Senior Systems Administrator / Infrastructure Operations Specialist - MSON#23

Job Title: Senior Systems Administrator / Infrastructure Operations Specialist
Category: Infrastructure / Cloud / DevOps
Location: Toronto, ON, Canada
Experience: 3–9 Years

Job Summary

We are seeking an experienced Senior Systems Administrator / Infrastructure Operations Specialist to manage, maintain, and optimize enterprise infrastructure, middleware services, gateway components, and REST API integrations.

The successful candidate will be responsible for advanced systems administration, infrastructure monitoring, middleware configuration, gateway troubleshooting, API connectivity support, and incident resolution. This role requires strong technical expertise, independent problem-solving capabilities, and the ability to collaborate with application development, networking, security, and operations teams to maintain reliable and secure IT services.

Key Responsibilities

Operating System and Infrastructure Administration

• Administer, configure, maintain, and optimize Windows or Linux server environments.
• Manage operating system patching, upgrades, service configurations, access permissions, and routine maintenance.
• Monitor system performance, resource utilization, availability, and capacity trends.
• Troubleshoot complex operating system, hardware, connectivity, and infrastructure-related incidents.
• Perform root-cause analysis for recurring infrastructure failures and implement corrective actions.
• Support server provisioning, configuration management, backup verification, and recovery procedures.
• Maintain infrastructure configuration records, operational runbooks, and technical documentation.
• Collaborate with infrastructure, networking, security, and cloud teams to improve system reliability.

Middleware and Gateway Administration

• Install, configure, maintain, and troubleshoot middleware services and application server environments.
• Administer gateway components responsible for routing, connectivity, and communication between applications and backend services.
• Monitor middleware availability, service health, connection pools, resource utilization, and performance.
• Troubleshoot gateway connectivity issues, service routing failures, timeout errors, and middleware-related incidents.
• Manage configuration changes, service restarts, upgrades, and maintenance activities in accordance with change-management procedures.
• Analyze middleware logs and performance metrics to identify bottlenecks and service disruptions.
• Coordinate with application and infrastructure teams to resolve integration and interoperability issues.
• Support high-availability configurations and disaster recovery procedures where applicable.

REST API Operations and Integration Support

• Monitor REST API availability, response times, error rates, and service reliability.
• Troubleshoot API connectivity, HTTP errors, authentication failures, request timeouts, and integration issues.
• Validate API endpoints, request payloads, response structures, and service behavior.
• Work with application development teams to investigate API failures and backend integration problems.
• Support gateway-level API routing, access controls, authentication configuration, and request management.
• Analyze logs and diagnostic data to identify API performance issues and recurring errors.
• Assist in implementing API monitoring, alerting, and operational support procedures.
• Maintain API integration documentation, troubleshooting guides, and support runbooks.

Incident, Problem, and Change Management

• Lead the investigation and resolution of complex infrastructure and middleware incidents.
• Perform root-cause analysis and document corrective and preventive actions.
• Coordinate incident response with application, networking, security, and service delivery teams.
• Execute infrastructure and middleware changes while minimizing service disruption.
• Participate in incident reviews, problem-management activities, and service improvement initiatives.
• Develop and maintain operational procedures, escalation matrices, and support standards.
• Identify opportunities to automate repetitive administrative and operational tasks.

Performance, Security, and Reliability

• Implement monitoring and alerting practices to improve infrastructure and service visibility.
• Support vulnerability remediation, operating system hardening, and access-control reviews.
• Monitor service capacity and recommend infrastructure improvements.
• Contribute to high-availability, backup, recovery, and business continuity initiatives.
• Ensure infrastructure and API services comply with organizational security and operational policies.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or diploma in Computer Science, Information Technology, Systems Engineering, or a related discipline.
• 3–9 years of experience in systems administration, infrastructure operations, middleware support, or related technical roles.
• Hands-on experience administering Windows Server and/or Linux environments.
• Experience configuring, monitoring, and troubleshooting middleware services, application servers, or gateway components.
• Working knowledge of REST APIs, HTTP methods, status codes, authentication, and API troubleshooting.
• Experience with system monitoring, log analysis, incident management, and root-cause analysis.
• Understanding of networking fundamentals, DNS, TCP/IP, ports, load balancing, and connectivity troubleshooting.
• Experience with system patching, configuration changes, service maintenance, and operational documentation.
• Strong analytical, troubleshooting, communication, and cross-functional collaboration skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting enterprise application environments and distributed systems.
• Familiarity with API gateways, reverse proxies, load balancers, or integration middleware.
• Exposure to cloud infrastructure and hybrid infrastructure environments.
• Experience with infrastructure monitoring, log aggregation, and alerting tools.
• Knowledge of scripting for operational automation.
• Familiarity with IT service management practices, including incident, problem, and change management.
• Relevant certifications in systems administration, networking, cloud infrastructure, or middleware technologies are an asset.