MS SQL Database Administrator

Nexfeld•Cedar Rapids, IA

1d•Remote

About The Position

As a Microsoft SQL Server Database Administrator, you will be the technical authority for SQL Server architecture, operations, and disaster recovery. You will design and maintain enterprise grade SQL Server solutions, leverage Enterprise Edition features, and implement best practices for performance, security, and compliance. This role supports mission‑critical systems operating 24x7. While most work occurs during standard business hours, the DBA must be available for off‑hours support as required, including evenings, weekends, and holidays, to respond to production incidents. You’ll work closely with infrastructure, application, and security teams to support business-critical systems and evolving requirements.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, or related field.
7+ years of hands‑on Microsoft SQL Server DBA experience in enterprise environments
Strong experience with SQL Server Enterprise Edition features and licensing considerations
Proven experience designing and supporting HA/DR solutions, including Always On Availability Groups
Experience supporting multi–data center SQL Server environments
Deep experience with SQL Server backup, restore, and maintenance automation
Experience implementing database encryption, security controls, and auditing
Experience working in 24x7 production environments, including participation in on‑call rotations
Microsoft SQL Server
SQL Server installation, configuration, patching, and upgrades
Enterprise Edition features and operational best practices
SQL Agent jobs, maintenance plans, and automation
High Availability & Disaster Recovery
Always On Availability Groups
Failover Cluster Instances
Backup‑based disaster recovery strategies
Cross‑data center redundancy and failover
Security & Compliance
Transparent Data Encryption (TDE)
Encryption in transit (TLS)
Role‑based access control and auditing
Compliance support (SOC 2, PCI, CJIS, ISO 27001)
Performance & Operations
Query tuning, indexing strategies, Query Store
Monitoring and alerting
Incident response and root cause analysis
Change management and documentation

Nice To Haves

Microsoft SQL Server certifications are a plus.

Responsibilities

SQL Server Architecture & Administration Design, implement, and manage Microsoft SQL Server Enterprise Edition environments supporting mission‑critical workloads
Install, configure, upgrade, and patch SQL Server instances across production and non‑production environments
Standardize SQL Server builds, configurations, and operational best practices
High Availability, Disaster Recovery & Redundancy Architect, implement, and support SQL Server Always On Availability Groups and Failover Cluster Instances (FCI)
Design and maintain redundant SQL Server architectures across multiple data centers
Define, document, and meet RPO/RTO objectives
Perform and document disaster recovery tests and failover exercises
Backup, Recovery & Maintenance Design and manage comprehensive backup and recovery strategies (full, differential, and transaction log backups)
Implement and maintain automated maintenance jobs for backups, integrity checks, index maintenance, and cleanup
Regularly validate backups through restore testing
Security, Encryption & Compliance Implement and manage Transparent Data Encryption (TDE) and encryption in transit (TLS)
Enforce least‑privilege access through roles, permissions, and authentication controls
Configure auditing and logging to support compliance initiatives such as SOC 2, PCI DSS, CJIS, or ISO 27001
Performance Monitoring & Optimization Monitor and tune SQL Server performance using DMVs, Query Store, execution plans, and indexing strategies
Proactively identify performance issues, capacity constraints, and operational risks
Partner with application teams to optimize queries, schema design, and workload patterns
On‑Call & Incident Response Respond to database-related incidents outside standard business hours, including nights, weekends, and holidays
Troubleshoot and resolve issues impacting availability, performance, data integrity, or security
Support emergency restores, failovers, and disaster recovery events
Operations & Collaboration Participate in incident response, root cause analysis, and post‑incident reviews
Document database architectures, standards, procedures, and operational runbooks
Collaborate with infrastructure, security, and application teams on upgrades, migrations, and new initiatives
Provide guidance and mentoring to junior DBAs or engineers as needed