IT Systems Engineer - Contractor

Job Description

Engagement type: Independent contractor / freelance 

Duration: ~4 weeks initial deployment + 36 months L1 support (~20 hrs/month)

Clearance required: Government of Canada Level III – Top Secret, active and in good standing.

About the engagement

Sopra Steria is deploying its Cyber Range platform at a federal customer site in Ottawa.

We are looking for an experienced IT engineer to act as our on-site hands and L1 support contact for the duration of the engagement.

You will be trained by our core Cyber Range team in Ottawa and become the customer's first line of technical contact post-deployment.

Scope of work

Phase 1 — Training & Installation (1month)

• Remote or on-site training delivered by the Sopra Steria Cyber Range team. Covers platform architecture, scenario deployment, common troubleshooting, and escalation paths.
• Rack-and-stack, network integration, OS/hypervisor setup, deployment of the Cyber Range platform, loading and validation of training scenarios, handover documentation, customer acceptance.

Phase 2 — L1 support (~20 hrs/month for 36 months, on-site as needed)

• First-line technical support: incident triage, basic troubleshooting, scenario resets, minor configuration changes, coordination with Sopra Steria L2/L3 remote teams, periodic health checks.

Qualifications

Required profile

• Active Government of Canada Top Secret (Level III) clearance — must be valid at contract start
• 5+ years as an IT / systems / infrastructure engineer
• Strong Linux administration (RHEL/Ubuntu/Debian — CLI, networking stack, systemd, virtualization)
• Solid networking fundamentals (VLANs, routing, firewalls, VPN, packet capture/troubleshooting)
• Comfortable with virtualization / hypervisors (VMware, KVM, or Proxmox)
• Able to work independently on-site, document clearly, and escalate appropriately
• Bilingual EN/FR is a plus but not required; working English is mandatory

Nice to have

• Prior experience with cyber range & Cybersecurity activities
• Scripting (Bash, Python, Ansible)
• Prior federal sector engagement experience
• Security certifications (Sec+, RHCE, CCNA, or equivalent)

Additional Information

Why Join Sopra Steria Canada?

Sopra Steria Canada is proud to be certified as a “Great Place to Work” 2026, a recognition that reflects our commitment to creating an inspiring, supportive, and people‑first environment where every employee can thrive.

What you can look forward to:

• Competitive compensation including a strong base salary and annual performance bonus.
• A comprehensive, fully covered benefits package designed with your well‑being in mind:
  • virtual healthcare 
  • life insurance
  • long-term disability
  • health, dental, and vision coverage
  • a health spending account for additional flexibility
  • Sopra Steria covers 100% of premiums
• Generous paid time off, including sick leave, personal days, and 3 weeks of vacation to recharge and take care of what matters most.
• A monthly transportation allowance, making your commute smoother and more affordable.
• Excellent learning, development, and career advancement opportunities, backed by active support to help you strengthen your skills. You’ll grow within a company culture that is caring, collaborative, and genuinely inclusive.
• A hybrid work environment that offers the best of both flexibility and connection.
• All the equipment you need to stay productive and perform at your best from day one.

We sincerely thank all applicants for their interest in this opportunity. We truly appreciate the time and effort you put into applying. Please note that only candidates selected for the next steps in the recruitment process will be contacted.

At Sopra Steria, we’re proud to be an equal opportunity employer and to nurture a workplace where everyone feels welcome, respected, and supported. We are committed to fighting all forms of discrimination and building an environment where every individual can thrive. We warmly encourage applications from all qualified candidates, including women, visible minorities, Indigenous peoples, and persons with disabilities. If you require accommodations at any stage of the selection process, we will be happy to provide them upon request.