Senior Middleware Specialist

Client: Supply Ontario Work Location: 525 University Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, Canada Job Type: Hybrid – 3 Days in Office Start Date: September 21, 2026 End Date: September 20, 2027 Business Days: 252 Hours: 7.25 hours/day, 5 days/week Application Deadline: Wednesday, August 26, 2026 at 9:00 AM EST Role Snapshot Supply Ontario is seeking a Senior Middleware Specialist to support the Provincial Common Integration Service team responsible for enterprise shared services, including the Health Information Access Layer (HIAL) and ONE Access Gateway (OAG). The successful candidate will provide senior-level, hands-on middleware engineering expertise for the HIAL technology upgrade and migration to AWS. The role will focus on modernizing mission-critical middleware platforms through the containerization of IBM DataPower and IBM App Connect Enterprise on OpenShift, operating system upgrades, Java Spring Boot modernization, CI/CD automation, and the redesign and implementation of Full Message Body Logging (FMBL). The ideal candidate will bring 7–10+ years of progressive middleware/integration experience, strong expertise in IBM DataPower, OpenShift, AWS, CI/CD, Java Spring Boot, PKI/security, and experience supporting large-scale, highly regulated or mission-critical environments. Key Responsibilities HIAL Upgrade & AWS MigrationExecute end-to-end technical activities for the HIAL technology upgrade and migration to AWS.Perform system preparation, deployment, configuration, optimization, testing, and validation across Agency environments.Lead the migration of IBM DataPower from physical appliances to containerized deployments on OpenShift.Support the upgrade of operating systems, including Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL).Upgrade and deploy HIAL Integration Bus (HIB) containerized applications.Support the modernization of Java Spring Boot-based components.Redesign and implement Full Message Body Logging (FMBL) components and servers.Ensure upgrades and migrations are completed with minimal disruption to mission-critical provincial health services. Middleware Engineering & Technical SupportProvide end-to-end middleware expertise covering planning, technical analysis, solution design, deployment, development support, testing, implementation, maintenance, upgrades, and operational support.Provide expert-level troubleshooting for complex middleware, integration, infrastructure, and connectivity issues.Perform hands-on upgrades, deployments, configuration, performance tuning, and optimization.Support high availability, disaster recovery, message durability/persistence, TLS/mTLS, and certificate management.Diagnose and resolve complex production and infrastructure-level issues.Support middleware environments across Development, QA, PST, PPE, and Production. Cloud, OpenShift & CI/CDDevelop and maintain CI/CD pipelines for deploying and managing containerized middleware solutions.Automate deployment processes for IBM DataPower and related components on OpenShift and AWS cloud-native platforms.Support cloud migration and modernization activities using AWS services.Ensure containerized middleware deployments align with enterprise architecture, security, and operational standards.Coordinate with Cloud Operations, Infrastructure, UNIX, Network, Middleware Support, and other technical teams. Security, Architecture & ComplianceWork closely with Architecture, Security, Privacy, Infrastructure, and other enterprise teams.Ensure all technical activities comply with enterprise security, privacy, architectural, and regulatory requirements.Apply strong knowledge of PKI, digital certificates, TLS/mTLS, encryption standards, and secure system-to-system communication.Support system hardening and security configuration activities.Identify technical risks and issues and recommend appropriate mitigation strategies.Ensure compliance with Agency policies, standards, change management, and release management processes. QA, Testing & ValidationSupport QA teams by preparing test environments and ensuring technical readiness.Assist with test planning, environment setup, non-functional testing, defect resolution, and validation.Troubleshoot and resolve defects identified during testing.Coordinate technical readiness activities for environment promotions and production deployment.Ensure middleware components meet stability, performance, security, and operational requirements. Operational Excellence & DocumentationDevelop and maintain detailed implementation plans, technical procedures, runbooks, and operational guides.Prepare and maintain build books, health-check procedures, rollout plans, readiness checklists, and support documentation.Support monitoring, observability, performance tuning, capacity planning, and data integrity.Apply ITIL practices for incident, problem, and change management.Prepare status reports and technical documentation supporting go-live and operational transition.Provide knowledge transfer and technical guidance to cross-functional support teams. Cross-Functional Technical LeadershipCoordinate with Cloud Operations, Virtual Infrastructure, UNIX, Middleware Support, Network Services, Backup & Storage, QA, Security, Privacy, Architecture, and business teams.Provide technical leadership and subject-matter expertise in middleware technologies and integration patterns.Communicate technical risks, issues, dependencies, and impacts clearly to stakeholders.Coordinate implementation activities across multiple support teams to ensure consistent and successful delivery. Required Skills & Experience Skill / Experience Requirement Middleware engineering, integration services, or related technical domains 7–10+ years Leading complex platform upgrades and modernization initiatives Required Large-scale, mission-critical application environments Required IBM DataPower, including migration from physical appliances to OpenShift Required IBM App Connect Enterprise Required Java Spring Boot microservices Required AWS cloud services Required CI/CD pipeline development and automated deployment Required OpenShift/containerized middleware platforms Required PKI, digital certificates, TLS/mTLS, encryption, and secure communications Required Enterprise network architecture and troubleshooting Required Hands-on middleware upgrades, migrations, performance tuning, HA/DR Required Production troubleshooting, monitoring, RCA, and ITIL practices Required Experience working in large-scale or regulated environments Required Desired Skills Experience with Windows Server and Linux administration.Strong understanding of IP networking, routing, and firewall concepts.Healthcare integration experience, particularly HL7v3.Additional exposure to HL7v2, FHIR, or SOAP-based healthcare messaging.Understanding of Information Management, data governance, information lifecycle management, security policies, and compliance.Knowledge of QA practices, test planning, defect management, risk assessment, and middleware validation.Experience with system monitoring, performance tuning, capacity planning, and data integrity.Strong understanding of ITIL incident, problem, and change management.Ability to provide technical leadership and subject-matter expertise across cross-functional teams.Experience working with PHI, regulated environments, and 24×7 mission-critical services.Public Sector experience is nice to have. Required Experience Areas Middleware & Integration Hands-on ownership of IBM DataPower, OpenShift Containers, RHEL, and related middleware technologies.Experience with upgrades, migrations, performance tuning, HA/DR, TLS/mTLS, certificate management, and message durability/persistence. CI/CD & Cloud Automation Hands-on experience designing, developing, and supporting CI/CD pipelines.Automated deployment of containerized middleware solutions using OpenShift and/or AWS. Troubleshooting & Operational Excellence Strong diagnostic and root-cause-analysis capabilities.Experience with logs, metrics, observability, incident management, problem management, and production stability. QA & Validation Experience supporting test planning, environment preparation, non-functional testing, defect triage, and deployment readiness. Security & Compliance Knowledge of enterprise security, PKI, privacy requirements, system hardening, and architectural standards. Documentation & Knowledge Transfer Ability to produce high-quality build books, operational guides, implementation procedures, scripts, runbooks, and support artifacts. Cross-Functional Leadership Proven ability to coordinate with Architecture, Security, Network, UNIX, QA, Cloud Operations, and business teams.Strong communication skills with the ability to explain complex technical concepts and risks clearly. Healthcare / Mission-Critical Environment Awareness of HL7v3, regulated environments, PHI handling, and 24×7 availability requirements. Key Deliverables The successful candidate will be responsible for delivering the following: End-to-end HIAL technology upgrade and migration to AWS.Migration of IBM DataPower from physical appliances to containerized OpenShift deployments.RHEL and related operating system upgrades.Upgrade and deployment of HIAL Integration Bus containerized applications.Redesign and implementation of Full Message Body Logging (FMBL) components and servers.Hands-on deployment activities across Development, QA, PST, PPE, and Production environments.CI/CD pipelines and automated deployment processes for containerized middleware.Coordination with Cloud Operations, Virtual Infrastructure, UNIX, Middleware Support, Network Services, Backup & Storage, and QA teams.Required change and release management documentation and approvals.Operational guides.Build books.Implementation and rollout plans.Health-check procedures.Runbooks and support documentation.Readiness checklists and technical transition documentation. Engagement & Work Arrangement The engagement is for 252 business days, with an option to extend for up to an additional 127 business days at the Agency's discretion.The resource must comply with all Agency policies and procedures.The resource will be provided with an Agency laptop.The resource must provide at least one additional monitor, external keyboard, and mouse at their own expense.For remote work, the resource must have a private office space and cannot work from an open communal area.A hard-wired internet connection with suitable bandwidth is required for remote work.If the required home-office conditions cannot be met, the resource may be required to work full-time onsite.Agency systems cannot be accessed from outside the province of Ontario without prior written approval.Agency laptops and related equipment cannot be removed from Ontario without prior written approval.Current Assignment Type: HybridExpected onsite schedule: 3 days per week in the office.The Hiring Manager may require additional onsite presence based on business requirements. How to Apply If this opportunity matches your experience and availability, please submit the following documents by Wednesday, August 26, 2026 at 9:00 AM EST: Updated Resume in Word format – MandatorySkills Matrix / Qualification Matrix and References – MandatoryExpected Hourly Rate – MandatoryVisa Status – MandatoryLinkedIn ID – Mandatory Submission Email: hrsmss@smsoftconsulting.com Important: Applications without the mandatory documents cannot be processed or submitted. For daily job updates and new opportunities, candidates may also join our WhatsApp group using the provided invitation link. Ideal Candidate Profile We are looking for a Senior Middleware Specialist with strong hands-on experience in IBM DataPower, IBM App Connect Enterprise, OpenShift, AWS, Java Spring Boot, CI/CD, RHEL, PKI, TLS/mTLS, and enterprise integration. The ideal candidate will have experience leading complex middleware modernization and migration initiatives in mission-critical, highly regulated environments, preferably healthcare or public sector, with strong troubleshooting, security, operational, documentation, and cross-functional leadership capabilities.