IT & Automation Engineer - Contractor

MistyWest is a hardware engineering and product development consultancy based in Vancouver, BC, specializing in embedded, sensing, robotics, and cleantech solutions for clients who value sustainability. As a ~30-person team, MistyWest offers a collaborative environment where autonomy and direct impact are central to the role. This position is ideal for someone who thrives in a hands-on setting and is eager to grow into automation, systems, and infrastructure ownership.

The IT & Automation Engineer will split their focus between day-to-day IT operations and building automation solutions that streamline company workflows. You'll work closely with project managers and leadership, contributing to operational excellence and driving improvements across internal systems.

Key responsibilities include:

• Providing daily IT operations and support, including onboarding/offboarding, account management, hardware provisioning, and access control
• Administering Google Workspace, Slack, Asana, Bitwarden, office network, and backup systems
• Handling client compliance reviews and maintaining security policies
• Coordinating hardware purchasing and inventory management
• Writing scripts to sync and clean data across SaaS platforms, and building API connectors to reduce manual work
• Creating internal dashboards for operational visibility and reporting
• Improving data hygiene and systems of record in collaboration with project managers and leadership
• Building and experimenting with LLM-powered workflows for internal search, documentation, ticket triage, and AI-assisted tooling
• Automating onboarding workflows across Google Workspace, Slack, and Asana

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science
• 1–2+ years of hands-on IT support or technical operations experience
• Experience administering Google Workspace for user provisioning, access management, and onboarding/offboarding
• Experience managing office networks and backup systems
• Proficiency in writing readable, working Python scripts
• Experience integrating SaaS tools via APIs to build automations and connectors
• Hands-on administration and support experience with Slack, Asana, and Bitwarden
• Experience using LLM/AI tools in workflows, such as prototyping LLM-powered automations
• Experience building internal dashboards for operational visibility
• Experience supporting security and compliance processes
• Authorized to work in Canada

Preferred Qualifications:

• Prior experience in a hardware engineering or product development consultancy environment
• Evidence of self-directed technical learning (e.g., GitHub projects, side scripts, personal automations)
• Experience collaborating with project managers or leadership to improve operational systems
• Familiarity with cleantech, embedded systems, or robotics domains
• Experience automating onboarding workflows across multiple SaaS platforms
• Ability to coordinate hardware purchasing and inventory management
• Experience with data hygiene and systems of record improvements
• Availability for an initial 3-month contract engagement with potential for extension

• Highly flexible: negotiate your own rates, hours and work location.
• Hardware & Software Access: MistyWest can provide equipment and software support where needed
• Try us out! Find out if MistyWest would be a good permanent employer for your needs and career direction
• Amazing Community: plug into a great local and global community of engineers and product design enthusiasts for events, projects, potential work & personal development.

How to Apply

If you would like to be considered for contract work, please apply with your resume and provide a link to previous work (where applicable). Be sure to include your availability for the next 2-4 weeks so we know if you're keen to take on new work!

Disclaimer

Please note that if selected, you will be working as an ‘Independent Contractor’ and not as an employee at MistyWest. We have previously hired from our contractor pool, so this is a great way to get your proverbial "foot in the door" when it comes to securing a permanent gig as a Westie!

Requirements will vary depending on the specific project you are being hired for. Some projects require your physical presence in our Vancouver office and lab a few days a week/month - some are 100% remote enabled.