Contractor job Automation Specialist – Infrastructure Patching

BELGIUM-BASED CANDIDATES ONLY.

Our client in the banking and financial services sector is looking for an Automation Specialist – Infrastructure Patching (M/F).

This assignment is part of a vulnerability and patch management programme within a large-scale international enterprise infrastructure environment. The infrastructure includes Linux and Windows servers hosted on-premises, in private clouds and in public clouds.

The patching process is partially automated, and the objective of this assignment is to progressively reduce manual intervention and automate the entire patching lifecycle.

The team operates with a high degree of autonomy, integrates with existing frameworks and collaborates with security control leads, programme stakeholders and offshore partner teams. Operational stability is critical.

Design, develop and integrate automation solutions covering the end-to-end patching lifecycle, including preparation, patch deployment and post-patching activities.

The specialist will identify remaining manual tasks, define a prioritised automation roadmap and implement automation solutions while ensuring the stability of production operations.

• Identify and assess manual steps in the patching lifecycle and define a prioritised automation roadmap.

• Design and implement automated pre-patching workflows by integrating existing Python and PowerShell pre-check scripts into pipelines using Ansible and/or Puppet.

• Develop automated remediation workflows for common failures occurring during patching cycles.

• Configure the automatic creation of ServiceNow incidents for failures that cannot be resolved through automation.

• Identify and implement post-patching automation integrated with existing automation layers.

• Integrate change management processes into the patching pipeline through ServiceNow, in accordance with ITIL requirements.

• Contribute to vulnerability management activities and accelerate remediation processes.

• Maintain an automation roadmap detailing milestones, implementation deadlines and progress, and provide regular updates to stakeholders.

• Coordinate implementation with internal teams and offshore partners, balancing innovation, quality and operational stability.

• Automation and configuration management: Ansible, Puppet

• Scripting: Python, PowerShell

• Service and change management: ServiceNow, ITIL

• Operating systems: Linux (RHEL-based environments), Windows Server

• Infrastructure: On-premises, private cloud and public cloud (IaaS) environments

• Patch management: Linux and Windows systems, as well as selected third-party application patches

• A clear, up-to-date automation roadmap, with milestones and deadlines communicated to stakeholders.

• A reduction in manually performed pre-checks and successful integration with existing automation frameworks.

• Fewer manual interventions during patching cycles, with improved accuracy and speed in incident creation.

• A measurable reduction in manual post-patching tasks over time.

• Automated creation of change requests, management of approval workflows and closure processes.

• A contribution to improved vulnerability remediation lead times.

• Regular progress reporting and adequate visibility for stakeholders.

• The required number of years of experience has not been specified. Hands-on experience in large-scale enterprise infrastructure environments is expected.

• Strong proficiency in Ansible and/or Puppet, with the ability to design, develop and integrate automation solutions into existing frameworks.

• Strong Python and PowerShell scripting skills to automate pre- and post-patching tasks.

• Hands-on experience with ServiceNow, particularly in automating change and incident management processes and integrating APIs.

• Expertise in RHEL-based Linux environments and Windows Server.

• Knowledge of Linux and Windows patch management, including operating system patching and, to a lesser extent, third-party application patching.

• Experience working in hybrid environments spanning on-premises infrastructure, private clouds and public cloud IaaS.

• Ability to independently identify automation opportunities, design solutions and drive their implementation.

• Strong analytical skills to assess complex manual processes and transform them into reliable, scalable automation solutions.

• A structured, delivery-oriented approach, with clear progress reporting and communication.

• Ability to collaborate effectively with internal teams and offshore partners.

• Adaptability and pragmatism when integrating automation without disrupting operational stability.

• Strong focus on quality and accountability in production patching environments involving operational risks.

• English is required.

• Ansible and/or Puppet

• Python and PowerShell automation

• ServiceNow: change and incident management

• Linux (RHEL) and Windows Server

• Patch management and vulnerability management

• Hybrid cloud and on-premises environments

• None specified.

• Hybrid working model. The split between remote work and on-site presence has not been specified.