About Secure Yourself IT Solutions

At Secure Yourself IT Solutions, we help organizations solve real technology problems. We provide IT consulting, contract staffing, and software solutions that support the way businesses work.

Our work brings together people, technology, and practical thinking. We help clients manage their IT environments, improve system reliability, and find the right technical talent for projects that need experience, care, and a steady hand.

We're looking for an experienced Senior Systems Administrator to support client engagements in the Ottawa-Gatineau region. We're interested in hearing from professionals with strong backgrounds in either Linux or Windows systems administration, as well as those who have worked across both environments.

This is an opportunity to put your experience to work on IT environments where stability, security, and reliability matter.

The Role: Keep Systems Running. Make Them Better.

We're looking for a skilled systems administrator who knows how to manage, maintain, and troubleshoot complex IT environments.

You'll be responsible for keeping servers, infrastructure, and core IT services running smoothly. You'll investigate problems, manage system configurations, apply updates, improve security, and help ensure that the systems people rely on are available when they need them.

We understand that not every systems administrator works with the same technologies. Some have spent years managing Windows Server environments, Active Directory, and Microsoft infrastructure. Others have built their careers around Linux distributions, shell scripting, and open-source platforms. And some have experience with both.

We're interested in all of these backgrounds.

The specific technologies and responsibilities will depend on the client environment and the needs of each engagement. What matters most is that you understand how systems work, know how to troubleshoot them, and can take ownership of the infrastructure you're responsible for.

This is a contract opportunity with a preference for candidates located in the Ottawa-Gatineau region. Depending on the engagement, work arrangements may include on-site, hybrid, or remote work.

Please note: Some client engagements may require the ability to obtain a Government of Canada security clearance. The required clearance level, if applicable, will depend on the specific engagement.

What You'll Be Doing:

Manage server infrastructure. Install, configure, maintain, and support Windows and/or Linux servers across physical, virtual, and cloud-based environments.

Keep systems healthy. Monitor system performance, investigate issues, identify potential problems, and take action before small issues become bigger ones.

Troubleshoot technical problems. Diagnose operating system issues, service failures, connectivity problems, resource constraints, and other infrastructure-related challenges.

Manage user access and permissions. Administer accounts, groups, access policies, and authentication services while following established security practices.

Handle updates and maintenance. Apply operating system patches, manage upgrades, maintain system configurations, and ensure infrastructure remains supported and secure.

Work with virtualization. Manage and support virtual machines, hypervisors, and virtual infrastructure used by client environments.

Support network services. Work with DNS, DHCP, TCP/IP, VPNs, firewalls, routing,



and other services that keep systems connected.

Automate repetitive tasks. Use scripting and automation to reduce manual work, improve consistency, and make system administration more efficient.

Keep security in mind. Apply security hardening, manage vulnerabilities, review permissions, and help protect infrastructure and sensitive information.

Document your work. Maintain system documentation, configuration records, operational procedures, and troubleshooting notes.

Work with other IT professionals. Coordinate with network administrators, developers, security teams, help desk staff, and project stakeholders to resolve issues and keep things moving.

Take ownership. Work independently, manage priorities, and follow problems through to resolution. When something breaks, you know how to approach it.

What We're Looking For

You don't need experience with every operating system, platform, or tool. We understand that systems administrators often specialize in particular environments.

We're interested in people who have strong technical fundamentals, good troubleshooting skills, and the ability to adapt to different client environments.

You'll bring:

- Several years of qualified systems administration experience, ideally in a senior or similarly experienced role.
- Strong hands-on experience administering either Windows Server or Linux environments. Experience with both is an asset.
- A good understanding of operating system architecture, system services, storage, memory, and resource management.
- Experience managing server infrastructure, system configurations, user accounts, permissions, and access controls.
- A solid understanding of networking fundamentals, including TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, routing, and connectivity troubleshooting.
- Experience with system monitoring, performance tuning, troubleshooting, and incident resolution.
- Familiarity with virtualization technologies and managing virtual server environments.
- Experience with system patching, upgrades, backups, recovery, and routine maintenance.
- An understanding of infrastructure security, system hardening, and vulnerability management.
- Scripting skills or experience with automation to simplify common administration tasks.
- The ability to read technical documentation, investigate unfamiliar problems, and find practical solutions.
- Clear communication skills and the ability to work with both technical and non-technical teams.
- The ability to work independently, manage competing priorities, and take responsibility for your work.

A degree or diploma in Computer Science, Information Technology, Systems Administration, or a related field is an asset. Relevant certifications and equivalent hands-on experience are also valuable.

Experience That Would Be an Asset

Depending on the client environment, experience in any of the following areas could be useful.

Windows Administration

- Windows Server 2016, 2019, 2022, or newer.
- Active Directory, Group Policy, and domain services.
- Microsoft Entra ID, Microsoft 365, and hybrid identity environments.




- PowerShell scripting and automation.
- Microsoft Exchange and related enterprise services.
- Windows Server clustering, failover, and high availability.

Linux Administration

- Red Hat Enterprise Linux, SUSE, Ubuntu, Debian, or similar distributions.
- Shell scripting using Bash or other scripting languages.
- Package management, system services, and Linux security administration.
- SSH, permissions, storage management, and filesystem administration.
- SELinux, firewalld, iptables, and Linux system hardening.
- Web server administration using Apache, Nginx, or similar platforms.
- Automation using Ansible

Infrastructure and Virtualization

- VMware vSphere, ESXi, and vCenter.
- Microsoft Hyper-V.
- Proxmox or other virtualization platforms.
- Storage area networks, network-attached storage, and shared storage systems.
- Backup and recovery solutions such as Veeam.
- High availability, disaster recovery, and business continuity planning.

Cloud and Automation

- Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services, or other cloud platforms.
- Infrastructure as Code using Terraform, Ansible, or similar tools.
- Configuration management and deployment automation.
- Docker and container-based environments.
- Monitoring and logging platforms such as Zabbix, Nagios, Grafana, or Prometheus.
- Git, CI/CD, and infrastructure automation practices.

Enterprise IT and Security

- Government, public sector, or regulated IT environments.
- Security frameworks, compliance requirements, and vulnerability remediation.
- Backup strategies, disaster recovery testing, and business continuity.
- ITIL practices, change management, and incident management.
- Experience supporting large organizations with complex infrastructure.

These are examples, not a fixed technology checklist. We recognize that good systems administrators come from different technical backgrounds, and the final requirements will depend on the environment and the engagement.

A Few Important Details

Location: Ottawa, Ontario / Gatineau, Quebec

Work arrangement: On-site, hybrid, or remote, depending on the client engagement.

Employment type: Contract

Technical background: Windows, Linux, or both.

Security requirements: Some engagements may require eligibility to obtain a Government of Canada security clearance. Requirements will depend on the client and the nature of the work.

Contract details: Duration, start date, hours, responsibilities, and compensation will be determined based on the specific engagement.

Candidate consideration: Applications and interviews are used to assess qualifications, experience, and potential suitability for contract opportunities. An application, interview, or discussion does not guarantee selection, an offer of employment, or a contract. Any engagement will be subject to a separate agreement and the applicable client requirements.

Interested?

If you're an experienced systems administrator who knows how to keep infrastructure running, troubleshoot problems, and work through technical challenges, we'd like to hear from you.

You don't need to know every operating system or infrastructure platform. Whether your experience is primarily with Windows, Linux, or a mix of both, we're interested in understanding what you've worked with and where your strengths lie.

If that sounds like you, let's talk.

Pay: $40.00-$60.00 per hour

Expected hours: 37.5 per week

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Ottawa, ON

📌 Senior Systems Administrator (Contract) (Ottawa)
🏢 Secure Yourself IT Solutions
📍 Ottawa