Senior Server Engineer - Exchange and Cloud Infrastructure

Position Summary

The Senior Server Engineer (Contract) will lead engineering, troubleshooting, and optimization of enterprise messaging platforms including Microsoft 365 Exchange, Exchange on‑premises, Proofpoint, Defender for Email, and Azure‑based identity and security services. The contractor will provide advanced support, assist with migrations and modernization initiatives, enhance security posture, and serve as a subject matter expert (SME) for email and messaging infrastructure. This role requires deep technical experience in enterprise messaging architectures, hybrid Exchange environments, email security, and Windows server systems, with the ability to work independently while collaborating with IT, security, and operational teams.

• Lead administration and optimization of Microsoft 365 Exchange Online and on‑prem Exchange infrastructure.
• Manage mail flow, routing, retention policies, compliance, and hybrid configurations.
• Support Exchange infrastructure upgrades, migrations, and service modernization.

• Administer Proofpoint email security platform, including:
  • Spam filtering
  • DLP policies
  • Encryption settings
  • Quarantine and forensic analysis
• Manage Defender for Email (MDO) including ATP, anti‑phishing, safe attachments, and threat intelligence.
• Troubleshoot and analyze advanced email delivery, threat detection, and user issues.

• Support Azure AD integration with M365 services, SSO, and hybrid identity synchronization.
• Assist with security baselines, conditional access, and identity hardening recommendations.

• Lead major incident resolution for messaging and email security services.
• Perform root cause analysis and provide corrective and preventive action recommendations.

• Develop dashboards and reporting for:
  • Message flow trends
  • Security detection and blocked threats
  • Exchange and M365 service metrics
• Analyze performance, deliver improvement recommendations, and support SLA‑based reporting.

• Create or update: gt;
• Operational SOPs
• Architecture diagrams
• Runbooks
• Root cause and service reports

• 7 years professional experience supporting enterprise messaging systems.
• Deep hands‑on knowledge of:
  • Microsoft 365 Exchange Online
  • Exchange Server (2013/2016/2019)
  • Hybrid Exchange coexistence and migrations
• Strong experience administering:
  • Proofpoint Essentials/Enterprise Protection
  • TAP, TRAP
  • Defender for Email / Microsoft Defender for Office 365
• Strong troubleshooting skills in:
  • Email routing
  • SMTP protocols
  • DNS (MX, SPF, DMARC, DKIM)
• Experience with Azure AD and identity integration.

• Power Shell scripting for automation and reporting.
• Experience working in government, education, financial, or regulated environments.
• Familiarity with:
  • Message trace tools
  • Transport rule design
  • Microsoft Purview compliance solutions
• Ability to provide architecture guidance and evaluation of new email security technologies.

• Strong communication and documentation skills.
• Ability to explain complex technical concepts clearly to leadership and non‑technical audiences.
• Capable of working independently with minimal supervision.
• Excellent analytical and problem‑solving capabilities.