DevOps / Automated Testing Expert

Requisition Name: DevOps / Automated Testing Expert

Location of Services: Victoria (Remote within Canada)

Position: Application Designer / Developer Level 2

Project Name: BC Government's Media Monitoring & Insights (MMI) Project

Estimated Work Start Date: 02-Jan-2025

Estimated Work End Date: 31-Mar-2025

# of Positions: 1

Standard Hours Per Day: 7.00

Estimated Work Days: 63.00

This is a procurement for 1 of Application Designer/Developer Level 2 as further described in the Requisition and section 3 of this RFP, to work as the DevOps / Automated Testing Expert on the BC Government's Media Monitoring & Insights (MMI) Project and technology modernization of the Province's Custom Web Platform.

These roles can be performed remotely within Canada and resources must be available from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM PST or as per business needs.

An Application Designer/Developer at Experience Level 2 requires the following skill set:

Plan and manage the technical design, development and implementation of new and/or enhanced business systems applications by:

• identifying and estimating required technical activities;
• defining technical work assignments and priorities;
• monitoring technical work; recommending/implementing solutions to scheduling, logistical and/or operational problems;
• ensuring involvement of all appropriate technical specialists to meet business requirements;
• lead unit, integration and system tests to evaluate development outcomes, ensure conformity with user client needs and compatibility with policies and standards;
• ensure quality control performed on all deliverables before handover to Business Consultant;
• ensure development of procedures to facilitate data conversions, data backup and systems security;
• monitor software development work and certify deliverables;
• plan, lead, and otherwise undertake the development of integrated proof of concept solutions, to verify emerging technologies, products, services, and methodologies, to ensure government understands technical opportunities/exposures, and to ensure deployment minimizes associated risks and threats.

The DevOps / Automated Testing Expert is required to have the following skills and experience:

• The DevOps and Automated Testing Expert will establish automated testing and continuous integration/continuous delivery (CI/CD) pipelines, ensuring the reliability and efficiency of software development and deployment processes.

In addition to the skills and experience set out above, the Proponents should demonstrate that the proposed Consultant(s) have the following additional skills and experience:

• Experience: At least 5-8 years in DevOps, with a strong background in automated testing frameworks and CI/CD pipeline implementation in a public-sector or regulated environment.
• Technical Expertise:
• Extensive experience with CI/CD tools like Jenkins, GitLab CI/CD, or equivalent.
• Skilled in Infrastructure as Code (IaC) using tools like Terraform, Ansible, or CloudFormation for automated environment provisioning.
• Proficient in automated testing tools and frameworks.
• Knowledge of containerization and orchestration technologies, particularly Docker and Kubernetes.
• Skills:
• Strong debugging and troubleshooting skills to ensure continuous delivery pipeline stability.
• Knowledge in monitoring and logging (e.g., ELK Stack, Splunk, Tenable) to set up real-time system monitoring and alerts.
• Collaborative mindset for cross-functional DevOps practices and knowledge transfer.
• Certifications (preferred): OpenShift, AWS Certified DevOps Engineer, Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA), or ISTQB for testing.

The Contractor's responsibilities will include the following:

• Implement and maintain a CI/CD pipeline to streamline deployment processes.
• Develop and execute automated testing frameworks.
• Monitor and optimize system performance.
• Establish a repository for code management in GitHub with branches for each development.
• Modernized, Scalable Technical & Web Architecture.
• Sustainable Knowledge Transfer and Capacity Building.

The Contractor's key activities will include the following:

• Establish and maintain a CI/CD pipeline to support agile development and rapid deployment of MMI updates.
• Develop and implement automated testing frameworks to cover unit, integration, and performance testing.
• Monitor and optimize system performance, ensuring robust logging, alerting, and error-handling mechanisms.
• Integrate Infrastructure as Code (IaC) practices for environment provisioning and scalability.
• Work closely with core team to promote DevOps best practices.

The Contractor's key deliverables will include the following:

• CI/CD Pipeline Configuration: Fully operational CI/CD setup, including automated testing and rollback procedures.
• Automated Testing Suite: Comprehensive set of automated test scripts and documentation for ongoing quality assurance.
• Monitoring and Alerting Dashboard: A real-time dashboard for tracking system health, with logging and alerting configured for prompt issue detection.
• Training Sessions and Documentation: Knowledge transfer sessions and materials to empower the core team.

The project is a high-impact initiative that requires a systematic approach to implementing the recommendations from a recent external review of the MMI system. The appointed vendor(s) will deliver specialized resources to address key areas, including architecture, automated testing, user-centered design, and documentation, all within a collaborative, transparent framework. The resources will collaborate with the core team members throughout the project and will contribute to the achievement of the following outcomes:

Project outcomes will include:

• An architectural blueprint, risk assessment report, a proposed list of activities to March 31, 2025, in the first three weeks.
• Training sessions, knowledge transfer plans, and quick-reference guides for ongoing maintenance and development.
• A future-proof, scalable architecture for the MMI solution, ready to integrate current and future technology components.
• A fully operational CI/CD pipeline and an automated testing framework that ensures quality control, facilitates rapid deployments, and reduces errors.
• Complete and accessible system documentation that supports ease of use, maintenance, and knowledge transfer for internal teams.
• A design framework informed by user insights and research, ensuring the MMI solution aligns with the needs of end-users and enhances usability.
• Internal teams equipped to manage and maintain the MMI solution, reducing dependency on external vendors and ensuring long-term project sustainability.
• Modernize our approach and the underlying technologies that we use to deliver bespoke web and application services for program areas across government.