Principal Windows Server Engineer

Principal Windows Server EngineerWe are seeking a highly skilled Windows Server Engineer to join our Infrastructure Engineering team. This role is responsible for the engineering, administration, security, automation, and lifecycle management of enterprise Windows Server platforms supporting critical business applications and services. The ideal candidate will have deep expertise in Windows Server administration, patch management, operating system upgrades, performance optimization, infrastructure automation, software deployment, compliance reporting, and server lifecycle management. This position will collaborate with application owners, security teams, storage teams, virtualization teams, cloud engineers, and operations personnel to ensure a secure, reliable, and highly available server environment.Windows Server Administration• Engineer, deploy, configure, and maintain enterprise Windows Server environments.• Manage server operating systems including Windows Server 2016, 2019, and 2022.• Perform server builds, provisioning, decommissioning, and lifecycle management activities.• Maintain server standards, hardening guidelines, and operational procedures.• Support physical, virtual, and cloud-based Windows infrastructure.Patch & Vulnerability Management• Plan, schedule, and execute operating system patching activities.• Coordinate maintenance windows with application and business stakeholders.• Remediate security vulnerabilities identified through internal and external scans.• Ensure compliance with corporate security and regulatory requirements.• Produce patching compliance metrics and executive-level reporting.Operating System Upgrades• Lead Windows Server upgrade and migration initiatives.• Develop migration strategies from legacy operating systems.• Perform impact assessments and compatibility analysis.• Coordinate application validation and testing activities.• Maintain upgrade roadmaps and lifecycle plans.Software Deployment & Tooling Management• Install, configure, and maintain infrastructure software agents and management tools.• Support deployment of:• Monitoring agents• Backup agents• Security software• Endpoint management tools• Vulnerability scanning tools• Logging and observability platforms• Develop automated software deployment processes.Automation & Infrastructure as Code• Develop automation using:• PowerShell• Desired State Configuration (DSC)• Ansible• Infrastructure-as-Code frameworks• Automate repetitive operational and administrative tasks.• Create self-service capabilities where appropriate.• Improve operational efficiency through workflow automation.Performance & Capacity Management• Monitor and analyze Windows Server performance.• Identify CPU, memory, disk, and network bottlenecks.• Perform root cause analysis for performance issues.• Develop capacity forecasts and growth recommendations.• Optimize operating system configurations for performance and stability.License & Asset Compliance• Maintain inventory of Windows Server assets.• Track software licensing consumption and compliance.• Produce audit support documentation and reports.• Partner with asset management and procurement teams.• Support internal and external compliance reviews.Security & Compliance• Implement and maintain security baselines.• Support Active Directory and Group Policy administration.• Ensure compliance with SOX, security, and infrastructure standards.• Participate in security incident response activities.• Drive remediation efforts for identified risks and vulnerabilities.Incident & Problem Management• Provide Level 3 engineering support for critical incidents.• Participate in outage investigations and root cause analyses.• Develop permanent corrective actions to prevent recurrence.• Support after-hours maintenance and incident response when required.Documentation & Reporting• Maintain architecture diagrams and operational documentation.• Develop standard operating procedures and technical runbooks.• Create executive and operational dashboards.• Report on patch compliance, server health, vulnerability status, and lifecycle metrics.Required Qualifications• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, or equivalent experience.• 7+ years of Windows Server administration experience in a large enterprise environment.• Hands-on experience with:• Windows Server 2016/2019/2022• Active Directory• Group Policy• PowerShell scripting• Microsoft IIS• Windows Failover Clustering• DNS and DHCP• Experience with enterprise patching solutions.• Experience supporting virtualized environments using VMware or Hyper-V.• Strong troubleshooting and root cause analysis skills.• Experience managing infrastructure in regulated environments.Preferred Qualifications• Microsoft certifications (AZ-800, AZ-801, Azure Administrator, etc.).• Experience with:• Azure• AWS• SCCM / MECM• Tanium• ServiceNow• Splunk• Dynatrace• SolarWinds• Ansible• Terraform• Experience with infrastructure security and vulnerability management programs.• Experience supporting large-scale environments consisting of hundreds or thousands of servers.• Familiarity with disaster recovery and business continuity processes.Technical SkillsOperating Systems• Windows Server 2016/2019/2022• Windows Core AdministrationAutomation• PowerShell• DSC• Ansible• TerraformMonitoring & Reporting• Splunk• Dynatrace• Grafana• SolarWindsVirtualization & Cloud• VMware vSphere• Hyper-V• Microsoft Azure• AWSSecurity• Active Directory• Group Policy• MFA• Vulnerability Management• Security HardeningThis position requires office presence of a minimum of 5 days per week and is only located in the location(s) posted. No relocation is offered.AT&T will not hire any applicants for this position who require employer sponsorship now or in the future.Our Principal Systems Administration jobs earn between $128,400.00 - $215,800.00 USD Annual. Not to mention all the other amazing rewards that working at AT&T offers. Individual starting salary within this range may depend on geography, experience, expertise, and education/training.Joining our team comes with amazing perks and benefits:Medical/Dental/Vision coverage401(k) planTuition reimbursement programPaid Time Off and Holidays (based on date of hire, at least 23 days of vacation each year and 9 company-designated holidays)Paid Parental LeavePaid Caregiver LeaveAdditional sick leave beyond what state and local law require may be available but is unprotectedAdoption ReimbursementDisability Benefits (short term and long term)Life and Accidental Death InsuranceSupplemental benefit programs: critical illness/accident hospital indemnity/group legalEmployee