Senior Azure DevOps / AI Platform DevOps Specialist

Ottawa based: Seeking an experienced Senior Azure DevOps / AI Platform DevOps Contractor to join our team. The ideal candidate will bring deep expertise in Azure cloud deployment, modern GitLab CI/CD practices, and hands-on experience with Kubernetes or OpenShift. Strong proficiency in Python scripting and automation is required, along with experience in networking, security, and enterprise integrations. Experience supporting or deploying AI/ML workloads into production is highly desirable.

Advantages
Experience implementing data governance and control frameworks.
Experience using HashiCorp Vault for secrets management.
Experience using and securing S3-compatible object storage, such as MinIO.
Experience creating and optimizing production-grade GitLab CI/CD workflows.
Strong experience in Kubernetes cluster administration and operational best practices.
Expert knowledge of Kubernetes deployments using Helm.
Experience with NVIDIA GPU Operator and GPU features such as time-slicing and MIG slicing.
Experience with LDAP and SSO authentication flows.
Experience building and securing Docker images.
Strong scripting capability in Bash and Python.
Experience implementing RBAC controls, particularly in environments handling sensitive data.
Experience implementing security and compliance tooling, including vulnerability scanning and SAST.
Experience using tools such as Prometheus and Grafana for monitoring, observability, and audit support.
Experience designing and implementing highly available systems.

Responsibilities
Implement and optimize DevOps practices within an Azure cloud environment, ensuring security, scalability, resilience, and reliability.
Design, build, and maintain robust GitLab CI/CD pipelines to accelerate software delivery, infrastructure automation, and production deployment.
Support the deployment and operation of containerized workloads using Kubernetes and/or OpenShift, applying platform engineering and operational best practices.
Contribute to the design and delivery of AI/Agentic AI DevOps capabilities, enabling secure, production-ready deployment of AI workloads and supporting associated infrastructure and controls.
Drive automation for infrastructure provisioning, configuration, and deployment using Infrastructure as Code principles and repeatable engineering practices.
Collaborate closely with development, operations, security, and enterprise platform teams to troubleshoot and resolve complex live performance, stability, and integration issues, while implementing preventative improvements.
Support release planning, deployment scheduling, and operational readiness for cloud-hosted and AI-enabled applications.
Provide technical guidance and recommendations to engineering teams based on operational analysis, observability data, and platform monitoring insights.
Ensure solutions align with enterprise requirements for security, authentication, access control, governance, and integration with corporate systems.
Stay current with emerging DevOps, Azure, Kubernetes, and AI platform technologies, sharing knowledge and mentoring team members where appropriate.

Qualifications
Proven experience deploying, managing, and optimizing applications and platforms in Microsoft Azure.
Strong hands-on experience with Kubernetes, including cluster operations, workload deployment, and platform best practices.
Strong understanding of networking and security, particularly in cloud and containerized environments.
Demonstrated success designing and maintaining GitLab CI/CD pipelines for enterprise-scale applications and services.
Strong scripting and automation capability using Python, with Bash or similar scripting also desirable.
Experience integrating solutions with enterprise systems, including identity, authentication, and access management components.
Strong troubleshooting skills with a proactive approach to reliability, operational support, and continuous improvement.
Ability to communicate effectively with both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
Desirable experience supporting AI/ML or Agentic AI workloads in production.

Summary
Role Overview: We are looking for a Senior Azure DevOps / AI Platform DevOp to join our DevOps team. This role is specifically focused on managing and optimizing applications deployed within the Microsoft Azure cloud environment with a focus on AI workflow
Must-Have Requirements:
Experience: Minimum 5 years of relevant experience in DevOps or Cloud Engineering roles.
Azure Expertise: Significant expertise in Microsoft Azure cloud services and deployments.
Must have expertise in AI workflow ( experience supporting AI/ML or Agentic AI workloads in production)
CI/CD: A proven track record of building and supporting CI/CD pipelines within enterprise environments.
Automation: Strong scripting and automation skills, with a specific focus on Python.
Nice-to-Have Skills:
Infrastructure as Code (IaC): Hands-on coding experience with Terragrunt and Terraform.
Testing: Experience integrating automated testing into the deployment lifecycle.
Process Management: Experience implementing and managing comprehensive DevOps processes and best practices.
Location Ottawa
This role is Hybrid, 3 days in office, 2 days work from home.
Schedule: Core hours are 9:30am–3pm local time (somehow flexible) can start as early as 7:30
Clearance Requirement: Secret, CGP, or Trade clearance;
This position can be extended or become permanent

Randstad Canada is committed to fostering a workforce reflective of all peoples of Canada. As a result, we are committed to developing and implementing strategies to increase the equity, diversity and inclusion within the workplace by examining our internal policies, practices, and systems throughout the entire lifecycle of our workforce, including its recruitment, retention and advancement for all employees. In addition to our deep commitment to respecting human rights, we are dedicated to positive actions to affect change to ensure everyone has full participation in the workforce free from any barriers, systemic or otherwise, especially equity-seeking groups who are usually underrepresented in Canada's workforce, including those who identify as women or non-binary/gender non-conforming; Indigenous or Aboriginal Peoples; persons with disabilities (visible or invisible) and; members of visible minorities, racialized groups and the LGBTQ2+ community.

Randstad Canada is committed to creating and maintaining an inclusive and accessible workplace for all its candidates and employees by supporting their accessibility and accommodation needs throughout the employment lifecycle. We ask that all job applications please identify any accommodation requirements by sending an email to accessibility@randstad.ca to ensure their ability to fully participate in the interview process.