Freelance Senior Infrastructure Engineer

Location: European Union - RemoteProject Duration: 12+ MonthsCommitment: Full-timeBusiness Language: English (German is a plus) JOB & PROJECT DESCRIPTION:As part of their Tech Transformation 2.0 initiative, our client is upgrading their technology stack and accelerating automation across core systems. The in parts newly assembled tech & product team plays a critical role in building scalable, efficient, and modern solutions to replace manual workflows, boost delivery speed and increase efficiency overall. In addition, the team is working on transforming the business into a true platform model. What you'll do:We are looking for a hands-on Freelance Senior Infrastructure Engineer to maintain and optimize our sophisticated hybrid infrastructure environment. You will manage enterprise-grade Windows Server infrastructure with Hyper-V clustering, Storage Spaces Direct, and SQL Server Always On, while integrating modern Azure cloud services. You will operate with high autonomy across multiple Hetzner datacenters and Azure tenants. Maintain & optimize Multinode Hyper-V clusters with Storage Spaces Direct (NVMe/HDD tiers) and failover clustering across multiple datacentersManage SQL Server Always On availability groups, clustering, and mirroring with dedicated high-performance networksAutomate infrastructure operations with PowerShell scripting, Ansible playbooks, and Bicep templates for Azure resourcesMonitor & respond to infrastructure alerts using Grafana/Prometheus/Loki stack, and Azure Application InsightsImplement VLAN segmentation, Network QoS policies, and BitLocker encryption across all critical systemsDeploy & manage containerized applications via Docker with automated CI/CD pipelines from Azure DevOps to on-premisesExecute live migrations, cluster maintenance, and zero-downtime procedures while maintaining SLA compliancePlan & execute capacity planning, management and expansion; storage scaling, and multi-datacenter backup strategies with automated replicationEnsure ISO 27001 compliance monitoring, security event analysis, and comprehensive documentation Who we're looking for:Deep Windows expertise: Demonstrable mastery of Windows Server clustering, Storage Spaces Direct architecture, SMB multichannel optimization, and PowerShell automation; ability to troubleshoot complex failover scenarios and storage performance issues5+ years experience with Hyper-V clustering, SQL Server Always On, and enterprise Windows infrastructure in production environmentsExpert knowledge of failover clustering (CSV, fault domains, quorum), Storage Spaces Direct (tiered storage, resiliency), and high-availability architecturesSolid experience with Azure services (DevOps, Monitor, Active Directory), Infrastructure as Code (Bicep/ARM), and hybrid cloud integrationHands-on expertise in enterprise networking (VLANs, QoS), SSL certificate management, and security monitoringStrong understanding of SQL Server clustering, Always On availability groups, database mirroring, and backup/recovery strategiesProven track record managing mission-critical infrastructure with 99.9%+ uptime requirements and comprehensive disaster recoveryAbility to work self-directed in complex enterprise environments, handle critical incidents, and communicate clearly in English (C1/C2)Nice to have: Experience with Hetzner datacenters, IIS administration, Wazuh SIEM, and container orchestration (Docker/Portainer) Other information:For interested applicants, kindly apply through LinkedIn or send your CVs to [email protected]. If you're interested to know more about Colayer, visit https://www.colayer.io/ and apply as a talent.