Substrate PAVC Engineer

About the Role

The Substrate PAVC Engineer supports patching, antivirus, and vulnerability compliance across Microsoft Substrate environments. This role focuses on Windows servicing, PowerShell automation, Kusto Query Language (KQL) analysis, and troubleshooting patch deployment failures across a large server fleet.

You’ll help deliver Windows security patches, Defender platform and signature updates, .NET updates, and vulnerability remediation activities safely and consistently. You’ll collaborate with engineering, security, and compliance teams to investigate deployment issues, maintain compliance, and resolve technical blockers.

What You'll Do

• Support monthly Windows security patch rollouts, including official and prerelease updates, Defender updates, .NET updates, and related security and compliance components.
• Use PowerShell scripts and automation to support patch deployment, investigation, remediation, and reporting workflows.
• Use KQL in Kusto to investigate deployment results, identify patterns and failures, and monitor patch and vulnerability compliance.
• Troubleshoot failed Windows updates and MSU installations using Event Viewer, CBS and installer logs, error codes, and other relevant diagnostic information.
• Identify installed patches and operating system status using tools such as Get-HotFix, Get-WindowsPackage, DISM, Get-ComputerInfo, and Windows Update history.
• Build, validate, and publish patching components and packages while following Safe Deployment Practices across deployment rings and environments.
• Investigate and remediate deployment stragglers caused by installation failures, machine states, capacity constraints, network issues, or environment-specific blockers.
• Maintain dashboards, monitoring, compliance reporting, and status updates for engineering, security, and compliance stakeholders.
• Coordinate with partner teams to resolve exceptions, blockers, manual interventions, and environment-specific patching requirements.

What You'll Bring

• Hands-on experience with PowerShell scripting and automation, including familiarity with PowerShell’s object-based pipeline and filtering methods such as Where-Object.
• Hands-on experience using KQL to query and troubleshoot data in Kusto.
• Working knowledge of Windows servicing and enterprise update methods, including Windows Update or Microsoft Update, WSUS, and manual MSU installation.
• Strong troubleshooting skills related to Windows updates, patch installations, and deployment failures.
• Ability to review relevant logs, investigate error codes, and determine appropriate next steps.
• Experience identifying installed patches, packages, runtime versions, and operating system status using PowerShell, DISM, or equivalent tools.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to collaborate with engineering, security, and compliance teams throughout an investigation.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Azure DevOps build or deployment pipelines.
• Experience with .NET tooling and identifying installed .NET Core runtimes.
• Familiarity with Defender servicing and vulnerability scanning systems such as Qualys or AzSecPack.
• Familiarity with mapping CVEs to patch or vulnerability remediation workflows.
• Knowledge of Windows Server 2025 hotpatching, operating system baselines, STIGs, WinPE, or Safe Deployment Practices.
• Experience supporting patch compliance or troubleshooting across a large, distributed server environment.