Senior Systems Administrator

Organizational UnitUniversity of Victoria -> VP Finance and Operations -> University SystemsLocationUniversity of Victoria - Victoria, BC V8W 2Y2 CA (Primary)Posting Close Date7 January 2026Please note that positions will close at 4 p.m. on the closing date.FTE1.0Salary Grade$91, $118,764.00Additional Posting InformationN/ASalary posted will be pro-rated based on FTE and achieved as per the collective agreement, if applicable.ClassificationSG15Employee Group:PEA - Regularof Hires Needed2CategoryComputers, Hardware, Computers, Software, Information TechnologyAbout this OpportunityThis position is for a Unix Specialist (see Unix Specialist requirements in Job Summary below).This is a continuing position. Only those that hold Canadian Citizenship or Permanent Residency are eligible to work in continuing positions.The University of Victoria is one of Victoria's largest employers and one of Canada's best diversity employers. Together we are more than 5,000 dedicated faculty, librarians and staff supporting the University of Victoria's diverse academic programs, world-class research and commitment to civic engagement.We know that our employees play a vital role in our success. In exchange, we offer:competitive paygreat benefitsgenerous vacation timefunding for career development and a diverse range of learning and development opportunitiesspousal hire for faculty and librarianson-site child carerelocation grants for eligible new employeesdiscounted athletic facility membershipsustainability initiativesan equitable and diverse work environmenttools and resources to help you maintain a healthy work-life balance**This position may be eligible to occasionally work from home but you must live in the local area**The salary range for this position is:Recruitment range: $91,290 - $100,665 starting salary determined by the PEA Collective Agreement.Performance range: starting salary to max of $118,764 is available through annual performance increasesIf you have questions about this opportunity, please contact Kim Lewall - Job SummaryMandate:Reporting to the Associate Director, Data Centre Services, the Senior Systems Administrator works as part of a team to design, build, and ensure the operational effectiveness and security of the university's servers, storage and data centres. Members of this team maintain administrative, teaching and learning systems essential to the operation of the entire university. These systems are required to be in operation 24 hours per day, 365 days of the year.Objectives:Design, install, configure, and maintain server hardware and software, ensuring performance, availability, and security.Troubleshoot and resolve complex server software and hardware issues and automate administrative tasks.Specialize in multiple domains such as storage, backup, virtualization, security, and applications.Provide expert guidance on Linux or Windows systems and lead decisions on adopting and deploying new technologies.Lead infrastructure projects, communicate technical impacts, and advise on system maintenance and cybersecurity.System maintenance is usually required to be performed off-hours and major issues are responded to on a 24/7 basis. This role may require working outside of normal work hours on an emergency or pre-scheduled basis.Job RequirementsThis position requires a bachelor's degree in computer science or other relevant discipline plus at least five years of experience in system administration in a large enterprise or academic environment. An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.Knowledge, skills, and abilities include:Windows Specialist:Expert knowledge of Microsoft Windows Server and client operating systems, features and roles.In-depth experience with administrating multiple Windows server applications (e.g., Active Directory, Exchange, SharePoint, SQL Server, etc.).Proficiency with scripting and revision control (e.g., PowerShell scripting, Git).Expert experience installing and administrating enterprise virtualization, storage and backup environments (e.g., VMware, NetApp, Veeam, etc.).Unix Specialist:Expert knowledge of RedHat Enterprise and/or Ubuntu Linux.In-depth experience administrating multiple Linux server applications (e.g., Apache, Tomcat, Gitlab, JupyterHub, MySQL, LDAP, etc.).Proficiency with scripting and revision control (e.g., PERL, Bash and/or Python, Git).Working knowledge of provisioning and configuration management tools (e.g. Ansible, Puppet, Chef, etc.) and building packages and maintaining repositories (e.g., RPM).Expert experience installing and administrating enterprise virtualization, storage and backup environments (e.g., VMware, OpenStack, containers and/or Kubernetes, NetApp, TSM, Veeam, etc.).In addition, this position requires:High degree of attention to detail, the ability to understand complex technical concepts and the need to maintain broad and in-depth technical knowledge of all aspects of servers and server operating systems.Expert level of problem-solving abilities; must be able to effectively identify and resolve unique, unusual and highly complex technical problems.Ability to effectively manage multiple tasks and priorities and work under pressure to meet time sensitive and mission critical deadlines in a complex environment.Ability to take initiative and work with limited direction.Ability to mentor, coach, and train technical staff and teams and act as a resource.Ability to successfully contribute to complex projects: developing project work plans; monitoring and directing the activities of a project team.Excellent communications skills, both written and verbal.Ability to collaborate, build and maintain positive relationships with diverse individuals and work effectively in a team environment.Commitment to valuing diversity and contributing to an inclusive and respectful working and learning environment.Ability to work outside of normal working hours on an emergency or pre-scheduled basis.Experience in an academic environment will be considered an asset.Territory Acknowledgement: We acknowledge and respect the Lək̓ʷəŋən (Songhees and Xʷsepsəm/Esquimalt) Peoples on whose territory the university stands, and the Lək̓ʷəŋən and WSÁNEĆ Peoples whose historical relationships with the land continue to this day.Equity Statement: UVic is committed to upholding the values of equity, diversity, inclusion and human rights in our living, learning and work environments. In pursuit of our values, we seek members who are eager to actively participate in that shared responsibility. We actively encourage applications from members of historically and systemically marginalized groups.Read our full equity statement here: Accessibility Statement: If you anticipate needing accommodations for any part of the application and hiring process contact: Any personal information provided will be maintained in confidence.What UVic Offers: To learn more click here