Find the right Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert (MCSE) in Cologne in minutes from 15,000 CVs with the power of AI.
MCSE signals deep Microsoft platform knowledge across Windows Server, infrastructure, data, messaging, and cloud-connected environments. It fits migration work, hybrid operations, and enterprise support where stable Microsoft systems matter. Match with vetted freelancers holding MCSE fast and precisely.
About the certification
What MCSE means
Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert, or MCSE, is a long-standing Microsoft certification for professionals who design, build, and support complex Microsoft environments. It is commonly searched as MCSE or by the full name. For companies, it points to someone who understands how Microsoft technologies work together in real production settings.
Core strengths
- Windows Server administration and infrastructure planning
- Active Directory, identity, and access design
- Server deployment, migration, and troubleshooting
- Messaging, data, or desktop infrastructure, depending on the track
- Hybrid setups that connect on-premises systems with Microsoft cloud services
Typical holder profile
MCSE has usually been held by senior system engineers, infrastructure consultants, platform specialists, and IT administrators. Many have years of hands-on work in enterprise environments before earning it. In Cologne, it is relevant for companies that need support across German-speaking teams and cross-location collaboration, especially when local on-site work and remote administration must be combined.
What it tells a company
A freelancer with MCSE is expected to work beyond routine support. They should be able to assess existing Microsoft landscapes, improve reliability, document changes, and handle migrations with care. That makes the certification useful for projects where downtime, permissions, rollout order, and compatibility are important. It is also a strong signal when a team needs someone who can talk clearly with administrators, vendors, and business stakeholders.
Meet FRATCH Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert (MCSE)
Hooman Behmanesh
Fullstack Developer
Last position:
Fullstack Developer at Möbel Roller GmbH
- Further development of the existing e-commerce platform based on SAP Commerce (Hybris) to meet the growing demands of digital commerce.
- Ensuring the scalability and performance of the backend, so the platform remained stable and efficient even under heavy user load.
- Development and integration of new OCC REST APIs and services for modular extensions and flexible adjustments, to implement new features quickly.
- Optimization of data flows and interfaces, which significantly improved platform efficiency and system performance.
- Ensuring a maintainable and scalable code base by using Clean Code principles, proven design patterns, and a future-proof architecture.
- Reduction of errors through extensive testing with JUnit, Mockito, and load tests with Gatling, supported by the introduction of automated test processes.
- Improved system performance through targeted refactoring measures and efficient database queries, especially to handle peak loads.
- Use of modern cloud and monitoring tools such as Kubernetes, Google Cloud Platform (GCP), and Grafana to ensure a stable and monitored infrastructure.
- Clear improvement in efficiency, scalability, and reliability of the platform, which now meets the demands of a dynamic and growing e-commerce market.
Markus Blohm
Consultant, Technical Project Manager
Last position:
Consultant, Technical Project Manager at Lanxess
- Project: ESU Windows and SQL Server consolidation / Configuration Management in ServiceNow
- Creation of an as-is analysis of all servers worldwide
- Creation of an as-is analysis of all SQL servers worldwide
- Creation of requirements analyses for SQL and server migrations
- Coordination of requirements with partners for migrations to Hyper-V (on-premises) or Azure Cloud
- Moderation of jour fixe meetings
- Creation of roadmaps and solution models for server migrations
- Setup of test scenarios
- Moderation of workshops for the introduction of a Global Admin Team
- Creation of data models (CMDB) in ServiceNow
- Conducting workshops for the CMDB data model
- Creation of solution models for the CMDB
- Creation of seamless configuration and work documentation for the CMDB
- Creation of reports for license management
- Creation of KPIs for data quality in ServiceNow
- Creation of a service catalog
- Moderation of workshops for creating service requests
- Interface between needs analysis and ServiceNow development team
- Systems used: Windows 7, Windows 10, Microsoft Office 365/2010, Windows Server 20xx, SQL Server 20xx, SharePoint, Azure Cloud, Hyper-V, ServiceNow, various tools
Markus Blohm
Consultant, Technical Project Manager
Last position:
Consultant, Technical Project Manager at Lanxess
- Project: ESU Windows and SQL Server consolidation / Configuration Management in ServiceNow
- Creation of an as-is analysis of all servers worldwide
- Creation of an as-is analysis of all SQL servers worldwide
- Creation of requirements analyses for SQL and server migrations
- Project: ESU Windows and SQL Server consolidation / Configuration Management in ServiceNow
- Creation of an as-is analysis of all servers worldwide
- Creation of an as-is analysis of all SQL servers worldwide
- Creation of requirements analyses for SQL and server migrations
- Coordination of requirements with partners for migrations to Hyper-V (on-premises) or Azure Cloud
- Moderation of jour fixe meetings
- Creation of roadmaps and solution models for server migrations
- Setup of test scenarios
- Moderation of workshops for the introduction of a Global Admin Team
- Creation of data models (CMDB) in ServiceNow
- Conducting workshops for the CMDB data model
- Creation of solution models for the CMDB
- Creation of seamless configuration and work documentation for the CMDB
- Creation of reports for license management
- Creation of KPIs for data quality in ServiceNow
- Creation of a service catalog
- Moderation of workshops for creating service requests
- Interface between needs analysis and ServiceNow development team
- Systems used: Windows 7, Windows 10, Microsoft Office 365/2010, Windows Server 20xx, SQL Server 20xx, SharePoint, Azure Cloud, Hyper-V, ServiceNow, various tools
- Coordination of requirements with partners for migrations to Hyper-V (on-premises) or Azure Cloud
- Moderation of jour fixe meetings
- Creation of roadmaps and solution models for server migrations
- Setup of test scenarios
- Moderation of workshops for the introduction of a Global Admin Team
- Creation of data models (CMDB) in ServiceNow
- Conducting workshops for the CMDB data model
- Creation of solution models for the CMDB
- Creation of seamless configuration and work documentation for the CMDB
- Creation of reports for license management
- Creation of KPIs for data quality in ServiceNow
- Creation of a service catalog
- Moderation of workshops for creating service requests
- Interface between needs analysis and ServiceNow development team
- Systems used: Windows 7, Windows 10, Microsoft Office 365/2010, Windows Server 20xx, SQL Server 20xx, SharePoint, Azure Cloud, Hyper-V, ServiceNow, various tools
Ralph Konitzer
Product Owner / Business Owner
Last position:
Product Owner / Business Owner at AXIS Management Consulting GmbH
- Full product responsibility from a business perspective: requirement analysis, UX design, product strategy, and go-to-market implemented without an internal dev team using fully AI-supported development (Claude Code / Anthropic)
- Technical differentiation: KRITIS-compliant air-gapped deployment (Windows/NSIS), GDT interface for PVS integration, DATEV-LODAS export for payroll
- Managed pilot operation with initial external client (Dormagen medical practice): structured requirement gathering, test support, error analysis, and release management
- Developed rollout and sales strategy for market entry in the segment of private practices and small medical centers
- Human-in-the-Loop development principle: business decision → AI implementation → manual review → approval → release – each sprint documented in Jira (TIME project), every change traceable via co-authored commits
- Product outcome: Tauri/Rust desktop app with GDT watcher, multi-tier model (Starter/Professional/Enterprise), cloud mirror on Hetzner/Traefik, complete ISMS framework based on ISO 27001 and BSI basic protection as product foundation
- Direct method validation for the test manager role: hands-on experience with quality assurance of AI-generated products from a user perspective, review gate discipline, release approval under GDPR and the EU AI Act
Ralph Konitzer
Product Owner / Business Owner
Last position:
Product Owner / Business Owner at AXIS Management Consulting GmbH
- Full product responsibility from a business perspective: requirement analysis, UX design, product strategy, and go-to-market implemented without an internal dev team using fully AI-supported development (Claude Code / Anthropic)
- Full product responsibility from a business perspective: requirement analysis, UX design, product strategy, and go-to-market implemented without an internal dev team using fully AI-supported development (Claude Code / Anthropic)
- Technical differentiation: KRITIS-compliant air-gapped deployment (Windows/NSIS), GDT interface for PVS integration, DATEV-LODAS export for payroll
- Managed pilot operation with initial external client (Dormagen medical practice): structured requirement gathering, test support, error analysis, and release management
- Developed rollout and sales strategy for market entry in the segment of private practices and small medical centers
- Human-in-the-Loop development principle: business decision → AI implementation → manual review → approval → release – each sprint documented in Jira (TIME project), every change traceable via co-authored commits
- Product outcome: Tauri/Rust desktop app with GDT watcher, multi-tier model (Starter/Professional/Enterprise), cloud mirror on Hetzner/Traefik, complete ISMS framework based on ISO 27001 and BSI basic protection as product foundation
- Direct method validation for the test manager role: hands-on experience with quality assurance of AI-generated products from a user perspective, review gate discipline, release approval under GDPR and the EU AI Act
- Technical differentiation: KRITIS-compliant air-gapped deployment (Windows/NSIS), GDT interface for PVS integration, DATEV-LODAS export for payroll
- Managed pilot operation with initial external client (Dormagen medical practice): structured requirement gathering, test support, error analysis, and release management
- Developed rollout and sales strategy for market entry in the segment of private practices and small medical centers
- Human-in-the-Loop development principle: business decision → AI implementation → manual review → approval → release – each sprint documented in Jira (TIME project), every change traceable via co-authored commits
- Product outcome: Tauri/Rust desktop app with GDT watcher, multi-tier model (Starter/Professional/Enterprise), cloud mirror on Hetzner/Traefik, complete ISMS framework based on ISO 27001 and BSI basic protection as product foundation
- Direct method validation for the test manager role: hands-on experience with quality assurance of AI-generated products from a user perspective, review gate discipline, release approval under GDPR and the EU AI Act
Nikolaus Betzler
ICT Risk Management and Information Security
Last position:
ICT Risk Management and Information Security at B. Metzler seel. Sohn & Co. AG
- Independently develop policies, guidelines, and frameworks for ICT risk management and information security
- Advise business units on ICT risk management and information security
- Further develop the ICT risk management framework that governs the identification, assessment, and control of ICT risks
- Evaluate the Information Security Management System (ISMS) and adjust it for new challenges
- Conduct risk analyses to identify and assess potential ICT risks and information security risks for the Metzler Group
- Advise on defining and implementing measures to reduce risks and improve the resilience of ICT systems
- Advise on ensuring compliance with relevant internal and external regulatory requirements (MaRisk, DORA, BAIT, BSI IT baseline protection, ISMS, ISO 27001, ISO 42001, ISO 27005, BCM ISO 22301)
- Advise on internal and cross-functional projects (SAP DORA compliance, Target2, Section 8a BSI Act)
Nikolaus Betzler
ICT Risk Management and Information Security
Last position:
ICT Risk Management and Information Security at B. Metzler seel. Sohn & Co. AG
- Independently develop policies, guidelines, and frameworks for ICT risk management and information security
- Advise business units on ICT risk management and information security
- Further develop the ICT risk management framework that governs the identification, assessment, and control of ICT risks
- Independently develop policies, guidelines, and frameworks for ICT risk management and information security
- Advise business units on ICT risk management and information security
- Further develop the ICT risk management framework that governs the identification, assessment, and control of ICT risks
- Evaluate the Information Security Management System (ISMS) and adjust it for new challenges
- Conduct risk analyses to identify and assess potential ICT risks and information security risks for the Metzler Group
- Advise on defining and implementing measures to reduce risks and improve the resilience of ICT systems
- Advise on ensuring compliance with relevant internal and external regulatory requirements (MaRisk, DORA, BAIT, BSI IT baseline protection, ISMS, ISO 27001, ISO 42001, ISO 27005, BCM ISO 22301)
- Advise on internal and cross-functional projects (SAP DORA compliance, Target2, Section 8a BSI Act)
- Evaluate the Information Security Management System (ISMS) and adjust it for new challenges
- Conduct risk analyses to identify and assess potential ICT risks and information security risks for the Metzler Group
- Advise on defining and implementing measures to reduce risks and improve the resilience of ICT systems
- Advise on ensuring compliance with relevant internal and external regulatory requirements (MaRisk, DORA, BAIT, BSI IT baseline protection, ISMS, ISO 27001, ISO 42001, ISO 27005, BCM ISO 22301)
- Advise on internal and cross-functional projects (SAP DORA compliance, Target2, Section 8a BSI Act)
Vitali Haberkorn
Power BI Expert
Last position:
Power BI Expert at Media Agency
The project aims to migrate the company's existing Power BI Premium environment to Microsoft Fabric. This migration includes moving the existing data models, reports, and dashboards to the new platform to take advantage of the extended features and improved performance of Microsoft Fabric. The solution will be deployed in various regions worldwide to ensure a unified and consistent reporting and analytics environment for all locations.
Requirements analysis, migration planning, data migration, adapting reports and dashboards, testing and validation, training and support, deployment and monitoring, regional rollout.
Vitali Haberkorn
Power BI Expert
Last position:
Power BI Expert at Media Agency
The project aims to migrate the company's existing Power BI Premium environment to Microsoft Fabric. This migration includes moving the existing data models, reports, and dashboards to the new platform to take advantage of the extended features and improved performance of Microsoft Fabric. The solution will be deployed in various regions worldwide to ensure
The project aims to migrate the company's existing Power BI Premium environment to Microsoft Fabric. This migration includes moving the existing data models, reports, and dashboards to the new platform to take advantage of the extended features and improved performance of Microsoft Fabric. The solution will be deployed in various regions worldwide to ensure a unified and consistent reporting and analytics environment for all locations.
Requirements analysis, migration planning, data migration, adapting reports and dashboards, testing and validation, training and support, deployment and monitoring, regional rollout.
a unified and consistent reporting and analytics environment for all locations.
Requirements analysis, migration planning, data migration, adapting reports and dashboards, testing and validation, training and support, deployment and monitoring, regional rollout.
Iraj Zargani
Senior System Administrator
Last position:
Senior System Administrator at Trützschler
- Administration in a hybrid system environment
- Second- and Third-Level Support
- Incident and change management
- Ticketing system and tools: Jira Cloud & Confluence, MS Teams
- Exchange 2019/Outlook Online support
- AD/AAD support; creating and assigning permissions via AD/AAD GPO groups
- ARP-Guard (NAC) / network segmentation
- Citrix Workspace
- Distribution software support: Ivanti
- Veeam backup system in the cloud (AWS)
Discover over 15,000 top freelancers
Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert (MCSE) statistics
Aggregated from the professional profiles of matched freelancers.
Experience
22 years
Position duration
1.7 years
Positions per freelancer
18
Top business areas
Information Technology, Project Management, Quality Assurance
Top industries
Information Technology, Energy, Healthcare
Certification focus areas
Information Technology, Project Management, Operations
Bachelor's degree or higher
67%
Master's degree or higher
67%
Certifications per freelancer
8
Most common languages
German, English, Persian
Speak two or more languages
83%
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 Expert (MCSE) & 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
Do you have questions? Here you can find further information about FRATCH
A freelancer with the Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert (MCSE) credential has proven advanced Microsoft platform knowledge. It usually signals practical strength in server infrastructure, identity, messaging, or hybrid environments, not just basic administration. For companies, that means someone who can handle complex setups and keep systems stable.
No. MCSE is the expert-level Microsoft credential that sat above the associate level in the older Microsoft certification path. If you see MCSE on a profile, it suggests broader design and operational experience than entry or mid-level Microsoft certifications.
The MCSE is a good fit for migrations, infrastructure upgrades, directory and access redesign, messaging changes, and hybrid environments. It also matters in projects where uptime, compatibility, and change control are important. Many companies look for it when legacy Microsoft systems still support daily operations.
MCSE has typically suited experienced system engineers, infrastructure admins, and consultants who already work deeply with Microsoft technologies. It is less about first contact with the platform and more about proving advanced design and support skills. If your role includes planning, troubleshooting, and coordinating changes across systems, it fits well.
The MCSE path has been associated with Windows Server, identity management, networking basics, storage, virtualization, and Microsoft service integration. Depending on the track, it could also cover data platform, desktop infrastructure, or messaging. The common thread is strong control of enterprise Microsoft environments.
Preparation for MCSE usually means steady hands-on work, not just reading. Candidates often learn through lab environments, production-like practice, and deep familiarity with Microsoft administrative tools and deployment scenarios. A solid background in related Microsoft associate-level knowledge is usually the right starting point.
Yes, but mainly as a sign of proven legacy Microsoft expertise. In Cologne, many companies still run important on-premises or hybrid systems, so MCSE can be relevant for migration, support, and modernization work. It is especially useful when teams want someone who can bridge older environments and newer Microsoft services.
Look at the track behind the MCSE and match it to your project needs. A messaging background is not the same as a data or infrastructure focus, so the exact work history matters. Ask for examples of migrations, troubleshooting, and system design work in environments similar to yours.
The average hourly rate for freelancers with Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert (MCSE) in Cologne, DE is 110 €, which corresponds to a daily rate of about 879 € based on an 8-hour working day.
Of the freelancers with Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert (MCSE) in Cologne, DE, 67% hold at least a Bachelor's degree and 67% hold at least a Master's degree.
On average, freelancers with Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert (MCSE) in Cologne, DE have 22 years of professional experience, with a single engagement typically lasting around 1.7 years.
The most common languages among freelancers with Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert (MCSE) in Cologne, DE are German (100%), English (83%), and Persian (17%).
The most common industries among freelancers with Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert (MCSE) in Cologne, DE are Information Technology (100%), Energy (67%), and Healthcare (67%).
The most common business areas among freelancers with Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert (MCSE) in Cologne, DE are Information Technology (100%), Project Management (67%), and Quality Assurance (67%).
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FRATCH CEO
