Hire proven Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer (MCSD) professionals in Germany, matched in minutes from over 15,000 CVs with the power of AI.
MCSD holders bring application design, .NET development, Visual Studio workflows, and deployment know-how for Microsoft-based software projects. Find vetted freelancers in Germany fast and match on the exact skills your team needs.
About the certification
What MCSD means
Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer, often shortened to MCSD, was Microsoft’s well-known developer certification for professionals who could build complete software solutions on Microsoft technologies. It signaled hands-on ability, not just theory. For companies, the credential usually points to a freelancer who can move from requirements to working application with a clear view of architecture, code quality, and delivery.
Core strengths
An MCSD profile usually fits developers who have worked across the full software lifecycle and can handle both implementation and release tasks.
- Application design and solution structure
- Development with Microsoft tools and frameworks
- Debugging, testing, and maintenance
- Deployment and release preparation
- Working with databases, APIs, and enterprise systems
Typical holder profile
People who pursued MCSD were often senior application developers, software engineers, or technical consultants working on business software. They tended to know how to translate business requirements into stable Windows or web applications and how to fit software into existing Microsoft environments. In Germany, this background is especially relevant for companies that still run mixed application estates, maintain older Microsoft-based systems, or need short-term expert support for delivery teams.
Skills behind the credential
The certification was associated with practical knowledge across Microsoft development stacks, including object-oriented programming, application architecture, user interfaces, data access, and integration patterns. It also pointed to familiarity with Visual Studio, debugging tools, and structured development methods. In many cases, an MCSD holder could contribute to .NET-based work, legacy application modernization, and integration projects where reliable delivery matters more than abstract design.
What it tells a company
An MCSD on a freelancer profile suggests someone who has worked in real delivery settings and understands how software is built for business use. That can be valuable when you need a developer who can join an existing team, review code, stabilize an application, or build a feature set without long onboarding. For Germany-based projects, it can also be a useful signal when English is the main working language but close collaboration with local stakeholders or on-site teams is still part of the job.
Current relevance
MCSD is a former Microsoft certification, so companies should treat it as a marker of proven Microsoft development experience rather than a current exam track. The real value lies in the concrete skills behind it and the project history that supports it. When you review an MCSD freelancer, look for recent work in the Microsoft stack, clean implementation habits, and evidence that they can still deliver on modern application demands.
Meet FRATCH Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer (MCSD)
Hüseyin Korkut
Senior Full-Stack Engineer
Last position:
Senior Full-Stack Engineer at DVAG
Architecture and implementation of a fully digitalized closing flow for managing securities contracts within the DVAG infrastructure. The platform aims for maximum user-friendliness, modular extensibility and compliant handling of sensitive data.
Implementation of a reactive UI structure with a focus on user guidance & accessibility.
Dynamic control of form and closing processes including validation logic.
Reactive state management via SignalStore (signals + selective effects).
UX optimization through adaptive components and Playwright-based UI tests.
Backend modularization to connect existing sales and contract logic.
API stability and DTO design according to Clean Architecture principles.
Collaboration with domain teams to define technical contracts and service boundaries.
Management with GitHub.
Unit tests with Jest, E2E tests with Playwright.
Code reviews, CI-integrated test execution, iterative refactorings.
Ensuring high coverage and UI stability in the closing flow.
Technologies: Angular 18, RxJS, SignalStore, HTML5, SCSS, Spring Boot, Kotlin, REST, OAuth2, Jest, Playwright, Clean Architecture.
Martin Hock
Software Architect
Last position:
Software Architect at Hays AG
- C# development in .NET 8.0
- Technical responsibility for architecture decisions (DDD, Clean Architecture, microservices)
- Introduction and systematic evaluation of GitHub Copilot, analyzing efficiency benefits, identifying suitable use cases, assessing code quality
- Developing best practices for using Copilot in the team, supporting rollout and coaching individual developers
- Conducting code reviews, architecture documentation according to Arc42
- Building stable CI/CD pipelines with Azure DevOps, introducing automated quality checks with SonarQube and .editorconfig
- Collaborating with stakeholders for continuous improvement of technical concepts
- Technologies used: Azure DevOps Server, Git, SonarQube, Visual Studio 2022, Sparx EA 17, Nagios LS, Nagios XI, C#, ReSharper 2.24.3, Clean Architecture, DDD, EF Core, Arc24, microservices, Angular, MediatR, SignalR, Copilot, OpenAI
Karl-W. Geitz
Web application for CRM, ERP, calculation
Last position:
Software Architect and Developer at Sensor Manufacturer
Consulting and development in a greenfield project for acquisition of sensor data.
The new solution is meant to replace an existing system, where most of the logic is hardcoded and which is primarily targeted to the German market.
The new system is meant to support international markets and the logic and configuration can be changed easily.
The new system has to support multiple time zones and international requirements and regulations.
Working closely with the in-house software architect, developing Enterprise Architect models, proof-of-concepts and implementations.
The complete system has a generative approach, where C# code, database, dashboards and reports are generated from compact descriptions.
The system is meant to be stable and secure. Encryption, hashing and signing are used throughout.
After extensive performance measurements and various evaluations, we decided to use the ClickHouse database, which provides excellent performance and rather good SQL compatibility.
Sparx Enterprise Architect, JAMA, Miro.
ClickHouse Database, Linux / Debian / Ubuntu, GitLab.
Docker, Cobasoft Log & LogVw.
Microsoft: Visual Studio, C#, ASP.NET, Test.
HTML5, CSS, JavaScript, JSON.
Edge, FireFox, Chrome, Chromium.
Code and HTML generation.
Dimitrij Neumann
Logistics Designer / Network Designer
Last position:
Logistics Designer / Network Designer at Deutsche Bahn Cargo
- Requirements analysis, design and development of a product for freight logistics (dispatch, planning, timetable and network optimization)
- Documentation of technical focal points and support for acceptance and integration tests
- DBMS-agnostic modeling and mathematical algorithms for optimization with solver integration (Gurobi, CPlex, Coin-OR)
- Implementation of service layer, automated testing and integration of external systems
Marco Köhl
Freelancer
Last position:
Freelancer at IBM Deutschland GmbH NGNCC
- Design and setup of infrastructure concepts for virtualized servers with VMware vSphere and VMware vCenter
- Migration from vCenter 7 environments to vCenter 8
- Automated deployment of virtual machines using Microsoft PowerShell and VMware PowerCLI as well as Ansible Tower
- Prototype setup and test migration of applications in various container environments
- Administration of firewalls and network components (routing and switching)
- Migration of VPN connection for all employees from Sophos UTM to Fortigate IPSec VPN with FortiToken
- Automation of OS installations on Linux with Ansible and GitLab
- VMware vSphere 8 with VMware vCenter 8
- VMware API
- VMware NSX-T
- VMware vSAN
- VMware Tanzu
- Red Hat OpenShift
- Docker
- SLES 15, Red Hat 9 and Microsoft Windows Server
- Microsoft Windows PowerShell
- GitLab
- Ansible Tower (AWX)
- SUSE Manager 4 and 5
- Fortigate Firewalls
- Fortinet Analyzer and Manager
- Juniper and Cisco switches and routers
Mojtaba Ghanaat-Pisheh
Full-Stack Software Developer
Last position:
Full-Stack Software Developer at Energy Sector
- Led and coordinated consumption and price calculations for gas and electricity forecasts to ensure accurate and reliable pricing
- Implemented modern microservices and Web APIs based on .NET 7 in an Azure environment using Azure App Service, Azure Storage, and Azure Service Bus
- Built and managed infrastructure in Azure using Terraform, including resource deployment and automation of deployment processes
- Developed and maintained Azure DevOps pipelines to optimize build, test, and release workflows
- Optimized data management with SQL Server and ensured seamless integration across all services
- Developed the front end with Angular 16, TypeScript, CSS, HTML, and Kendo UI to deliver an intuitive and engaging user interface
Horst Wolfenstätter
SQL Server Migration
Last position:
SQL Server Migration at Cairo AG
- Carried out the SQL Server migration in the Stadtwerke Schwetzingen project
Discover over 15,000 top freelancers
Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer (MCSD) statistics
Typical experience
31 years
Average project duration
3.3 years
Certifications per freelancer
7
Top business areas
Information Technology, Product Development, Project Management
Top industries
Information Technology, Banking and Finance, Healthcare
Most common languages
German, English, Spanish
Bachelor's degree or higher
67%
Master's degree or higher
33%
Salary / Daily Rate Distribution
The chart shows how the daily rates of freelancers holding this certification are distributed, based on recent contracts on our platform. Each bar covers a rate range — its height shows how many freelancers charge within that range. Actual rates may vary depending on seniority level, experience, skill specialization, project complexity, and engagement length.
Average rates for Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer (MCSD) & Seniority distribution
Rates are based on recent contracts and do not include FRATCH margin.
The average daily rate is the mean of all daily rates from recent contracts of comparable freelancers on our platform.
The median daily rate is the middle value of all daily rates — half of comparable freelancers charge less, half charge more. Unlike the average, it is barely affected by outliers.
Actual rates may vary depending on seniority level, experience, skill specialization, project complexity, and engagement length.
Frequently Asked Questions
Need clarity? Check out our simple overview of FRATCH
The Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer (MCSD) credential showed that a developer could build, test, and deliver software on Microsoft technologies. It was aimed at practical solution building, not just passing theory-based exams. For hiring, that usually means the person has worked through real application delivery tasks and understands how code fits into a business system.
No. MCSD is a former Microsoft developer certification and is no longer issued as a current track. That does not make it useless for hiring, but it does mean you should check the freelancer’s recent project work and current stack experience. The credential is best read as evidence of a solid Microsoft development background.
Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer (MCSD) focused on application development in the Microsoft ecosystem, especially the skills needed to build and maintain software solutions. Newer Microsoft paths are more specialized around cloud, security, data, or role-based work. If you need current Azure or modern cloud expertise, ask for that directly instead of relying on MCSD alone.
MCSD fits experienced software developers, application engineers, and technical consultants who have delivered Microsoft-based solutions. It is most useful when the person is expected to design, implement, or maintain business applications rather than only manage infrastructure. Companies often look for it when they need someone who can work close to the code and still understand the wider solution.
Preparing for Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer usually meant deep hands-on work with Microsoft development tools, application architecture, testing, and deployment. Candidates were expected to know how to turn requirements into working software and to understand the technical trade-offs involved. In practice, strong project experience mattered as much as study time.
As a former Microsoft certification, MCSD does not work like the newer role-based credentials that are renewed on a regular cycle. If you see it on a profile, treat it as a historical qualification. For current work, focus on whether the freelancer keeps their skills fresh through recent projects, current frameworks, and active Microsoft ecosystem experience.
MCSD is most relevant in software projects built on Microsoft application stacks, especially business applications, internal tools, and system integrations. It can also matter in modernization work, where older Microsoft-based solutions need to be stabilized or extended. For companies in Germany, it is useful when you need reliable delivery and clear communication in mixed local and remote teams.
Ask which Microsoft technologies they have used recently, what kind of applications they have built, and whether they have worked on greenfield, maintenance, or modernization work. A MCSD badge alone does not tell you if the person is current with today’s frameworks. The best signal is a clear project story that matches your stack and your delivery pace.
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Philipp Thomaschewski
FRATCH CEO
