Senior Systems Engineer

Who we need
We are hiring a
Senior Systems Engineer
to join our Infrastructure & Operations team. This is a senior, hands‑on infrastructure role focused on Linux systems, virtualization, physical and co‑location infrastructure, Kubernetes, storage, automation, and complex production troubleshooting. The successful candidate will act as a senior technical escalation point for systems and infrastructure issues and will work closely with DevOps, Network, DBA, Security, and application teams to deliver reliable, secure, scalable infrastructure in support of illumin's global operations.The ideal candidate has deep expertise in core systems and infrastructure engineering, broad knowledge across adjacent technology domains, and the ability to trace problems across operating systems, compute, storage, networking, virtualization, and container platforms. The role requires strong ownership, sound operational judgment, and a focus on automation and continuous improvement.This is a full-time, hybrid position, working in our Toronto office three days per week.You must be able to travel internationally (US & Europe) without restrictions.How you will make an impact:
Systems Administration & Infrastructure Engineering
Serve as a senior technical escalation point for Linux systems and infrastructure issues, with strong working knowledge of Windows Server environments.Manage, maintain, and optimize VMware vSphere/ESXi environments and other virtualization platforms, including compute, networking, storage, host lifecycle, and vCenter integration.Operate and support on-premise, co‑location, and hybrid infrastructure across multiple sites and regions.Deploy, maintain, and troubleshoot enterprise server hardware, including storage controllers, NICs, firmware, out‑of‑band management, and hardware lifecycle management.Perform capacity planning, lifecycle management, performance analysis, and reliability improvements across infrastructure platforms.Cloud‑Native & Container Platforms
Deploy, operate, upgrade, and troubleshoot production Kubernetes clusters at scale.Support Kubernetes node lifecycle, container runtimes, networking, DNS, certificates, persistent storage, observability, and cluster reliability.Work with Containerd, Docker, Helm, and related container and orchestration tooling.Partner with DevOps and application teams to improve platform reliability, deployment practices, and operational standards.Networking & Cross‑Platform Troubleshooting
Apply strong enterprise networking fundamentals, including TCP/IP, routing, DNS, DHCP, VLANs, load balancing, and BGP, to troubleshoot infrastructure and application connectivity issues.Work collaboratively with the Network Engineering team on Cisco, Juniper, load balancers, routing, and datacenter connectivity;
direct ownership of allnetwork platforms is not required.Diagnose complex production issues that span systems, network, storage, virtualization, and application layers using packet captures, logs, metrics, and system‑level tooling.Automation, DevOps & Observability
Develop and maintain infrastructure automation using Python, Ansible, Bash, APIs, and related tooling;
Go experience is an asset.Automate repetitive infrastructure operations, configuration changes, validation, and systems integrations across large‑scale environments.Apply DevOps practices to configuration management, CI/CD workflows, infrastructure delivery, and operational automation.Improve monitoring, logging, alerting, capacity management, and observability across infrastructure platforms using tools such as Prometheus, Grafana, Netdata, ELK, or equivalent.Storage & Data Platform Infrastructure
Support enterprise and distributed storage technologies, including local storage, SAN/NAS, object storage, and Kubernetes persistent storage.Troubleshoot storage performance, availability, disk, filesystem, and capacity issues across physical, virtual, and containerized environments.Support infrastructure underlying MySQL and other stateful platforms, including compute, storage, networking, high availability, and performance troubleshooting, in collaboration with the DBA team.Operate effectively in high‑throughput and low‑latency application environments.Operational Excellence
Lead and participate in incident response, root‑cause analysis, problem management, change management, and disaster recovery activities.Drive proactive monitoring, capacity planning, resiliency, standardization, and infrastructure lifecycle initiatives.Produce clear technical documentation, runbooks, standards, and operational procedures.Mentor junior engineers and share technical knowledge across teams.Collaborate closely with DevOps, Network, DBA, Security, and application teams to deliver infrastructure that meets technical and business requirements.You will bring these required qualifications:
Experience :
8-10+ years
in systems engineering, infrastructure engineering, systems administration, or a closely related role, with substantial experience supporting production environments.Certifications
Certified Kubernetes Administrator ( CKA )ITIL
Foundations
( v3 or v4 ) in IT Service ManagementTechnical Expertise
Deep hands‑on
Linux
systems administration and troubleshooting experience, with solid working knowledge of Windows Server.Strong
VMware vSphere/ESXi
administration and troubleshooting experience;
familiarity with other hypervisors is beneficial.Hands‑on experience operating production
Kubernetes
environments, including cluster troubleshooting and lifecycle management.Strong understanding of enterprise networking concepts, including
TCP/IP, routing, DNS, DHCP, VLANs, load balancing, and general
BGP
concepts.Strong automation skills using
Python, Ansible, Bash, APIs, or comparable tooling.Experience supporting
on‑premise and co‑location infrastructure, including enterprise server hardware and remote management technologies.Experience with
storage technologies
and troubleshooting across physical, virtual, and containerized environments.Working knowledge of
MySQL
architecture, replication/high availability concepts, backup considerations, and common operational troubleshooting.Strong understanding of
DevOps practices, configuration management, monitoring, and automation for complex systems .Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot cross‑functional production issues independently and collaborate effectively with specialist teams.Your application is even stronger if you have some of these preferred qualifications:
Experience with
Ceph, MinIO, ZFS, NFS, SAN/NAS, or other distributed and enterprise storage platforms.Experience with
Cisco, Juniper, A10, HAProxy, or similar networking and load‑balancing platforms.Experience with
Prometheus, Grafana, Netdata, ELK, or comparable monitoring and observability platforms.Experience supporting low‑latency, high‑throughput distributed application environments.Experience with
Go
or other software‑development languages used for infrastructure tooling.Experience with
ServiceNow
or a comparable ITSM platform.Exposure to
GPU, AI/ML, or high‑performance compute infrastructure is an asset where relevant to future platform requirements.Compensation
At illumin, we believe compensation should be transparent, fair, and reflective of both experience and impact. The salary range for this role is $100,000–$150,000 plus bonus.Compensation is determined based on skills, experience, and the scope and complexity of the role. We value open conversations about compensation and are happy to discuss our approach at any stage of the hiring process.Who we are
At illumin, we are transforming the advertising landscape. Our platform offers an integrated space for journey planning, execution, and reporting. It empowers marketers to connect with their audiences in powerful ways through real‑time data and easy‑to‑use visual tools. By seamlessly combining media planning and buying in an intuitive interface, marketers can take complete control of their campaigns, meeting customers wherever they are in the buying journey and maximizing the impact of their ad spend through personalized insights for smarter decision‑making.We are at a pivotal moment, evolving into a product‑led company with a team of over 100 skilled professionals and new leadership guiding our path forward. By harnessing the power of data, advancing our AI capabilities, and deeply investing in our people, we are preparing for a future that will redefine what’s possible in journey advertising.Our work is guided by two beliefs: that the ability to execute is paramount to success and that we are only as good as our people. As we grow and transform, we are looking for team members (illumineers) who share our bias for speed, delivery over perfection, and an entrepreneurial mindset. Joining us now is a chance to be part of our transformation.What else should you know about us?
We are undergoing a transformative shift. We are embracing change and the opportunities that come with it, empowering every illumineer to innovate, experiment, and bring forward new ideas. Whether accessing new technology, restructuring workflows, or expanding your team, you will have full support if you can make the business case.We are a broad and diverse team, but we all share a passion for success, a drive to do more, and a love of creating connections. We hire for talent and commitment and provide the guidelines and guidance to elevate skills, knowledge, and abilities across all areas. This is a place where proven methods meet bold ideas, offering opportunities to grow personally and professionally.To support a healthy work‑life balance, we offer a flexible work environment, a meal credit for your in‑office days, and a free massage with an RMT in‑house every eight weeks. That is in addition to our comprehensive benefits, which include life, AD&D, long‑term disability insurance, and coverage for prescriptions, dental, vision, mental health, and professional health services. You will also have access to a workplace advisor, the Vitality Wellness app, and a $300 annual healthcare spending account.Illumin is firmly committed to diversity within its community and welcomes applications from racialized persons/persons of colour, Indigenous People of North America and the world, persons with disabilities, 2SLGBTQIA+ persons, and those who may contribute to the further diversification of ideas.
We are committed to providing equitable opportunities in employment and to providing a workplace which is free from discrimination and harassment. We are equally committed to providing an inclusive and accessible workplace. If you require accommodations at any stage of the interview process, please email us at View email address on ca.hrm.tc.
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