Principal Analyst, Public Cloud

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About This Role:

Forrester Research is seeking a Principal Analyst to lead research on public cloud platforms and the strategies architectures operating models and market dynamics shaping enterprise cloud adoption. This role serves technology executives and leaders responsible for cloud strategy architecture infrastructure operations and application platforms helping them use public cloud to deliver stronger business outcomes while managing cost complexity risk resilience and organizational change.

The Principal Analyst will examine the rapidly evolving public cloud market including hyperscale and alternative cloud platforms; multicloud and hybrid cloud strategies; cloud-native infrastructure and application services; containers and Kubernetes; serverless computing; AI infrastructure and platform services; cloud operations; governance; and application migration and modernization. The ideal candidate combines strategic perspective with credible technical and delivery experience and can translate complex market and technology shifts into clear provocative and actionable guidance for senior leaders.

Job Description:

The Principal Analyst works as part of a high-performing team with a strong emphasis on collaboration in all aspects of the role. The Principal Analyst is expected to:

• Lead Forresters public cloud platform research working across research teams and with sales product and customer success to build a cohesive portfolio that helps clients make better technology and business decisions.
• Develop a deep understanding of what technology executives cloud leaders architects infrastructure and operations leaders platform teams and application development leaders require to succeed with public cloud.
• Conduct primary research through interviews surveys vendor briefings and market analysis on public cloud strategy platform selection workload placement multicloud and hybrid cloud cloud-native development AI infrastructure and services sovereign cloud cloud operations governance migration and modernization.
• Analyze the strategies capabilities differentiation and market position of major and emerging public cloud providers and translate market developments into implications for enterprise customers and technology vendors.
• Help clients navigate strategic and technical trade-offs involving cost performance resilience security data sovereignty portability skills operating models ecosystem choices and vendor concentration.
• Create approximately eight to 12 high-quality actionable analytically deep and fact-based research projects per year including written reports tools webinars videos blogs podcasts infographics and other intellectual property.
• Drive and lead key Forrester Wave and Landscape research in public cloud and adjacent markets.
• Develop decision frameworks maturity models best practices and practical guidance that help clients define cloud strategy select platforms and partners modernize applications govern cloud use and improve the value delivered by cloud investments.
• Consult with clients to apply Forresters research in the context of their business and technology environments through inquiry guidance advisory and consulting engagements.
• Present at Forrester-sponsored and industry events and deliver compelling client webinars workshops and executive presentations.
• Establish a visible industry presence as an influential speaker and thinker; build relationships with senior technology leaders cloud providers ecosystem partners and journalists; and participate in vendor briefings and press inquiries.
• Support business development and prospect conversations as arranged by Forresters account leadership teams.
• Foster a culture of cross-team collaboration mentorship intellectual rigor integrity and positive pursuit of client impact.

Job Requirements:

• A strong record of academic achievement; a BA/BS degree or equivalent professional experience is required.
• At least 10 years experience in a mix of roles as a senior practitioner cloud architect platform or infrastructure leader consultant technology strategist vendor executive or research analyst focused on public cloud or closely related domains.
• Deep knowledge of the public cloud market including the major hyperscale platforms and the evolving ecosystem of alternative sovereign industry and specialized cloud providers.
• Demonstrated experience with cloud strategy architecture platform selection migration modernization cloud-native development or cloud operations in complex enterprise environments.
• Strong working knowledge across several of the following areas: infrastructure as a service; containers and Kubernetes; serverless and application platform services; data and AI platform services; hybrid and multicloud management; cloud networking storage compute security resilience observability and automation.
• Understanding of the organizational and operating-model changes required for cloud success including platform engineering cloud centers of excellence product-centric delivery governance skills development and collaboration across architecture development operations security finance and sourcing teams.
• The ability to evaluate technology platforms and markets through both a technical and business lens including economics ecosystem strength strategic risk and long-term customer implications.
• Demonstrated ability to advise senior management and C-level clients and to translate technical complexity into clear business choices and outcomes.
• Superior client-facing communication listening interviewing critical thinking collaboration analytical writing editing and presentation skills.
• The ability to take complex disparate ideas and distill them into simple provocative concepts with a willingness to take a well-supported stand on markets vendors and outcomes.
• The ability to travel up to 30% of the time.

Preferred Experience:

• Experience in advising or delivering cloud programs for large enterprises regulated industries or global organizations.
• Hands-on or leadership experience with one or more major public cloud platforms and familiarity with cloud architecture frameworks and modern delivery practices.
• Experience in leading comparative market evaluations vendor selection product strategy consulting engagements or executive-level thought leadership.
• An established network among enterprise cloud leaders cloud providers service partners or industry media.

Heres What Youll Get:

• Exposure to industry experts and to top business leaders within Fortune 1000 companies.
• Access to research that influences global leaders every day.
• World-class learning and development opportunities.
• Global reach: Forrester has research centers and sales offices in more than 25 cities internationally spanning six continents.
• Colleagues who are intellectually curious hard-working and collaborative.
• Cool perks:
• All the cappuccino you can drink.
• The opportunity to rock out with guitars in our Cambridge headquarters lobby and take piano lessons on Friday.
• Onsite massages.
• Fierce foosball and ping-pong rivalry.
• A top-notch fitness center and new pickleball courts.
• Zagster bike-sharing and rental program.
• A competitive benefits package.
• The chance to work in a LEED Gold- and LEED Platinum-certified building.

Please note that the base salary range indicated here is inclusive of all applicable US geographies listed in this requisition with the exception of New York City. This salary range is based upon the position as described in the job listing. The offered compensation may vary within this range and is dependent upon the successful candidates primary work location experience training education and credentials.

Base salary range: $141000 - $229000

Base salary range for New York City NY: $161000 - $263000

For employees based in Washington State the percentage listed here is an estimated bonus target as a percentage of base salaryin accordance with the Forrester Employee Bonus plan. Individual and company performance as well as other eligibility criteria will determine the actual incentive amount.

Bonus target: 15%

For information on benefits please visit: application deadline is November 30 2026. Please refer to the job posting on careers page if the deadline has been extended.

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FLSA Status:

Here at Forrester we welcome people from all backgrounds and perspectives. Our aim is for all candidates to be able to fully participate in Forresters recruitment process. If you would like to discuss a reasonable accommodation please reach out to .

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