Technical Advisor / Software Developer

At CSIS, our people are our strength.

Our IT professionals keep Canadians safe by challenging the status quo and creating opportunities out of the impossible. They are part of dynamic teams of unique and talented individuals working towards a common goal: leveraging technology to keep Canadians safe and to protect Canadian interests.

Our IT professionals are transforming CSIS by leading technology initiatives across the organization. We are seeking candidates with a passion for technology to help us on our journey. As an IT professional, you will be one of the technical experts entrusted with creating innovative and transformative technology solutions and turning technical roadmaps into reality. You will have the opportunity to work with industry experts and collaborate with various business areas within CSIS, and in other organizations within Canada and beyond.

We have Technical Advisor and Software Developer positions available on several teams. Employees in this role are the intermediate technical resources entrusted with creating innovative and transformative technology solutions and contributing to future roadmaps and capabilities within their technical domains.

We are hiring qualified individuals in the following specialized streams:

• Stream 1 – IT End User Systems
• Stream 2 – Data Management Services
• Stream 3 – Application Development, Integration and Verification 
• Stream 4 – Network Technology and Security
• Stream 5 – IT Security / Cyber Security
• Stream 6 – Server, Storage, and Backup Infrastructure
• Stream 7 – IT Service Management and Support
• Stream 8 – IT Application Support / System Administration
• Stream 9 – Communications Technology
• Stream 10 – Data Centre Management
• Stream 11 – Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning Developer
• Stream 12 – Cloud Infrastructure 

If you have the technical experience to strengthen cross-functional and cross-domain development teams and oversee the successful implementation of new systems or solutions, then you are in the right place!

Graduation from a two-year program of study from a recognized post-secondary institution with acceptable specialization in

• computer science;
• information technology;
• data science;
• cognitive science;
• engineering;
• network security;
• cyber security;
• electronics;
• mathematics;
• another specialty relevant to the position to be staffed; or,
• an acceptable combination of education, training, and experience.

The educational program needs to be from an accredited learning institution recognized in Canada. If you completed a program outside of Canada, we will work with you to obtain the required proof of Canadian equivalency through a recognized credential assessment service.

Note: Any higher level of education (i.e., bachelor’s degree, Master’s degree, doctorate) in a related field of study could be recognized as experience.

• Undergraduate degree and three (3) years of relevant experience; or,
• Technologist diploma or professional technologist equivalency designation and four (4) years of relevant experience

Relevant experience for all streams must include at least three (3) of the activities below. The number of years of experience must be acquired and demonstrated for each activity chosen.

• Managing, designing, developing and / or evaluating new technologies, tools, processes, procedures, and standards related to IT systems
• Providing advice and recommendations on complex technology issues with respect to the design, deployment, procedures and maintenance of technical solutions
• Analyzing requirements and/or providing advice and guidance on IT matters to various audiences such as clients and management
• Participating in cross-functional initiatives and collaborating with stakeholders outside your work unit
• Supporting, maintaining and/or performing troubleshooting activities for software and/or systems
• Researching, analyzing and making recommendations on future IT solutions and direction based on industry trends, standards, practices and/or products

An asset qualification is a qualification which can enhance the ability to perform the work based on current and future business requirements, but which is not strictly required.  Assets can help determine right fit in certain circumstances.

Additional Stream-Specific Requirements

In addition to the generic requirements above, candidates must have experience and skills in at least one (1) stream.

Stream 1 – IT End User Systems

Experience designing, implementing, operating, configuring or troubleshooting in a multi-system traditional data centre or private/public cloud environment and/or a minimum of one (1) of the following:

• Desktop hardware and software including the operating system (OS) and firmware
• Microsoft M365 suite of tools and applications
• Microsoft device management tools (e.g., SCCM, Microsoft Group Policies, Intune, etc.)
• Network directory services
• TCP/IP fundamentals (e.g., familiarity with network configuration)
• Server hardware and operating system fundamentals (e.g., Windows Server, Linux)

Assets:

• Experience with routing, firewalls, application load balancing (e.g., F5), proxy servers, intrusion detection and prevention systems (IDS/IPS), Internet edge security solutions, Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)
• Experience with server virtualization technologies (e.g., VMware, Hyper-V), and Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)

Stream 2 – Data Management Services

Experience in Microsoft SQL Server as a database administrator and/or application developer.

Experience in database design and management and a minimum of two (2) of the following:

• Using automatic workflows to provision databases according to corporate standards in order to meet CSIS’s data storage and retrieval needs.
• Creating schemas, tables and relationships to satisfy application and micro-services needs
• Perform ad hoc and/or large-scale data recovery operations in case of either Hardware or Software problems.
• Maintain and implement database security, including data encryption and decryption tasks as well as addressing security vulnerabilities
• Execute and improve existing database backup and recovery strategies

Experience in performance monitoring and optimization and a minimum of one (1) of the following:

• Identify database performance issues and employ the appropriate strategies while working with application support teams
• by exploring different database platform features, gather database usage and technical statistics and perform tuning to ensure optimal performance
• Perform investigations, from a data perspective, on various IT issues, create a plan and execute the best technical resolution strategy.

Experience in data development and a minimum of two (2) of the following:

• Perform end-to-end ETL design over a wide range of application data
• Provide data design recommendations during application development
• Perform migration of databases and their associated applications
• Create and maintain jobs and scripts in support of data transformations

Assets:

• Experience in IBM DB2, Oracle and/or PostgreSQL
• Experience in the implementation of data governance strategies, master data and reference data solutions.
• Experience in delivering data visually by using business intelligence tools

Stream 3 – Application Development, Integration and Verification

Experience designing, building, developing, testing, deploying, maintaining, or improving software/applications with at least one modern language and/or one low code platform such as, but not limited to:

• Java, C, C++, Python, or other modern languages and frameworks
• PEGASystems, PowerApps, Mendix, or other low code platforms

Assets:

• Experience in designing, developing and working with relational databases
• Performing system integration with COTS software and in-house built software
• Developing on mobile platforms (iOS / Android) with one or more mobile application-focused programming language (e.g., Java, Kotlin, Objective C, Swift)
• Automating manual testing scenarios in support of regression testing
• Implementing, configuring, supporting, maintaining, or administrating components of a development environment (e.g., Artifactory, Kubernetes, Jenkins, Team Foundation Server, Gitlab, Jira / Confluence)
• Linux environments and Bash scripting (Ubuntu, Mint, Debian, Fedora, etc.)
• Understanding of anonymization (Virtual Private Network (VPN), Tails, Tor etc.), encryption (SSL, RSA, AES, etc.) and security technologies (Avast, Kaspersky, etc.)
• Utilizing an Infrastructure as Code (IaC) approach to deploying new tools and solutions
• Experience and/or knowledge in deploying dockerized containers
• API design and development
• Certifications in low code platforms like Pega CSSA, Microsoft Power Platform Fundamentals, or Mendix certification
• Experience working with REST/SOAP APIs, JSON, XML, and data mapping concepts 
• Experience with source control systems (Git, Azure DevOps etc.) 

Stream 4 – Network Technology and Security

Experience designing, implementing, supporting, maintaining, configuring, and troubleshooting a minimum of three (3) of the following technologies in an enterprise network: 

• Network infrastructure equipment (switches, routers, firewalls, load balancers, etc.)
• Network encryption, such as Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), Virtual Private Servers (VPS), SSL tunnels, IPsec or Type 1 crypto (Taclanes)
• Network packet capture / analysis solutions (e.g., Wireshark)
• Network virtualization, Software Defined Networking (SD-WAN), Network Firewall Virtualization (NFV), Extreme Fabric, etc.
• Optical transport technologies (e.g., DWDM or CWDM)
• Internet edge security solutions (web filtering, proxy servers, IDS / IPS, firewall inbound / outbound rules)
• Linux (such as CentOS and RedHat) installation, configuration and administration
• Implementing and supporting cross-domain solutions
• Monitoring of network metrics, events, logs, traces and vulnerabilities
• Experience with Enterprise tools such as Splunk, logstash, filebeat and Wazuh

Assets:

• Virtualization, Docker and cloud application services
• Certification (e.g., CCNA, CCIE, Juniper, RedHat)
• Hands-on experience with cloud-based networking
• Campus access network solutions (LAN switching and routing)
• Wide Area Network solutions (WAN routing, multi-tenancy and encryption)
• Data Centre Networking (DC switching and routing, high availability and scalability)
• Generating and maintaining design and build documentation including configuration files, network diagrams and procedures
• Network and application load balancing
• Network management solutions (Extreme Management Centre, Cisco Prime)
• Network Access Control (Extreme Control, Cisco ISE)
• Assessing offensive and defensive security capabilities of technologies
• Writing scripts (UNIX / Linux, MacOS, Windows)
• Server and desktop operating systems (Microsoft)
• Administration of virtualization technologies (e.g., VMWare ESX, VSphere, Hyper-V)
• Experience with MISP and/or OpenCTI

Stream 5 – IT / Cyber Security

Experience designing, implementing, operating, configuring or troubleshooting in a multi-system traditional data centre or private/public cloud environment and/or a minimum of three (3) of the following:

• Identity Management
• Privileged Access Management
• Multi-factor Authentication
• Public Key Infrastructure
• Access Management
• Directory Services
• Desktop, server and mobile Operating Systems (Microsoft Window operating Systems, Red Hat Linux)
• Encryption technologies (SSL, RSA, AES, etc.)
• Administration or remote network endpoints and servers
• Networking and network security (architecture, switches, routers, firewall, IDS / IPS, PSPs) and conducting network protocol analysis
• Monitoring of systems and applications for health and/or security auditing purposes
• Vulnerability Assessment (VA) scans and remediation
• Penetration testing and vulnerability exploitation
• Threat Intelligence gathering and analysis 

Experience interpreting and applying:

• ITSG-33
• Government of Canada Policy on Government Security
• Government of Canada Directive on Service and Digital
• Canadian SIGINT Security Standard on SIGINT Protection and Control (CSSS-100)

Stream 6: Server, Storage, and Backup Infrastructure

Experience designing, implementing, operating, configuring or troubleshooting in a multi-system traditional data centre with a minimum of three (3) of the following:

• Server hardware
• Server operating systems
• Backup/restore systems
• Enterprise storage (SAN) hardware
• Storage fabrics (iSCSI or Fibre Channel)
• Disaster recovery, high-availability, or business continuity technologies and infrastructure
• Server virtualization (VMware, Hyper-V etc.)
• IT Automation and orchestration (e.g., Application / OS containers, shell scripting, etc.)

Asset(s):

• Server middleware applications (IIS, Apache, Java Runtime Environments)
• Microsoft device management tools (e.g., SCCM, Microsoft Group Policies, Intune, etc.)
• Directory services (Active Directory Federation Services, Azure Active Directory)
• Azure and AWS Cloud technologies (SaaS, IaaS, etc.)

Stream 7 – IT Service Management and Support

Experience designing, implementing, operating, configuring or troubleshooting in a multi-system traditional data centre or private / public cloud environment a minimum of three (3) of the following:

• Providing end user support in a multi-system environment
• Building and maintaining effective relationships or partnerships for the purposes of delivering projects or services
• Working with enterprise IT service management tools and technologies (e.g., ServiceNow)
• Extracting, consolidating and integrating data from various sources for the purposes of generating reports for technical and non-technical audiences
• Working in a client service environment and in dealing directly with employees of different levels

Stream 8 – IT Application Support / System Administration

Experience with a minimum of three (3) of the following:

• Managing Microsoft device management tools (e.g., SCCM, Microsoft Group Policies, Intune, etc.)
• Implementing, configuring, supporting, maintaining, or administrating components of a development environment (e.g., Artifactory, Kubernetes, Jenkins, Team Foundation Server, Gitlab, Jira / Confluence, ServiceNow)
• Creating and maintaining integrations with other internal and external systems and solutions, including manipulating and maintaining data between applications and other systems
• Researching, developing, maintaining, and administrating collaborative and communication software and systems including email systems (Exchange,  M365) and office collaboration systems (SharePoint, Skype, M365 Teams)
• Advanced scripting languages (e.g., PowerShell)

Stream 9 – Communication Technology

Experience designing, implementing, operating, configuring or troubleshooting in a multi-system traditional data centre or private / public cloud environment a minimum of three (3) of the following:

• Data centre infrastructure and software technologies such as fibre connections, cabinets and software tools
• Email systems (Exchange,  M365)
• Office collaboration systems (SharePoint, Skype, M365 Teams)
• Advanced scripting (e.g., PowerShell)
• Analog / digital design and circuits
• Antennas and RF signal propagation
• Communications systems, protocols and/or propagation including both wired and wireless networks, audio and video data, installation, RF communication systems, mobile & satellite networks
• Telephony communications systems such as PSTN, VoIP, IMS or satellite
• Communication protocols and standards such as SIP, SCTP, DOCSIS, SS7, MPLS, Bluetooth, Infrared
• Signal processing and analysis
• Voice / data communications (satellite, RF LMR, wireless and telecommunications networks)

Stream 10 – Data Centre Management

Experience with a minimum of two (2) of the following:

• Maintaining a data centre by using data centre management software and tools (e.g., Schneider Electric IT Advisor, Sunbird, Power IQ etc.)
• Monitoring and/or maintaining electromechanical systems relating to the provision of power and cooling
• Performing installation (racking) of IT equipment such as servers, switches and their associated cabling

Stream 11 – Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning Developer

The AI/ML Developer will design, develop, train, and deploy artificial intelligence and machine learning systems and models to support CSIS investigations. Successful candidates must demonstrate experience in at least three of the following areas:

• Designing, developing, training, deploying, and maintaining machine learning models using tools and frameworks including but not limited to: TensorFlow, PyTorch, and MLflow
• Working with data science techniques, including data ingestion, data quality checking, data preprocessing, feature engineering, data transformation, data splitting, and model evaluation
• Experience configuring, deploying, and managing training and inferencing infrastructure using NVIDIA hardware and technologies (e.g., Triton, AI Enterprise)
• Experience with machine learning techniques or fields of study, including but not limited to natural language processing (NLP), Computer Vision, Large Language Models (LLM), Facial Recognition, and Neural Optical Character Recognition (OCR)

Assets:

• Experience with programming / scripting languages: Python, Go
• Experience with Kubernetes
• Experience with cloud services, such as Azure
• Experience with version control systems, such as Git
• Experience with file format analysis, metadata and content extraction using tools, such as Apache Tika
• Experience with fine-tuning pre-trained models
• Experience with Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) or agentic frameworks
• Experience with IDEs and Notebooks such as VS Code and Jupyter for the development of data science and machine learning applications

Stream 12 – Cloud Infrastructure

Experience designing, implementing, operating, configuring or troubleshooting a private / public cloud environment a minimum of three (3) of the following:

• Proficiency in cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud and/or Oracle Cloud).
• Experience with Infrastructure as Code (IaC) tools (e.g., Terraform, ansible, CloudFormation).
• Knowledge of containerization technologies (e.g., Docker, Kubernetes).
• Strong understanding of cloud security best practices and compliance standards.
• Proficiency in scripting languages such as Python, PowerShell, BASH
• Experience with cost management tools (e.g., AWS Cost Explorer, Azure Cost Management), and financial modelling.
• Experience with finops chargeback/showback.

• Collaboration
• Initiative
• Communication Skills
• Adaptability / Flexibility
• Innovation / Creativity

Some positions may require flexible work hours that extend beyond core hours of work as well as shift work consisting of a rotating shift schedule.

This selection process may be used to staff anticipated vacancies or other similar positions with various language requirements. Therefore, we encourage all interested candidates to apply. Second language evaluations will be offered to candidates. For more information on language requirements: (external link www.canada.ca/en/public-service-commission/jobs/services/gc-jobs/language-requirements-candidates).

This position is eligible for the Technology Market Modifier, which is valued at 7% of the basic annual salary ($99,392 - $120,917). The above compensation package includes the 7% market modifier.

Clearly articulate in your cover letter your education, experience, language skills and which stream(s) you would like to be considered for.

An exam may be administered as a screening, selection and/or assessment tool in order to evaluate the candidates’ relevant technical knowledge and/or other relevant abilities.

While we continue to explore opportunities for flexible work arrangements, the majority of work in our organization must be done in the office and cannot be performed at home.

Some relocation expenses may be reimbursed.

If you need accommodations during the recruitment process, please mention it to the HR representative.