Senior On-Premises Exchange & Messaging Infrastructure SME (Contract)
About GEM Technologies
GEM Technologies is a cybersecurity-focused Managed Services Provider (MSP) supporting organizations that depend on secure, reliable, and highly available technology infrastructure.
We are seeking a Senior On-Premises Exchange & Messaging Infrastructure Subject Matter Expert (SME) to join our team as a long-term independent contractor.
This role is designed for an expert who enjoys solving complex technical challenges, mentoring experienced engineers, and serving as a trusted advisor for architecture, escalated production issues, and advanced troubleshooting. It is not a help desk position or a role for someone whose experience is limited to routine Exchange administration.
What You'll Do
As our Senior On-Premises Exchange & Messaging Infrastructure SME, you will provide expert guidance on complex on-premises Microsoft Exchange Server environments while working alongside our engineering team.
Your responsibilities will include:
- Troubleshooting complex Exchange production issues and providing architectural guidance.
- Large-scale enterprise messaging environments
- Supporting upgrades, migrations, disaster recovery, performance optimization, and Exchange Hybrid deployments.
- Supporting Exchange environments utilizing Citrix NetScaler (ADC) and Citrix CVAD.
- Mentoring our engineers through collaborative troubleshooting and knowledge transfer.
- Recommending best practices for security, reliability, and performance.
- Creating technical documentation and participating in scheduled maintenance or critical production support when needed.
Required Technical Expertise
Candidates must have extensive, hands-on experience with on-premises Microsoft Exchange Server and related infrastructure, including:
- Microsoft Exchange Server 2013, 2016, 2019, and Subscription Edition
- Exchange Hybrid with Microsoft 365
- DAGs, mail flow, transport services, Autodiscover, certificates, SMTP, DNS, SPF, DKIM, and DMARC
- Active Directory, Windows Server, Group Policy, PowerShell, Microsoft Entra ID, and Azure AD Connect
- High availability, disaster recovery, and Exchange security hardening
- Citrix NetScaler (ADC), including Exchange publishing, reverse proxy, SSL offloading, and load balancing
- Citrix CVAD administration and troubleshooting
- VMware or Hyper-V
This position is focused on on-premises Microsoft Exchange Server. Candidates whose experience is primarily limited to Exchange Online or Microsoft 365 administration without significant on-prem Exchange experience are not likely to be a good fit.
Engagement Details
- Independent contractor position
- Remote within the United States
- Long-term consulting relationship
- Flexible workload based on client demand
Hourly Contract Rate
$100–$150 per hour, based on experience, technical expertise, certifications, interview performance, and the complexity of the engagement.
Requirements
Candidates must:
- Be legally authorized to work in the United States.
- Reside within the United States.
- Demonstrate expert-level Microsoft Exchange knowledge during the interview process.
- Be comfortable mentoring engineers and documenting solutions.
- Communicate clearly and professionally with technical team members.
Preferred
- Has worked for a Managed Services Provider or consulting firm
- Comfortable being an advisor and teacher, not just a doer
- Can quickly diagnose complex Exchange environments
- Microsoft Exchange on prem experience
- Can work independently and join calls when needed
- Strong communication skills
Interview Process
Qualified candidates should expect a technical interview focused on real-world troubleshooting, Exchange architecture, disaster recovery, PowerShell, mail flow, hybrid deployments, load balancing, and related Microsoft infrastructure technologies.
We value practical experience and problem-solving ability over memorized interview answers or certifications alone.
Benefits
Compensation: $100–$150 per hour depending on experience and certifications. Final rate will depend on experience, certifications, and scope of engagement.
Skills Required
- Extensive hands-on experience with on-premises Microsoft Exchange Server (2013, 2016, 2019, Subscription Edition)
- Experience with Exchange Hybrid deployments with Microsoft 365
- Deep knowledge of DAGs, mail flow, transport services, Autodiscover, and certificates
- Expertise with SMTP, DNS, SPF, DKIM, and DMARC
- Active Directory and Windows Server administration, Group Policy
- PowerShell scripting for Exchange and Microsoft infrastructure
- Experience with Microsoft Entra ID / Azure AD Connect
- High availability, disaster recovery, and Exchange security hardening experience
- Citrix NetScaler (ADC) experience including Exchange publishing, reverse proxy, SSL offloading, and load balancing
- Citrix CVAD administration and troubleshooting experience
- Virtualization experience (VMware or Hyper-V)
- Be legally authorized to work in the United States and reside within the United States
- Demonstrate expert-level Microsoft Exchange knowledge during the interview
- Comfortable mentoring engineers, documenting solutions, and communicating professionally
- Experience working for a Managed Services Provider or consulting firm
- Proven ability to quickly diagnose complex Exchange environments and act as advisor/teacher
- Ability to work independently and join calls when needed
What We Do
At GEM Technologies, our mission is to provide personalized service and ensure client satisfaction by using technology best practices to solve business needs. We provide solutions across many different areas including virtualization, disaster recovery, cloud based computing, hosting services, security consulting and many more.
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