System Administrator (Networking & Azure)
Full Time
Why STARS
At STARS, we come to work every day with a purpose…to save lives. Whether you work in the aircraft or at one of our six bases, everyone at STARS plays a vital role in helping to provide critical care, anywhere. Since flying our first mission in 1985, we have never lost sight of what is most important – our VIPS, or Very Important Patients. Each year, we fly over 3,000 missions, providing world-class critical medical care whenever and wherever we are needed, and every team member contributes to helping that VIP. We are a lifeline to the community when time and clinical expertise can make all the difference.
We are currently looking for a System Administrator at our Calgary base in the IT department.
While you may not be flying the helicopter or providing patient care, as a member of STARS’ IT team, you will play an important role in STARS’ life-saving mission. Be part of something bigger. Be part of our team.
Position Summary:
STARS is seeking a highly skilled System Administrator to assist in the design, implementation, and maintenance of our hybrid infrastructure. This role is perfect for a technical specialist who bridges the gap between traditional networking and modern cloud architecture that will help modernize STARS infrastructure and setting us up for the future. You will be responsible for ensuring the stability and security of our infrastructure while delivering results at speed but not sacrificing quality.
Key Responsibilities:
Cloud Infrastructure
- Architect & Manage: Design and deploy scalable cloud solutions including Virtual Machines, Managed SQL Instances, and app services. (Azure experience is relevant, and multi-cloud experience is beneficial.)
- Optimization: Monitor performance and cost-efficiency using cloud advisor tools; implement automation using tools such as Bicep, PowerShell, Azure CLI, or Terraform.
- Identity Management: Manage Entra ID, including Conditional Access policies, MFA, and SSO integrations.
Network Engineering & Security
- Hybrid Connectivity: Build and maintain secure connectivity, such as Site-to-Site VPNs and Azure ExpressRoute.
- Network Security: Manage enterprise firewalls, Load Balancers, and WAFs to ensure zero-trust architecture.
- Performance Tuning: Troubleshoot complex routing issues, latency, and throughput bottlenecks across both LAN/WAN and cloud environments.
Systems Administration & Support
- Architect & Manage: Design and maintain virtualization environments, including on-prem or IAAS environments.
- Infrastructure Health: Act as the Tier 3 escalation point for the Desktop Support team and junior admins.
- Standards & Documentation: Create high-level architecture diagrams and maintain documentation for server/application flows, clearly distinguishing between Dev, Train, and Prod environments.
- Governance: Lead the Change Control process, ensuring all infrastructure modifications are rigorously tested and documented to prevent service outages.
Requirements:
- Cloud: Proven experience with cloud system architecture and network architecture.
- Networking: Deep knowledge of network design, TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, BGP, SD-WAN, and VPNs. Proficiency with Palo Alto and Cisco firewalls.
- Virtualization: Strong background in virtualization solutions such as VMware, Proxmox, or similar. Linux networking and system administration is a valuable bonus.
- Scripting: Proficiency in shell scripting for automating repetitive tasks and configuration.
- Databases: Experience managing connection limits and system-level performance for databases, including Azure Managed Instances and SQL Server.
Qualifications:
- Experience: 5+ years in a System/Network Administration role, with at least 2 years focused on cloud infrastructure.
- Education: Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, IT, or equivalent experience.
- Certifications: AZ-104 (Azure Administrator) or AZ-305 (Solutions Architect) is beneficial. CCNA/CCNP is a major plus.
- Communication: Effective, respectful, positive communication that accelerates mutual understanding and team trust. Ability to mentor junior staff and translate complex technical concepts into understandable language for various audiences.
- Discipline: Excellent at planning, self-management, and fostering individual and team accountability. Ambitious to create results quickly, with a strong commitment to Quality Improvement (QI) and operational excellence.
What we offer:
At STARS, every day we come to work with a purpose, to save lives. Maybe that’s your purpose too.
We provide a strong total reward offering inclusive of a salary tailored to your education and experience, comprehensive organization-paid health and dental benefits, free parking and more. But the real reward is joining a legacy – a legacy of lives saved, of hope in the face of the unimaginable, and of pride in making a difference.
When you join STARS, you become part of a community that knows we’re stronger together. It takes a team to deliver the highest standards of care, and we need you to help us be our best.
Elevate your career. Be part of something bigger. Be part of STARS.
How to Apply/Deadline to apply:
If you are the person we are looking for and would like to make a difference with your career, we encourage you to apply. This posting will remain open until filled.
Want to learn more?
Looking to support life-saving missions from a business perspective? See how our Corporate Services team helps STARS run efficiently and effectively. Learn More About Corporate Services
Skills Required
- 5+ years in System/Network Administration
- 2 years focused on cloud infrastructure
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or IT
- Proven experience with cloud system architecture
- Deep knowledge of network design and protocols
- Strong background in virtualization solutions
- Proficiency in shell scripting
- Experience managing Azure Managed Instances and SQL Server
- AZ-104 or AZ-305 certifications
- CCNA/CCNP qualifications
What We Do
EVERY LIFE IS WORTH FIGHTING FOR. Every day, STARS takes care of some of the most critical patients in Western Canada. We're able to do it because we've built a strong foundation through our Vision and Mission. OUR ORIGIN STORY It all began when a pregnant woman from a rural community died from blood loss, leaving a father alone with their newborn. For STARS founder Dr. Powell, her death was one too many. Something had to be done. Motivated to change emergency care across rural Alberta, Dr. Powell and his colleagues created a helicopter air ambulance service, which was built and supported by the community. While the faces have changed, STARS team members continue to be motivated by our passion for saving more lives and our desire to be the disruptive innovator who contributes to transformation in the health-care system. As we’ve grown and evolved, STARS has never wavered from our mission. Fundamentally we all believe that where you live – or work, play and travel – shouldn’t impact your chance of survival. Our strategy focuses on three core groups that are integral to our fight to save lives: PATIENTS - VIPs (Very Important Patients) are at the centre of our universe and at the forefront of everything we do. CREW - Our missions would not be possible without everyone who works here and makes it a reality. ALLIES - We have a community of supporters who play a vital role in our efforts to save lives.
