Windows Server Engineer

Windows Server Engineer 6+ Months Contract Scope : The consultant will support Technology Services in planning, executing, and operationalizing Windows Server modernization, replatforming, upgrade, and migration activities across on-premises, Azure IaaS, and hybrid environments. This is a hands-on engineering role with a strong emphasis on migrating workloads from older or unsupported Microsoft server operating systems to current supported Microsoft operating systems and target-state hosting platforms. The consultant will support server lifecycle modernization, workload migration, Azure IaaS migration execution, on-premises replatforming, high availability, disaster recovery, security hardening, monitoring, backup/restore validation, and transition support for critical Technology Services infrastructure.

About the Role: The consultant will support projects and activities in the following areas: Server refresh, operating system upgrades, workload replatforming, and migration from legacy Windows Server environments. Hands-on execution of server builds, cloud migrations, in-place upgrades, cutovers, post-migration validation, and decommissioning activities. Azure IaaS migration readiness, platform preparation, migration execution, and operational handoff for workloads moving to Azure.

Assessment and remediation of workload dependencies, infrastructure constraints, security gaps, lifecycle risks, and operational readiness issues. Support for high availability, disaster recovery, backup/restore, patching (SCCM enrolment), monitoring, Defender onboarding, vulnerability remediation, and server support processes. Any additional infrastructure, cloud, server, resiliency, cybersecurity, ITSM, or Technology Services initiatives identified by TS Leadership.

Responsibilities Assess the current Windows Server estate, including OS versions, workloads, roles/features, installed applications, dependencies, application owners, support models, risk levels, and modernization readiness. Identify servers running older, unsupported, or at-risk Microsoft operating systems and develop practical upgrade, migration, replatforming, replacement, retirement, or remediation paths. Develop and maintain server inventories, dependency maps, workload assessment summaries, migration wave plans, readiness reports, cutover plans, rollback plans, and technical risk registers.

Build, configure, harden, test, and validate current supported Windows Server target environments in accordance with E-Comm standards, cybersecurity requirements, availability needs, and operational practices. Execute hands-on Windows Server upgrades, server migrations, replatforming activities, workload transitions, application/server cutovers, rollback procedures, and post-migration validation. Support Azure IaaS migration activities including Azure readiness, VM sizing, migration planning, evaluating Azure-cloud services, landing zone dependencies, Azure Migrate inputs, Azure Arc considerations, hybrid connectivity, monitoring, backup, identity integration, and operational handoff.

Support target-state planning for workloads remaining on-premises, moving to Azure IaaS, being replatformed, upgraded, consolidated, retired, or replaced. Implement or validate server hardening, Microsoft Defender onboarding, SCCM enrolment, vulnerability remediation, logging, monitoring, access control, local administrator controls, privileged access practices, and baseline configuration. Support high availability and resiliency improvements, including clustering, load balancing considerations, backup/restore validation, disaster recovery planning, recovery testing, failover procedures, and operational readiness.

Support integration with Active Directory, Entra ID / Azure AD, DNS, DHCP, certificates, monitoring tools, backup platforms, virtualization platforms, storage, Azure services, ServiceNow, CMDB, and change management processes. Develop technical runbooks for server build/configuration, migration execution, patching, monitoring, backup/restore, failover, disaster recovery, troubleshooting, and operational support. Produce as-built documentation, configuration standards, implementation plans, validation evidence, cutover/rollback documentation, support procedures, decommissioning records, and transition-to-operations materials.

Coordinate with infrastructure, cybersecurity, application, cloud, identity, ServiceNow, vendor, and business teams to align migration sequencing, change windows, testing, communications, and operational acceptance. Support change management, release readiness, hypercare, incident remediation, knowledge transfer, and sustainment after server migration or modernization activities. Need candidates in Vancouver Lower mainland and either Canadian Citizens or Permanent Residents for secret security clearance.