Information Technology System Administrator

Pattern Matched Technologies; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 600,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a dynamic fintech company as a Senior System Administrator, where your expertise in Solaris and Linux infrastructure will drive operational excellence. You'll oversee critical services, including PostgreSQL database management, automate processes, and work in a team focused on innovation and security. This role offers a chance to influence infrastructure decisions and benefit from competitive compensation and ongoing professional development.

Benefits

Competitive compensation

Dedicated time for upskilling and certifications

Potential for equity participation

Work with a talented engineering team

Qualifications

• 10+ years in Unix/Linux/Solaris system administration.
• Expert-level Solaris experience (x86-based).
• Proficient in Bash/shell scripting for automation.

Responsibilities

• Administer Solaris, Linux, and Unix systems with a focus on high availability.
• Manage PostgreSQL databases, including backups and replication.
• Implement security best practices and compliance measures.

Skills

Unix System Administration

Solaris Expertise

Linux System Administration

Bash/Shell Scripting

PostgreSQL Administration

Automation

Infrastructure Hardening

High Availability

Disaster Recovery

Tools

Ansible

Zabbix

Terraform

Docker

Job description

About the Role

We are seeking a seasoned and highly capable Senior System Administrator to oversee and optimise our core infrastructure across Unix, Solaris, and Linux systems. As a fintech software company, our platforms require maximum reliability, performance, and security — your role will be pivotal in ensuring operational excellence.

We are particularly interested in individuals with strong Solaris expertise, preferably with x86 architecture, who can also work seamlessly within hybrid and Linux-based environments. This role includes ownership of critical services such as PostgreSQL database operations, system replication, automation, and infrastructure hardening.

Key Responsibilities

1. Administer, monitor, and maintain Solaris, Linux, and Unix systems (Solaris is a strong focus).
2. Perform system upgrades, patch management, user provisioning, and automation via shell/Bash scripting.
3. Proactively ensure high availability, uptime, and peak system performance across production, staging, and DR environments.
4. Manage PostgreSQL databases, including installation, tuning, backup/restore, replication (logical or streaming), and version upgrades — especially in Solaris-based setups.
5. Implement and maintain automated monitoring, alerting, and log analysis pipelines (e.g., Zabbix, systemd, syslog).
6. Build and improve infrastructure automation using Bash, Linux and Solaris packages, cron, Ansible, or similar tools.
7. Troubleshoot complex infrastructure and network issues, performing root cause analysis and resolution.
8. Develop and maintain documentation, runbooks, and procedures for infrastructure and database systems.
9. Collaborate with development and DevOps teams on CI/CD pipelines, production readiness, and deployment efficiency.
10. Implement and audit security best practices, system hardening policies, and compliance measures (e.g., SSH policies, firewall/IPTables, user access control).

Requirements

1. 10+ years of hands-on experience in Unix/Linux/Solaris system administration in production environments.
2. Expert-level Solaris experience (x86-based, with SMF service framework).
3. Advanced proficiency in Bash/shell scripting for automation and maintenance tasks.
4. Practical knowledge of infrastructure automation tools such as cron, systemd, and optionally Ansible or Puppet.
5. Extensive experience with PostgreSQL database administration, including replication strategies and tuning.
6. PostgreSQL database clustering experience, strategies for distributing, replicating, or organising data and workloads across multiple servers for performance, fault tolerance, or scalability.
7. Familiarity with ZFS, LVM, NFS, SSH, IPTables, logging frameworks, and systemd services.
8. Solid grasp of high-availability, backup/recovery, and disaster recovery planning.
9. Comfort with performing scheduled maintenance, applying security patches, and adhering to change control processes.

Preferred/Bonus Skills

1. Certification in PostgreSQL administration (e.g. EDB Certified, PostgreSQL CE).
2. Experience with Solaris virtualisation technologies such as Zones or LDOMs.
3. Working knowledge of cloud environments (AWS preferred) and hybrid infrastructure management.
4. Familiarity with infrastructure-as-code (IaC) practices and tools (e.g., Terraform, Ansible).
5. Exposure to container technologies (e.g., Docker) within Unix-compatible environments.

Why Join Us

1. Join a forward-thinking fintech company with a strong culture of technical excellence.
2. Influence core infrastructure decisions and security strategies.
3. Access to cutting-edge systems and dedicated time for upskilling and certifications.
4. Competitive compensation, benefits, and potential for equity participation.
5. Work alongside a talented team of engineers and architects in a high-impact role.

Application Process

Please submit your CV along with a cover letter outlining your relevant experience and systems you’ve previously managed. Shortlisted candidates will be invited for:

1. A technical interview covering system administration, automation, and PostgreSQL knowledge.
2. A hands-on practical challenge simulating a typical system incident or maintenance scenario.

South African Citizens Only*