Senior Systems Engineer

illumin • Toronto • 2m ago

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.

Who We Need

Reporting to the Manager, DevOps, we are looking for a Senior Systems Engineer to join our Infrastructure and Operations team. As the new Senior Systems Engineer, you will act as a subject matter expert across Linux, Windows Server, VMware, and containerization/Kubernetes environments, applying your expertise to design, maintain, and improve highly reliable and secure systems that support our global operations. You will take ownership of diverse technical challenges, contribute to cross-functional initiatives, and play a key role in advancing our technology environment.

This is a hybrid role working Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from our downtown Toronto office.

What’s in it for you?

Impact. You will take ownership of systems that power global operations, directly influencing the reliability, scalability, and performance of critical infrastructure. You will build solutions that support rapid growth while ensuring security and operational excellence.

Autonomy. You will have the opportunity to act as a subject matter expert, designing and implementing best practices across multiple domains. You will be trusted to lead initiatives, mentor junior engineers, and collaborate with senior leadership to shape infrastructure strategy.

Innovation. You will work with Kubernetes at scale, automate complex deployments, and apply DevOps principles to strengthen pipelines and monitoring. You will have the opportunity to explore emerging technologies, including AI and ML infrastructure, while advancing automation and containerization practices across on-premise and hybrid environments.

Professional growth. You will be part of a team that values continuous improvement and development. You will benefit from mentorship opportunities, certifications, and exposure to global enterprise infrastructure. You will have the opportunity to expand your expertise into new domains while advancing your career at a company that is transforming the digital landscape.

How You Will Make an Impact

Systems Administration and Engineering. You will act as the subject matter expert for Linux and Windows Server environments, ensuring performance, availability, and security. You will manage and optimize VMware and other virtualization platforms, oversee server and network hardware lifecycle, and administer hybrid infrastructure across on-premise, co-located, and limited cloud environments.
Cloud and Containerization. You will deploy, operate, and scale Kubernetes clusters in production, applying monitoring, automation, and best practices to ensure reliability and performance. You will support containerization platforms such as Docker and Containerd, driving efficiency across the infrastructure.
Automation and Programming. You will design and implement infrastructure and networking automation, building new solutions or enhancing existing systems. You will develop automation tools and integrations using Go, Python, or other programming languages, and apply DevOps methodologies to improve deployment pipelines, monitoring, and CI/CD workflows.
Database and Storage. You will administer and optimize MySQL databases, ensuring performance, backup integrity, and availability across both high-throughput and low-latency environments.
Operational Excellence. You will apply ITIL principles to incident, problem, and change management. You will document processes, contribute to knowledge sharing, and mentor peers to strengthen team capabilities.
Collaboration. You will work closely with DevOps, infrastructure, database administration, and networking teams to solve technical challenges and deliver systems aligned with business goals.

What You Bring

The systems expertise. You have extensive experience in systems engineering and infrastructure administration. You are an expert in Linux and Windows Server environments, VMware administration and configuration, and managing complex on-premise and co-located environments. You bring deep knowledge of server and network hardware lifecycle management.
The automation and DevOps mindset. You are proficient in programming languages such as Go or Python, and you can design and implement infrastructure and networking automation from scratch or by enhancing existing systems. You have applied DevOps methodologies to improve deployment pipelines, monitoring, configuration management, and CI/CD workflows.
The cloud and containerization skills. You hold a Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) designation and have successfully deployed and managed Kubernetes in production at scale. You have applied best practices to ensure reliability, performance, and scalability of containerized environments, and you bring experience administering MySQL databases to support high-throughput and low-latency applications.
The operational discipline. You hold ITIL Foundations (v3 or v4) certification in IT Service Management and apply ITIL principles to incident, problem, and change management. You are decisive, communicate clearly, and balance speed with sound judgement when making impactful changes.
The collaborative approach. You are comfortable working across DevOps, infrastructure, database administration, and networking teams. You can clearly explain technical decisions and the rationale behind them, ensuring alignment with business goals.
The flexibility. You can travel internationally to the United States and Europe without restrictions.

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.

Apply Now

If you want to seize the opportunity to impact a company and influence an industry, and you have 70% of what we are looking for, apply now. We can't promise an interview, but we will consider your whole application.

What You Can Expect from Our Interview Process:

A virtual interview with a Talent Advisor will discuss your interest in the role. The conversation will be recorded using BrightHire, an AI-powered video interview tool. More details will be shared when you are invited to interview.
A technical interview with the Director of Infrastructure, Operations and Security.
An interview with the Director of Infrastructure, Operations, and Security, and the Manager of DevOps to learn more about the role and team..
A take-home assessment.
An in-person meet and greet with the team and an opportunity to see our office.

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, veterans, 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 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 hr@illumin.com.