DevOps Lead

Job description

The Opportunity WHC is looking for a hands-on, technically deep Infrastructure Operations Lead to own the performance, reliability, and operational health of our server fleet. Reporting to the Director of Technology, you’ll keep our servers fast and available, bring order and consistency to how we run the fleet, and make sure automation, security, and backups are solid so problems stop repeating. This is a doer-first role: an operator who leads by doing and sets the standard by example, not a manager directing from a distance. You’ll set standards for a small team of DevOps and system administration engineers, but the day-to-day is technical ownership, not headcount management. It is not an on-call role; our system administrators are the 24/7 first responders, and you’re the next level up. What You’ll Do • Keep our servers fast and available: plan for growth, and find and resolve performance problems across CPU, disk, databases, and web servers before they become incidents. • Bring the fleet to a known, consistent state: reduce the one-off snowflakes, close the gaps, and make “how a WHC server should look” something the whole team can point to and trust. • Treat Git as the single source of truth for server configuration; automate routine work so changes are safe and repeatable, and add checks that flag when a server has drifted from its expected state. • Keep our servers hardened and get real answers on how well our current tooling is actually protecting us, and support our PCI DSS and SOC 2 work. • Ensure backups are reliable and that we can rebuild a full server within our target recovery time, including a repeatable, documented server-migration capability. Test the restore; don’t trust the document. • Build and maintain a strong library of operational runbooks, keeping our procedures current and trusted so the team always has good documentation to work from. • Be the main day-to-day operational contact for our infrastructure vendors: support, escalations, and operational issues. • Look for simpler, safer, more efficient ways to run our systems, including the careful, practical use of AI in operations work. • Coach the engineers around you, set clear expectations, and partner well with Development and System Administration. Lead by owning outcomes, not by counting hours. What You Bring • Deep, hands-on Linux skills across a fleet of servers, not only cloud or container environments. You’re comfortable operating many machines at once and making them consistent. • Solid scripting and automation (Bash, plus Python or Perl), and real experience managing server configuration in Git and automating changes safely. • Production MySQL/MariaDB: replication, tuning, backup, and restore. • Experience with backups and disaster recovery, including meeting a defined recovery time. • A monitoring and performance mindset: you find the bottleneck rather than waiting for the ticket. • Security-by-default instincts for hardening and running servers. • Excellent written and spoken English; you'll communicate clearly with our team and vendors. • Ownership: you take a problem to done, document your work, and you don’t become the bottleneck for everyone else. • Clear, calm communication: you can steady a team during an incident and explain a technical issue in plain language. • Substantial experience in Linux systems or operations roles, including some experience setting standards for or leading a small team. Years matter less than range. Nice to Have • Web hosting at scale: cPanel/WHM, CloudLinux, LiteSpeed, shared hosting. • WHMCS, or a similar billing and automation platform. • FreeIPA, or another LDAP/Kerberos identity system. • Self-hosted virtualization (Proxmox, LXD, KVM) rather than only public cloud. • PCI DSS or SOC 2 experience. • Comfort with AI tools, and experience using AI safely and practically in operations work. This is an important plus. • French, and experience working with Canadian data. Why Join WHC? • A collaborative team culture where your work is visible, your decisions matter, and your impact is meaningful. • A Canadian, independent company with a clear market identity, a loyal customer base, and a strong focus on helping Canadians succeed online. • An AI-forward environment where we’re actively exploring how AI can improve how we build, operate, and support customers. • Competitive compensation and benefits with a flexible hybrid work model. • Access to training, mentorship, and career advancement opportunities. • Frequent gatherings, lively 5à7s, a vibrant social club, and memorable holiday parties. • A bright, renovated office in Little Italy with a fully stocked kitchen and a game room featuring ping-pong, foosball, Nintendo, Nerf guns, and a library. • Certified a Great Place to Work® for five years running, because we believe work should be fun, fulfilling, and rewarding. Ready to Make an Impact? If you’re a hands-on infrastructure operator who takes ownership, brings order to complexity, and cares about running a fleet you can defend, we want to hear from you. Apply today and help us keep the platform behind WHC fast, reliable, and ready for what’s next. WHC is an equal-opportunity employer. We welcome and encourage applications from all qualified candidates, including those with diverse backgrounds and abilities. At Web Hosting Canada (WHC), we’re passionate about helping Canadians succeed online with reliable, locally focused web hosting services. Since 2003, we’ve empowered businesses and individuals with top-notch websites, domains, and email solutions. If you’re looking for a dynamic, caring environment and you’re excited by the idea of running the infrastructure behind Canada’s #1 web host, we’d love to have you join our team.