer or cloud architect — which do I need?
An engineer implements and manages; an architect designs the strategy. For most SME assignments you are looking for an engineer. In doubt? During the intake we sharpen together what your assignment really requires.
Hire a cloud engineer in your city
Maedium places cloud engineers across the Randstad, with North Holland as home base. The labour market and rate differ by region: in Amsterdam demand is highest and the price above average, while across the rest of North Holland you often hire more sharply and with shorter travel times. See your city's page for local rates, clients and availability: