diff --git a/cirq-google/cirq_google/engine/__init__.py b/cirq-google/cirq_google/engine/__init__.py
index 04771f8b96e..bb50e452b78 100644
--- a/cirq-google/cirq_google/engine/__init__.py
+++ b/cirq-google/cirq_google/engine/__init__.py
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@
 from cirq_google.engine.validating_sampler import ValidatingSampler
 
 from cirq_google.engine.virtual_engine_factory import (
+    create_device_from_processor_id,
     create_noiseless_virtual_engine_from_device,
     create_noiseless_virtual_engine_from_proto,
     create_noiseless_virtual_engine_from_templates,
diff --git a/cirq-google/cirq_google/engine/virtual_engine_factory.py b/cirq-google/cirq_google/engine/virtual_engine_factory.py
index 4dd7cff1170..03448e411fc 100644
--- a/cirq-google/cirq_google/engine/virtual_engine_factory.py
+++ b/cirq-google/cirq_google/engine/virtual_engine_factory.py
@@ -206,6 +206,22 @@ def _create_device_spec_from_template(template_name: str) -> v2.device_pb2.Devic
     return device_spec
 
 
+def create_device_from_processor_id(processor_id: str) -> serializable_device.SerializableDevice:
+    """Generates a `cirq_google.SerializableDevice` for a given processor ID.
+
+    Args:
+         processor_id: name of the processor to simulate.
+
+    Raises:
+        ValueError: if processor_id is not a supported QCS processor.
+    """
+    template_name = MOST_RECENT_TEMPLATES.get(processor_id, None)
+    if template_name is None:
+        raise ValueError(f"Got processor_id={processor_id}, but no such processor is defined.")
+    device_specification = _create_device_spec_from_template(template_name)
+    return serializable_device.SerializableDevice.from_proto(device_specification, [FSIM_GATESET])
+
+
 def create_noiseless_virtual_processor_from_template(
     processor_id: str,
     template_name: str,
diff --git a/cirq-google/cirq_google/engine/virtual_engine_factory_test.py b/cirq-google/cirq_google/engine/virtual_engine_factory_test.py
index bea085a407c..05bbe62856c 100644
--- a/cirq-google/cirq_google/engine/virtual_engine_factory_test.py
+++ b/cirq-google/cirq_google/engine/virtual_engine_factory_test.py
@@ -38,6 +38,14 @@ def _test_processor(processor: cg.engine.abstract_processor.AbstractProcessor):
         _ = processor.run(circuit, repetitions=100)
 
 
+def test_create_device_from_processor_id():
+    device = factory.create_device_from_processor_id('rainbow')
+    assert device is not None
+
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError, match='no such processor is defined'):
+        _ = factory.create_device_from_processor_id('bad_processor')
+
+
 def test_create_from_device():
     engine = factory.create_noiseless_virtual_engine_from_device('sycamore', cg.Sycamore)
     _test_processor(engine.get_processor('sycamore'))