About the group:
Cognizant’s Cloud, Infrastructure, and Security Services Practice (CIS), is all about accepting digital transformation by driving core modernization holistically across layers. We help customers transform infrastructure and workplace to meet the constantly evolving needs of the digital era. Our broad approach delivers key results for our customers by achieving cloud driven modernization and workplace and operational transformation to own the business in a secure workplace.

*Please note, this role is not able to offer visa transfer or sponsorship now or in the future*

Role:
Patch Service Lead

Location
Toronto , ON

ROLE SUMMARY
The Linux Patching Tower Lead (Onshore) is the primary Linux interface to client L2/L3 and application owners during Canada hours. This role owns the end-to-end Linux patch lifecycle across a 63,000+ node estate of RHEL, Oracle Linux, and Ubuntu systems — driving Ansible/AAP and Red Hat Satellite-based patch execution, kernel errata management, EOL/EOS tracking, and compliance reporting while coordinating application-owner sign-off and weekend change windows.

ROLE IN THE OPERATING MODEL

Tower/pod lead and SME for Linux patching — primary Linux interface to client L2/L3 and application owners during Canada hours and weekend windows

Owns Linux tower compliance reporting to the Patch Service Lead

Coordinates app-owner sign-off post-patching; manages escalation to client Linux L2/L3 within agreed SLTs

Operates as Linux execution layer under client direction; baseline/image engineering remains client L2/L3 owned

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Plan and execute OS patch cycles for RHEL, Oracle Linux, and Ubuntu via Ansible/AAP, Red Hat Satellite, and YUM/DNF

Manage kernel updates, errata and package updates, live patching where applicable, and reboot orchestration with service validation

Run pre-flight readiness checks — disk space, repository connectivity, snapshot/backup validation — and execute Dev->Prod wave progression





Track kernel currency, CVE backlog, and EOL/EOS posture; maintain compliance and update CMDB

Coordinate application-owner sign-off and change-window adherence; manage Tenable/Qualys compliance tracking

Perform first-level remediation, RCA, and rollback (package downgrade/snapshot revert); maintain KEDB

Own Linux tower compliance reporting and present KPIs to the Patch Service Lead for governance reviews

Coordinate with client NOC during weekend change windows; elevate to Linux L2/L3 within agreed SLTs

TECHNICAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE SCOPE

Execute OS patch cycles for RHEL, Oracle Linux, and Ubuntu via Ansible/AAP, Red Hat Satellite, and YUM/DNF

Manage kernel and errata updates, live patching where applicable, and service-validated reboot orchestration

Run pre-flight readiness (disk, repo connectivity, snapshots/backups) and wave execution Dev->Prod

Track kernel currency, CVE backlog, and EOL/EOS; update CMDB compliance posture

Perform RCA and rollback — package downgrade or snapshot revert; maintain KEDB entries

Author and submit RFC/CAB documentation for Linux patch waves; coordinate maintenance window scheduling

Generate Linux tower compliance reports for cycle governance; coordinate app-owner sign-off

SKILLS, TOOLS & COMPETENCIES
Primary Skills
OS Expertise RHEL 7/8/9, Oracle Linux, Ubuntu LTS, Kernel/errata management, systemd, YUM/DNF

Patch Tools Ansible/Ansible Automation Platform (AAP), Red Hat Satellite (Foreman/Spacewalk), YUM/DNF, Live patching (kpatch)

Automation Ansible playbook authoring, Bash/Shell scripting, Python scripting,



Cron/at scheduling

ITSM & Vuln ServiceNow (Change/CMDB), Tenable, Qualys, RFC/CAB lifecycle, KEDB management

Observability Splunk, Dynatrace, Moogsoft, PagerDuty

Secondary Skills

Container/host patching awareness and configuration management (Ansible roles, Puppet/Chef awareness)

Cloud Linux fundamentals — Azure Linux VMs, AWS EC2 (RHEL/Ubuntu)

Shell and Python scripting for patch automation

CERTIFICATIONS
Mandatory

ITIL 4 Foundation

Preferred (one or more)

Red Hat Certified Engineer (RHCE) or Red Hat Certified System Administrator (RHCSA) – mandatory preference

Red Hat Certified Specialist in Ansible Automation (EX407/EX374)

Red Hat Certified Specialist in Satellite/Patch Management – strong plus

Oracle Linux or CompTIA Linux+ acceptable

NICE TO HAVE

Experience patching large Linux estates (30,000+ nodes) using Satellite/Foreman

Live kernel patching (kpatch/ksplice) operational experience

Financial services Linux patching experience with regulatory compliance requirements

WORK MODEL & COMMITMENT
Hours Canada business hours + weekend change window coverage

Shift Model Hybrid onshore; scheduled maintenance and weekend patch windows

On-Call Yes — weekend patch cycles and zero-day CVE response

Language English (mandatory)

Compensation
We are offering between $60,000 – $85,000. Applications will be accepted until Aug 21, 2026.Cognizant will only consider applicants for this position who are legally authorized to work in Canada without requiring employer sponsorship, now or at any time in the future.

Disclaimer
The salary, other compensation, and benefits information is accurate as of the date of this posting. Cognizant reserves the right to modify this information at any time, subject to applicable law.

*Please note, this role is not able to offer visa transfer or sponsorship now or in the future*

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📌 Patch Service SME (Ontario)
🏢 Cognizant
📍 Ontario