Three shapes, priced so you can predict them
Rates depend on role, seniority and region, so we will not pretend there is a single number. What we will do is tell you which model fits before you ask, including when the answer is the cheaper one.
- Single engineer
- Monthly rate, 30 days notice
- Embedded pod
- Two to six engineers plus delivery lead
- Fixed-scope build
- Milestone payments against acceptance criteria
- Minimum engagement
- Four weeks
- Platform fee
- None
- Conversion to permanent
- Stepped fee, written into the SOW
CloudOps Network engagements take three forms: a single engineer on a monthly rate with 30 days notice, an embedded pod of two to six engineers with a delivery lead, or a fixed-scope build paid against milestones. There is no platform fee, subscription or placement fee in any of the three.
Choosing between them
Single engineer
You know the gap. You have a team that can direct the work. You want capacity, not a project.
Embedded pod
A whole workstream needs to move and your team cannot absorb it without dropping something else.
Fixed-scope build
The deliverable is clear enough to write acceptance criteria for it today. Assessments, migrations, bounded platform work.
What moves the rate
Four things, in order of weight: how specialised the role is, how senior the engineer is, which region they are in, and how long the engagement runs.
The fourth one is the lever most companies ignore. A six-month commitment prices materially better than six one-month renewals, because the engineer can plan around it.
Specialisation
Agentic AI and AI infrastructure price above general cloud engineering, because the pool is smaller.
Seniority
We will tell you when a mid-level engineer is the right answer. Overpaying for seniority you do not need is a real failure mode.
Region and overlap
Full overlap with a narrow time zone costs more than partial overlap. Sometimes that is worth it. Often it is not.
Duration
Longer commitments price better. Rolling monthly renewals price worst.
Commercial questions
Which model is cheapest?
Fixed-scope is cheapest when the scope genuinely is fixed. When requirements are still moving, fixed-scope becomes the most expensive option because every change is a negotiation.
Can I convert a contractor to a permanent hire?
Yes. There is a conversion fee that steps down over the first twelve months of the engagement, and it is written into the statement of work up front so nobody is surprised.
What is the minimum engagement?
Four weeks for a single engineer. Shorter than that and the ramp-up cost outweighs the value on both sides.
Do you charge for the shortlist or the interviews?
No. You pay when work starts, not before.
Tell us what you are building
Describe the work in a few lines. We come back with a shortlist of engineers who have done it before, their availability, and a rate range. No account, no platform fee, no obligation to hire.
Most briefs get a shortlist within three business days.