Position Overview:

The Senior Database Administrator (DBA) is a pivotal role that combines expert-level database administration with strategic guidance and technical leadership. You will be responsible for the design, implementation, and maintenance of our database infrastructure, with a focus on Azure-hosted SQL Server environments. This role is critical to our technical transformation, as you'll work to optimize our database performance, reduce reliance on stored procedures, and implement scalable data solutions that support our growing business needs.

As a pragmatic and experienced data professional, you'll collaborate with both technical teams and business stakeholders to ensure data integrity, security, and optimal performance while contributing to broader data-driven initiatives and our technical excellence transformation.

Key Outcomes:

· Optimal performance and availability meeting or exceeding 99.9% of all SQL Server databases, including Azure-hosted instances

· Secure and efficient data storage and retrieval, adhering to industry best practices

· Effective implementation and maintenance of Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery strategies with an RTO of 1 hour and RPO of 15 minutes

· Proactive identification and resolution of database performance bottlenecks by identifying the top 5 most resource-intensive processes each week and mitigating them

· Strategic contributions to data warehousing and data integration initiatives

· Implementation of database migration tools and processes that support our modernization efforts

· Reduction in reliance on business logic in stored procedures while maintaining system integrity

Core Responsibilities:

Database Management & Optimization

· Install, configure, and manage SQL Server databases across diverse environments, including Azure VMs and Azure SQL Server

· Monitor and analyze database performance, identifying and resolving performance bottlenecks

· Optimize complex SQL queries for performance and efficiency

· Implement and maintain high availability (HA) and disaster recovery (DR) solutions

· Design and implement database schemas to support new feature requirements in software applications

Security & Governance:

· Design and implement database security measures, ensuring compliance with relevant regulations and standards

· Establish and enforce database standards and best practices

· Develop and maintain comprehensive database documentation

· Utilize and develop scripts to automate manual tasks and ensure consistency

Strategic & Business Support:

· Contribute to the strategic planning and architectural design of database and data warehouse environments

· Lead and participate in data integrations and migrations between various software systems

· Provide analytical insights to support business decision-making

· Align data initiatives with business objectives and modernization efforts

Team & Technical Leadership:

· Provide technical leadership and mentorship to junior DBAs and development team members

· Evaluate and implement new database technologies and tools to improve efficiency

· Work collaboratively with software development teams to establish clean data access patterns

· Champion pragmatic data solutions that support our legacy system while enabling future capabilities

Qualifications & Skills

Technical Experience

· 5+ years of experience as a SQL Server DBA, including experience with Azure-hosted SQL Server environments

· Extensive experience with installing, configuring, designing, patching, and monitoring SQL Server databases

· Proven experience with performance tuning, indexing, and query optimization

· Strong understanding of high availability (HA) and disaster recovery (DR) options for SQL Server

· Experience with data warehouse design using star-schema and/or snowflake methodologies

· Proficiency in PowerShell for automation and scripting

· BS degree in Information Technology/Computer Science or equivalent experience

Data & Engineering Practices:

· Deep understanding of data modeling, ETL processes, and data warehousing concepts

· Experience with continuous integration/continuous delivery for database migrations

· Experience with backup and recovery best practices

· Knowledge of data encryption techniques and database querying/management tools

· Expert-level proficiency in SQL and at least one programming language (e.g., Java, C#, Python)

· Understanding of clean code principles and database refactoring techniques

Leadership & Soft Skills

· Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to use mathematical concepts to validate results

· Excellent communication skills, including the ability to explain complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders

· Ability to manage multiple projects concurrently and prioritize tasks effectively

· Adaptability to change and ability to work independently or as part of a team

· Focus on continuous learning and staying current with evolving data technologies

· Pragmatic approach to solving data challenges in legacy environments

Desired Traits

· Experience with big data technologies (distributed, analytics, NoSQL, time series, search, data lake)

· Knowledge of/experience with ML and AI and their practical applications

· Experience with data visualization tools

· Microsoft Certifications

About the System Environment:

You'll be joining our team during a significant technical transformation initiative. Our application relies heavily on our SQL Server database, and we're working to improve its performance and scalability while planning for longer-term modernization. The database has significant design issues that impact performance, including heavy reliance on stored procedures that affect our ability to upgrade and scale.

Your role will be critical in improving our database performance, implementing better practices, and establishing patterns that enable our continued growth while supporting our modernization journey.