Application Support Consultant

Location: Remote Role Type: Technical Systems Administration & Application Support Position Overview Are you a tech-savvy problem solver who thrives at the intersection of production systems administration and application support? We are seeking a Remote Application Support Consultant to maintain health, performance, and operational reliability across our production environments. In this role, you will act as a key technical investigator—balancing runbook execution, database querying, server maintenance, and cloud telemetry analysis. If you enjoy diving deep into SQL, managing production Windows/Azure environments, and using AI tools to quickly research and resolve complex technical incidents under pressure, this role is for you. What You Will Do Production System & Application Administration Investigate & Troubleshoot SQL: Perform deep-dive incident investigations using SSMS and T-SQL to analyze job status, identify stuck batch processing, and safely execute data updates. Maintain Infrastructure & IIS: Monitor proactive system alerts, navigate production Windows servers via RDP, inspect IIS logs, manage app pools, and analyze Windows Event Viewer logs before alerts turn into customer-impacting outages. Manage Cloud Operations: Leverage Azure Storage, SAS URLs, and PowerShell to safely move data and handle operational tasks in high-security environments. Analyze Network & Telemetry Data: Leverage APM tools like New Relic, Azure App Gateways, and load balancers to diagnose health probes, track telemetry, and troubleshoot standard HTTP errors (e.g., 404, 500). Operational & Incident Execution Master Runbook Discipline: Execute complex, step-by-step runbooks quickly and accurately—exercising sound technical judgment to determine when a runbook step does not fit the current scenario. Perform Incident Triage: Assess incident severity levels, drive root-cause analysis, know precisely when to troubleshoot independently versus when to escalate, and communicate status updates across Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Jira. Leverage AI Tools: Use AI resources modernly and effectively as a research companion to rapidly digest complex runbooks, speed up troubleshooting, and navigate unfamiliar technical scenarios. Maintain Ticket & Process Hygiene: Document root-cause findings in Jira, write concise post-incident summaries, and continuously update or draft new runbooks to elevate team knowledge. Collaborate in Cross-Functional Incident Rooms: Engage actively on bridge calls with triaged teams, building strong working relationships while working through high-pressure production events. Key Requirements Core Technical Foundation SQL / Database (Critical): Strong hands-on proficiency writing and reading T-SQL queries in SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS), validating query results before committing changes, and understanding database job/batch relationships. Windows Server & IIS: Practical experience with Windows Server administration (via RDP), IIS management (App Pools, logs), and Windows Event Viewer. Azure & Cloud Fundamentals: Practical knowledge of cloud-hosted applications, Azure Storage management, SAS URLs, and PowerShell-based operational scripts. Networking Basics: Familiarity with Application Gateways, load balancer behaviors, and reading server/HTTP traffic logs. Operational Strengths & Soft Skills Methodical Under Pressure: A composure-first approach to incidents—investigating, verifying, and testing hypotheses before deploying fixes to live production. Comfort with Ambiguity: Ability to piece together answers using incomplete information, logs, telemetry, and documentation. Batch & File Processing Awareness: Exposure to file ingestion workflows, batch jobs, deduplication, and file archive handling. Clear Written Communication: Exceptional skill in providing clear, concise incident updates and shift handoffs. Nice-to-Have / Accelerators APM Tools: Hands-on experience with New Relic (trace investigation, dashboard analysis, alert correlation). Payment Messaging Knowledge: Familiarity with financial or payment message formats (e.g., SWIFT MT101, MT210, pacs.008). Scripting: Advanced PowerShell scripting capabilities for server and cloud automation. On-Call Experience: Proven track record of responding to on-call production incidents in fast-paced environments.