Overview

LEAD SYSTEMS ADMINISTRATOR – Image Engine, Vancouver, BC
Contract: starting November/December 2015
Project: TBD

ABOUT IMAGE ENGINE

Well known for our work on Neill Blomkamp’s District 9, Image Engine has gone on to create numerous incredible creatures, epic environments and extraordinary digital effects for a broad range of feature films! We are an independently owned and operated company, led by a team of creative and passionate individuals who are committed to furthering the art of visual storytelling, and helping our exceptionally talented crew to push the boundaries of artistic and technical achievement at our studio.

POSITION PURPOSE

Lead System Administrators will take ownership of the maintenance of Image Engine’s hardware and software systems. They will work with the IT Manager to identify/prioritize current or potential system requirements or issues to enable Image Engine Artists to complete their role effectively, with minimal downtime or disruptions. They will be responsible for all server administration and certification as well as maintaining our in-house servers.

Lead System Administrators will be proactive in researching, analyzing and recommending new software or hardware systems to create efficiencies and improve studio operations. In addition, Lead System Administrators will have a vital role in the development of the System Admin team. They will coach, monitor and train Junior System Administrators to ensure all work completed meets Image Engine quality standards and tasks are completed within the assigned timeframe.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

Engage in the performance management process such as performance reviews, daily feedback, and mentoring
Review scope of work and assign tasks based on artist skills/abilities
Communicate successes and challenges faced by the team to the IT Manager
Lead team of System Administrators to /assist with the installation, configuration, administration and maintenance of IE’s tech infrastructure; authentication, messaging, DCHP/DNS, Deployment Systems (Cobbler /Ansible / SaltStack)
Maintain and manage the CommVault / Quantum based backup systems
Maintain and manage the network infrastructure; Switches & Firewalls
Maintain render farm machines onsite & offsite
Administration and maintenance of our NAS & Caching Infrastructure
Preparation and maintenance of infrastructure documentation on all systems, procedures and solutions to issues
Maintain and manage IE’s wide array of open source monitoring tools: OCS, Ganglia, Cacti, Sensu, Syslog, and Zabbix
Recommend and Evaluate open source and off the shelf software solutions
Troubleshooting and resolving issues with production and administration applications (including: Maya, Nuke, 3delight, Houdini)
Provide input into potential improvements in efficiency, reliability and performance of VFX pipeline
Assist & mentor the desktop support team

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

Must have solid knowledge of and a minimum of 8 years’ experience in Linux/Unix administration. Linux Certification preferred  (RHCE or equivalent)
5 years of VFX pipeline experience including:
An understanding of film imagery, formats of image files and codecs
Experience with Renderfarm and farm management (ie. Qube, Tractor)
Experience supporting and troubleshooting VFX software packages (Maya, 3Delight, Nuke etc.)
Experience with high-end/ high capacity storage systems
Experience with license servers (FlexLM, RLM)
Experience with imaging service (Cobbler)
Experience with maintaining production tracking systems (Shotgun)
Experience with installing software packages centrally

SKILLS AND ABILITIES
Technical skills

Experience in installation and configuration servers in a Linux/Unix environment
Good knowledge of and experience (2-3 years) in Windows (Windows 7,Windows Server 2008, Active Directory) and Mac OSX (Snow Leopard, Leopard)
Experience working with NAS and SAN storage systems
Basic Unix/ Linux/ Python scripting experience
Core skills

Must be able to multi-task and maintain a positive attitude when working under pressure
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Capable of motivating and leading a team, with enthusiasm and clarity
Ability to stay calm under pressure
Excellent time management skills

HOW TO APPLY

E-mail your resume and cover letter to jobs@image-engine.com. The subject should read “Lead Systems Administrator – your name”. Please include your availability.