Senior Systems Administrator (Linux)

WildBrain Studios is seeking a Senior Systems Administrator (Linux) to join our Systems Engineering/Infrastructure team. You’ll play a vital role in maintaining the high-performance computing environment that powers our animation production pipeline. From render farm orchestration and scalable storage systems to secure networking and containerized services, your contributions will directly impact the creative output of our artists and technical teams.

Find a job that lets your imagination run wild! 
WildBrain Studios produces fan-favorite animation and award-winning content that kids and families love in every corner of the globe. We love what we do and it shows in the quality content we produce! Our custom-built Vancouver studio in beautiful British Columbia is a wonderful backdrop for our artists, but it doesn’t end there, we have employees working remotely across BC, Canada, and the world!  Our artist-centric culture means we invest in our people, we provide training and growth opportunities, a healthy work-life balance, and fun activities throughout the year to meet, mingle and get creative with your team. If you like what you are reading so far, well buckle up, we’re just getting started! 

What You’ll Do:

• Install, configure, and maintain Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), Rocky Linux, servers supporting production tools, render workloads, and backend services.
• Build and manage Docker containers and orchestrate workloads using Kubernetes to enable scalable managed services, and developer environments.
• Deploy and maintain infrastructure monitoring tools such as Grafana and Zabbix for real-time alerting, capacity planning, and performance tuning.
• Administer and optimize high-performance shared storage platforms, including: Qumulo, Dell Isilon, Pixit Media (PixStor), and IBM Spectrum Scale (GPFS).
• Support distributed rendering environments (e.g., Deadline, Pixar Tractor), optimizing throughput and reliability for high-volume workloads.
• Work with Arista switches and associated tooling to ensure low-latency, high-availability networking across departments, storage arrays, and render clusters.
• Manage shared file systems via NFS and SMB; enforce secure access policies and ensure consistent mount performance across platforms.
• Implement firewall rules, harden systems, manage SELinux/AppArmor, and maintain compliance with TPN and industry security standards.
• Maintain and test automated backup strategies for critical systems and project data; ensure integrity of recovery processes.
• Develop and maintain Bash and Python scripts for task automation, system health checks, and workflow integrations.
• Partner with pipeline developers, IT support, render wranglers, and artists to ensure infrastructure meets production needs. Provide Tier 2/3 support for Windows and Linux-based systems and production issues.
• Maintain comprehensive system documentation, standard operating procedures, and runbooks for production and support staff. 

What You’ll Bring:

• Expert-level knowledge of RHEL-based Linux environments in an enterprise or studio setting.
• Proven experience with Docker and Kubernetes in production environments (ideally supporting render nodes or creative tooling).
• Strong hands-on experience with Grafana, Zabbix, or similar observability stacks for systems and application monitoring.
• Proficiency in Bash and Python scripting for automation and tooling.
• Solid experience with render infrastructure, render queue optimization, and distributed compute environments.
• Deep understanding of enterprise media storage systems: Qumulo, Isilon, PixStor, IBM Spectrum Scale.
• Working knowledge of Arista network switches, VLAN configuration, link aggregation, and low-latency studio networking.
• Familiarity with cloud services (AWS/GCP) for extending storage or rendering capacity on demand.
• A strong security mindset with experience implementing user permissions, auditing, and compliance protocols.
• Excellent collaboration and communication skills for interfacing with creative and technical departments.
• Background in animation, VFX, or post-production environments is highly desirable.

We make sure to take care of all our hard-working Wild Brains by offering a comprehensive benefits package and a workplace culture that values our employees’ wellbeing. Our staff enjoy RRSP matching, multi-tiered benefits so you can pick the coverage that’s best for you, free mental health resources, and additional perks like regular events to connect our teams virtually, and in-person.

In short – life is good on the Wild side!

Visit wildbrain.com/studios to learn more!

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" WildBrain Studio provides an atmosphere free from barriers to promote inclusion, equity and diversity. We demonstrate our commitment to this by providing a supportive work environment and a culture that welcomes and encourages equal opportunities for all employees. WildBrain Studio also accommodates people with disabilities throughout the selection process. Should you require accommodation, please let us know your requirements when contacted.”

Pay Range: $85,000 - $95,000 CAD per year

Candidates are paid within the range posted, but their exact pay will vary based on the level, responsibilities and expectations of the role. We also take into consideration the experience and skills that individual brings, with consideration of our internal equity.