Remote opportunity at
Forrester Research, Inc. (US)Principal Analyst, Public Cloud
Forrester Research is hiring a Principal Analyst to lead public cloud platform research, covering approaches, design patterns, organizational models and market forces that drive enterprise cloud…
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About This Role
Forrester Research is hiring a Principal Analyst to lead public cloud platform research, covering approaches, design patterns, organizational models and market forces that drive enterprise cloud decisions. The full-time role supports technology executives who lead cloud direction, infrastructure, operations and application platform teams. The analyst examines hyperscale and niche cloud vendors, multicloud and hybrid designs, cloud-native infrastructure, containers and orchestration platforms, serverless architectures, AI infrastructure, cloud operations, governance, and migration…
Job Description
Forrester Research is hiring a Principal Analyst to lead public cloud platform research, covering approaches, design patterns, organizational models and market forces that drive enterprise cloud decisions. The full-time role supports technology executives who lead cloud direction, infrastructure, operations and application platform teams.
The analyst examines hyperscale and niche cloud vendors, multicloud and hybrid designs, cloud-native infrastructure, containers and orchestration platforms, serverless architectures, AI infrastructure, cloud operations, governance, and migration plus modernization. Activities include primary research via interviews, questionnaires, vendor briefings and market review. Expectations are eight to twelve research projects annually spanning reports, tools and webinars, plus leadership of Forrester Wave and Landscape studies in cloud and neighboring markets.
Beyond authoring, the analyst designs decision models, maturity frameworks and hands-on guidance, and advises clients through inquiry, advisory and consulting work. Talks at Forrester and industry gatherings, client webinars and workshops, and building ties with senior technology figures, platform vendors and reporters all belong to the role. The analyst also assists account teams with prospect discussions and mentors colleagues.
The posting asks for at least ten years in senior practitioner, architect, platform leadership, consulting, strategy or research roles focused on public cloud. An undergraduate degree (BA or BS) or comparable professional background is expected. Candidates should advise C-suite clients, distill complicated ideas into crisp positions, and travel up to 30 percent of the time. Base pay runs $141,000 to $229,000, or $161,000 to $263,000 for New York City.
Responsibilities
- Own the public cloud platform research program at Forrester, coordinating research groups and sales and product partners
- Gather first-hand evidence via interviews, questionnaires, vendor sessions and market reviews
- Assess provider strategy, capabilities and market standing, and explain what it means for buyers and vendors
- Help clients weigh cost, speed, resilience, security, data sovereignty and supplier concentration
- Deliver eight to twelve actionable research projects annually in multiple formats
- Drive Forrester Wave and Landscape evaluations for cloud and adjacent categories
- Create decision frameworks, maturity models and best-practice guides
- Advise clients through inquiry, advisory and consulting work
- Speak at Forrester events and sector conferences; host client webinars and workshops
- Cultivate relationships with executives, providers, partners and the press
Requirements
- Undergraduate degree in BA or BS form, or comparable professional background
- Ten or more years in senior cloud, platform, consulting, strategy or research jobs
- Broad understanding of hyperscalers and alternative, sovereign and specialist clouds
- Documented work on cloud strategy, platform choice, migration, modernization or operations in complex enterprises
- Working command of several domains: IaaS, containers, serverless, data and AI platforms, multicloud management, networking, security, resilience, observability and automation
- Grasp of organizational change, including platform engineering and cloud centers of excellence
- Comfort advising executives and C-level leaders
- Excellent communication, critical thinking, writing and presenting
- Readiness to travel up to 30 percent of the time
Qualifications
- Advising or running cloud programs for large enterprises or regulated sectors
- Practical or managerial time on major public cloud platforms
- Leading side-by-side market comparisons, vendor selection or thought-leadership work
- Connections among enterprise cloud leaders, providers, partners or trade media
Core Skills
Benefits
- Access to specialists in the field and to executives of large Fortune 1000 firms
- Learning and development resources
- Broad benefits package
- On-site fitness center and other amenities
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers are based only on the employer’s listing; where it doesn’t say, neither do we.
What is the base pay band?
$141,000 to $229,000, or $161,000 to $263,000 in New York City. A 15 percent bonus target applies to Washington State staff.
How many years are needed?
Ten-plus years in cloud, architecture, platform, consulting or research roles.
How much travel is expected?
Up to 30 percent of the time.
When is the application deadline?
November 30, 2026, unless Forrester's careers page announces an extension.
Sample Interview Questions
AI-generated questions tailored to this specific role — a preview of the full practice set.