SQL DBA

About the Role

The Advanced Database Administrator is responsible for the ongoing care and reliability of client SQL Server environments and related data platforms. This includes virtual-machine-hosted and cloud-native deployments, Azure Cosmos DB, and the progressive migration of infrastructure-as-a-service workloads toward platform-as-a-service and software-as-a-service offerings. The role also involves assisting application teams during deployments and sustaining high availability across production application landscapes.

Key Responsibilities

• Maintain, monitor, and administer SQL Server databases across all application environments.
• Diagnose and resolve availability issues involving Windows Server clustering, SQL Server on virtual machines, Azure SQL Managed Instance, Always On readable secondaries, Always On Availability Groups, SQL Server replication, and SQL failover groups.
• Investigate and correct performance, locking, and blocking problems within SQL Server databases, tempdb, and supporting virtual machines.
• Continuously observe database behavior, implement performance improvements, and keep databases operating at efficient levels.
• Address proactive and reactive performance and capacity concerns, including index management, SQL trace analysis, Extended Events, auditing, and alerting.
• Administer SQL Server Agent jobs and related Windows scheduled tasks.
• Configure, monitor, and support Database Mail end to end.
• Execute controlled upgrades and migrations for infrastructure-as-a-service SQL Server instances.
• Move virtual-machine-based SQL Server workloads to platform-as-a-service and software-as-a-service targets (Managed Instance, Azure SQL Database, and similar services).
• Automate recurring operational tasks and alert responses using PowerShell, T-SQL, .NET, or other appropriate tools.
• Review query execution plans and guide developers on sound database coding practices.
• Work collaboratively with development, quality assurance, business stakeholders, and, when appropriate, end customers.
• Identify and implement improvements that increase reliability, performance, and overall system capability.
• Control data access and strengthen the security posture of SQL Server databases and other critical client data.
• Assist team members with Integration Services (SSIS) packages and related data import/export processes.
• Use approved AI-assisted tools and automation effectively to improve efficiency.
• Maintain, monitor, and administer Cosmos DB across environments.
• Monitor Azure SQL resource consumption and recommend optimizations that balance performance, availability, and cost.
• Proactively identify opportunities for continuous improvement and bring forward practical ideas.
• Support other Technical Operations team members in sustaining application and website availability, including assistance with Windows Server, IIS, and system patching.
• Provide on-call coverage for critical production systems on a 24/7 basis when scheduled.
• Perform scheduled maintenance windows and support after-hours release deployments.
• Coordinate with third-party vendors (hosting providers, cloud providers, and similar partners).
• Contribute to the client’s Continual Improvement Program so that activities remain consistent with ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 expectations.
• Report any security-related issues, incidents, or situations that may present a risk.

Requirements & Tech Stack

• SQL Server
• Azure Cosmos DB
• Azure SQL Managed Instance
• Azure SQL Database
• Windows Server
• IIS
• PowerShell
• T-SQL
• .NET
• SQL Server Agent
• Database Mail
• SQL Server Agent jobs
• Windows Server clustering
• Always On readable secondaries
• Always On Availability Groups
• SQL Server replication
• SQL failover groups
• tempdb
• SQL trace analysis
• Extended Events
• Integration Services (SSIS)
• AI-assisted tools
• Infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS)
• Platform-as-a-service (PaaS)
• Software-as-a-service (SaaS)

Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience diagnosing and resolving SQL Server performance issues, including blocking and locking.
• 3+ years of experience troubleshooting SQL Server high-availability scenarios involving clustering, Always On technologies, and SQL replication.
• 3+ years of experience managing SQL Server Agent jobs, including routine database maintenance such as backups and index maintenance.
• 1+ years of experience administering SQL Server on Azure Virtual Machines.
• 1+ years of experience administering and supporting Azure Cosmos DB, Azure SQL Database, and Azure SQL Managed Instance, with attention to reliability, performance, and security.
• 1+ years of experience managing SQL Server environments with PowerShell.
• Solid understanding of high-availability and data-movement technologies (Always On Availability Groups, Change Data Capture, SQL Replication, SQL Clustering) and disaster-recovery concepts such as RPO and RTO.