Senior Systems Administrator

Launchpad, a people-first technology company, is a leader in North America´s rapidly growing tech sector. Through two solutions, Launchpad supports its clients with digital transformation:

- PaasportTM, our iPaaS solution, streamlines software integration and automates workflows.
- Nearshore Staff Augmentation, our managed IT staffing service, connects top IT talent across various geographical regions, bringing industry expertise to leading clients.

Based in Vancouver, Canada, our operational footprint spans across North and South America, with a second headquarters in Santiago, Chile.

At Launchpad, we genuinely care about our people as individuals. If you are looking for a team that values growth, drive, and passion for your craft, if you're seeking a place to achieve your goals and dreams with fairness and integrity, then we'd love to hear from you.

**About the Role**:
We are seeking a **highly skilled and experienced Senior Systems Engineer** to join our dynamic and fast-paced team. This role will play a crucial part in **designing, implementing, and maintaining** our mission-critical infrastructure, with a strong focus on **Cisco UCS and VMware technologies**.

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**Key Responsibilities**:

- Design, implement, and manage **Cisco UCS infrastructure**, including blade and rack servers, fabric interconnects, UCS Manager, and Cisco Intersight.
- Administer and deploy **VMware vSphere environments**, including vCenter Server, ESXi hosts, and vSAN.
- Optimize system performance, scalability, and security while ensuring **high availability and fault tolerance**.
- Develop and maintain **automation scripts** using PowerCLI, Python, or other scripting languages to streamline system provisioning, monitoring, and maintenance.
- Implement **infrastructure-as-code (IaC) principles** where applicable to improve efficiency and consistency.
- Work closely with **networking, storage, and security teams** to ensure seamless integration of infrastructure components.
- Assist in the design and deployment of **hybrid cloud solutions** (AWS, Azure, GCP) and virtualization strategies.
- Implement and enforce **security best practices** across the virtualized environment.
- Monitor and remediate **system vulnerabilities** through proactive patch management and threat mitigation.
- Diagnose and resolve complex **hardware, software, and networking issues** affecting VMware and UCS environments.
- Participate in an **on-call rotation**, providing expert-level support for critical production incidents and escalations.
- Develop and maintain **comprehensive system documentation**, including architecture diagrams, configurations, and troubleshooting guides.
- Stay ahead of industry trends and emerging technologies, recommending improvements and optimizations.

**Requirements**:

- **Bachelor's degree** in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field (or equivalent practical experience).
- **5+ years of experience** in systems engineering with a strong focus on **Cisco UCS and VMware vSphere**.
- **Expert-level knowledge** of Cisco UCS architecture, configuration, and management.
- **Deep understanding** of VMware vSphere, including **vCenter Server, ESXi, vSAN, and vMotion**.
- **Strong scripting skills** (PowerCLI, Python, Bash) for automation and infrastructure management.
- **Solid networking knowledge**, including **TCP/IP, VLANs, routing, and switching**.
- **Excellent troubleshooting and problem-solving skills**, with the ability to resolve complex system issues efficiently.
- **Strong communication and interpersonal skills, advanced english level**, with experience collaborating across teams.
- Self-motivated with a **high degree of autonomy and accountability**, capable of delivering high-quality results.

**Preferred Qualifications**:

- Experience with **Pure Storage, iSCSI, and Fibre Channel** storage solutions.
- Relevant industry certifications, such as:

- **VMware**: VCP-DCV, VCAP-DCV
- **Cisco**: CCNA Data Center, CCNP Data Center
- Familiarity with **observability and monitoring tools** (e.g., Datadog, Splunk, Grafana).
- Experience with **public cloud platforms** (AWS, Azure, GCP) and hybrid cloud integration.
- Knowledge of **CI/CD pipelines** and DevOps methodologies.
- Experience working with **containers** (Docker, Kubernetes) in a virtualized environment.
- Understanding of **Identity & Access Management (IAM)**, including **Okta, Active Directory, SSO, OAuth, and SAML**.
- Experience with **Linux system administration** (CentOS, Ubuntu) and Windows Server.

**Why work for Launchpad?**:

- 100% remote
- People first culture
- Excellent compensation in US Dollars
- Hardware setup for working from home
- Work with global teams and prominent brands based in North America, Europe, and Asia
- Training allowances
- Personal time off (PTO) for vacations, study leave, personal time, etc.
- ...and more

At Launchpad, we genuinely care about our people as individuals. If you are looking for a tea