IT Manager

About Stellar Creative Lab

Stellar Creative Lab fosters a workplace culture where collaboration and open communication thrive. We prioritize honesty, creativity, and mutual support through all production phases. Our venture, Stellar Code Lab, is an internal startup developing cutting-edge solutions powered by technologies used by Marvel, Amazon, and Netflix, with innovations such as Slingshot AI enhancing animation technology.

Position Overview

We are searching for a proactive and highly skilled IT Manager to take full ownership of the technology infrastructure across both our production and software departments. As part of a lean, high-impact IT team including an IT Systems Administrator, you will lead strategic planning, oversee budgets, and manage vendors while remaining hands-on in system administration, network management, automation scripting, and data center operations. This role is ideal for experienced IT leaders ready to shape our studio's tech environment within a dynamic startup atmosphere.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the IT department by defining and executing technology roadmaps, managing infrastructure budgets, and enhancing cybersecurity measures to scale studio operations and software delivery.
• Oversee software licensing, hardware procurement, vendor contracts, and maintain IT asset inventories.
• Serve as the primary technical contact for TPN and third-party security audits, ensuring compliance with stringent industry security standards.
• Supervise and mentor the IT team, set workflows, prioritize support tickets, and develop clear documentation of IT processes.
• Design and maintain automated deployment pipelines for Rocky9 Linux and Windows Server environments using tools like Puppet, Ansible, and Python scripting.
• Administer high-throughput storage solutions and hybrid cloud infrastructure (AWS/GCP) supporting backups and containerized applications utilizing Docker.
• Configure and uphold network infrastructure encompassing Layer 1 to 3 (Arista, Fortinet, VLANs, TCP/IP, DNS/DHCP) tailored to support rendering farms and large data transfers efficiently.
• Manage onboarding hardware provisioning and user account setups for studio employees.
• Act as the final escalation point for complex infrastructure, network, and workstation issues managed through Jira Service Management.
• Perform hands-on physical data center tasks including server racking, cable management, and hardware upkeep.
• Support installation, updates, and maintenance of software used in 2D/3D animation pipelines and AI development, collaborating closely with pipeline developers and engineers.

Candidate Requirements

• Minimum 5 years of progressive experience in Systems Engineering, Senior IT Administration, or IT Leadership roles, preferably within animation, visual effects, gaming, or high-performance computing startups.
• Proven leadership skills with experience managing direct reports, leading IT projects, or overseeing small technical teams, and the ability to communicate technical requirements effectively to executives.
• Strong practical expertise in managing Linux (Rocky9) and Windows OS environments, including Active Directory administration.
• Skilled in Python scripting and automation tools such as Puppet or Ansible for configuration management.
• Hands-on knowledge of networking layers 1 through 3, including firewall management (Fortinet and Arista), VMware virtualization, and Docker container platforms.
• Adaptable and resourceful mindset suited for a fast-evolving startup setting, capable of balancing strategic initiatives and immediate operational needs.
• Physical capability to lift and install server hardware up to 50 pounds, hold a valid driver's license, and manage transportation for visits to the offsite data center not accessible by public transit.
• Must be legally authorized to work in British Columbia, Canada.

Work Environment and Benefits

• Hybrid working arrangement with flexibility to work 2 to 3 days weekly from the Vancouver office.
• Comprehensive health benefits including extended medical, dental, and vision coverage.
• High degree of autonomy to influence and direct IT infrastructure that supports acclaimed creative projects and pioneering software tools.
• Supportive and collaborative culture emphasizing the importance of technical expertise in driving creative success.
• Salary in the range of 100000 to 120000 CAD annually, calibrated to experience levels.