UNIX Administrator

Role overview

This is a dual-platform role for a Specialist Unix Administrator responsible for the autonomous administration and operation of both IBM AIX (on IBM Power) and Oracle Solaris (SPARC / x86) environments. The administrator owns systems and complex processes, resolves advanced OS- and application-level issues, and mentors junior administrators.

The Unix Administrator has a sound technical orientation and acts as a Cell Member with an agile and digital mindset, deployed where their knowledge and experience is needed and flexible in terms of use across different cells and chapters, even across cluster boundaries.

What you’ll do

• Administer and operate Unix server estates (IBM AIX on Power & Oracle Solaris on SPARC/x86) for business‑critical applications.
• Troubleshoot, investigate and resolve complex OS- and application-level issues ; perform monitoring, performance analysis and optimization.
• Plan, deploy, patch and upgrade AIX and Solaris application servers in production, ensuring stability, security and availability.
• Provide 2nd- and 3rd-level support for Unix platforms; analyze incidents, correct problems and handle vulnerabilities.
• Install, configure, update and troubleshoot OS packages and software, following organizational processes and change/release guidelines.
• Perform health checks and proactively monitor systems to detect performance, stability and availability issues; remediate identified deficiencies.
• Execute OS-level and security patching in line with COBA / organizational patching principles and guidelines.
• Manage security topics : SIEM, PAM, hardening and vulnerability management tools (e.g. Nessus); ensure adherence to security standards.
• Handle identity & access management : LDAP/Kerberos and Oracle LDAP/access management; manage users, groups and authorizations.
• Operate and maintain middleware components (e.g. Tivoli, backup, monitoring agents) and related system dependencies.
• Automate system tasks and sequences using shell scripting and tools like Ansible Automation Platform (AAP) .
• Support server migration, consolidation and modernization projects; maintain asset and configuration documentation for audit and operations.
• Ensure regulatory, compliance, reporting and audit requirements are met using best practices.
• Provide customer consulting and support for services in scope; collaborate closely and communicate proactively with internal stakeholders.
• Participate in on-call and out-of-hours support when required.
• Act as a mentor to L1 / junior administrators and collaborate with senior admins to resolve system-wide issues.

What you’ll bring

Experience

• At least 5 years of professional experience as a Unix/System Administrator or similar role.
• Proven L2 / L3 support experience resolving advanced AIX and Solaris issues at OS and application levels.
• Strong background in IT operations with responsibility for systems and complex processes.

Technical skills

• IBM AIX (IBM Power) :

• AIX administration on IBM Power servers (IBM Certified Administrator level expected).

• LPAR / micro-partitioning and VIOS (Virtual I/O Server) administration – creation, configuration and resource allocation.

• PowerHA SystemMirror cluster configuration and management for high availability.

• Administration of AIX-specific middleware and tooling (e.g. Tivoli, backup agents) and Kerberos integration.

• Oracle Solaris (SPARC / x86) :

• Solaris administration on SPARC and x86, including virtualization concepts.

• Expertise in Solaris Zones and Kernel Zones – creation, configuration and troubleshooting for high availability.

• Advanced ZFS storage administration – pool and volume management, optimization and storage migrations.

• Solaris Volume Manager – host-based mirroring strategies and storage migrations.

• Oracle Solaris Cluster – high availability, cluster start-up and health checks, monitoring and system start-up configurations.

• Oracle LDAP / access management on Solaris.

• Automation & patching

• Administer partially automated patching processes adhering to COBA patching principles.

• Build automation with Ansible Automation Platform (AAP) and shell scripting.

• Storage & migrations

• Lead storage migrations and implement host-based mirroring strategies (e.g. Solaris Volume Manager, ZFS).

• Security & IAM

• Manage identity and access ( LDAP/Kerberos; Oracle LDAP/access management ).

• Very good understanding of IT security, vulnerability management, SIEM and PAM.

*Please note: Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.