Sr Database Engineer-SQL

H&R Block•UNAVAILABLE, OH

14h•Remote

About The Position

The Senior Database Engineer is a senior technical contributor responsible for the architecture, engineering, implementation, reliability, security, performance, and continuous improvement of database platforms supporting business applications across cloud and on-premises environments. The role independently leads complex database initiatives involving design, modernization, migration, performance, resiliency, security, automation, and operational excellence. It establishes standardized database patterns, self-service capabilities, automation, and engineering practices that support developer autonomy while maintaining security, compliance, reliability, data protection, performance, and cost-management guardrails. The engineer partners with application, platform, cybersecurity, architecture, governance, and other technology teams to solve complex problems and establish scalable database capabilities. The role provides technical leadership to Database Administrators and application teams through mentoring, design guidance, peer reviews, documentation, reusable patterns, and technical decision-making. It also evaluates emerging database, cloud, automation, and artificial intelligence technologies to identify opportunities to improve reliability, engineering productivity, developer experience, and business outcomes.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
At least 5 years of database administration, database engineering, or related experience supporting enterprise database environments.
Advanced experience with Microsoft SQL Server and/or Azure SQL, including administration, performance tuning, high availability, backup and recovery, and security.
Experience designing and operating database platforms in Azure or a comparable public cloud, including hybrid environments and managed database services.
Experience with infrastructure as code, CI/CD, source control, or scripting for infrastructure and operational automation.
Experience troubleshooting complex production database issues and performing root-cause analysis.
Demonstrated ability to independently lead complex technical initiatives, communicate risks and trade-offs to technical and business stakeholders, and mentor other engineers.

Nice To Haves

Experience with Terraform, Azure DevOps, GitHub, automated deployment pipelines, and automated testing.
Experience operating highly available, business-critical database platforms at enterprise scale, including observability and SRE practices.
Experience designing self-service infrastructure or platform capabilities for application development teams.
Experience applying AI or agentic automation to database engineering, operations, or software-development workflows.
Experience with Azure SQL and other platforms such as MongoDB and/or Cosmos DB.

Responsibilities

Design, implement, and modernize secure, highly available, scalable, and cost-effective database solutions on Microsoft SQL Server, Azure SQL, and Cosmos DB.
Establish reusable architecture patterns, engineering standards, and guardrails for availability, performance, capacity, backup and recovery, disaster recovery, security, compliance, and lifecycle management, enabling application teams to self-serve safely.
Automate database provisioning, configuration, deployment, patching, monitoring, backup, recovery, and remediation using infrastructure as code, Azure DevOps CI/CD pipelines, source control, scripting, APIs, and automated testing.
Drive advanced performance engineering across queries, indexing, execution plans, and resource utilization, and proactively identify reliability, capacity, security, and technical-debt risks.
Serve as a technical escalation point for complex incidents, database recoveries, disaster recovery exercises, and high-risk changes; lead root-cause analysis and preventative controls; and participate in on-call support.
Apply AI and agentic development in day-to-day engineering, and evaluate opportunities to introduce AI-assisted and autonomous operations with appropriate human oversight, security, and compliance controls.
Provide technical leadership through design, code, and infrastructure reviews; mentor Database Administrators and engineers; and influence database standards, roadmaps, and adoption of emerging technologies.

Benefits

Competitive pay
Comprehensive benefits
Medical and prescription drug coverage for qualifying associates and eligible dependents
H&R Block Retirement Savings Plan (401(k) Plan)
Employee Assistance Program
(Virtual) fitness center programs
Associate discount program
Business Travel Accident Insurance
Associate Tax Prep benefit
Potential participation in incentive compensation or short-term incentive plans