Senior SQL Database Administrator

Hamilton

3d•Remote

About The Position

We’re looking for a Senior SQL Database Administrator Located in the US or Bermuda, the Senior SQL Database Administrator is responsible for the engineering, automation, performance, and reliability of the organization’s SQL Server platforms. This role goes beyond traditional DBA operations and focuses on automation, Infrastructure-as-Code, self-healing platforms, and proactive performance engineering. The successful candidate will be a hands-on expert who builds scalable, secure, and highly available SQL environments across on-premises and cloud platforms. This role reports to the SQL Database Manager.

Requirements

Extensive hands-on experience as a Senior SQL Server DBA in production environments.
Deep expertise in:
SQL Server internals
T-SQL development
Performance tuning and troubleshooting
Strong automation and scripting skills (PowerShell essential).
Experience implementing CI/CD pipelines for database and platform changes.
Proven experience operating high-availability and disaster-recovery SQL solutions.
Strong understanding of Windows Server and underlying infrastructure.

Nice To Haves

Experience with Azure SQL (Managed Instance, Azure SQL DB).
Experience with Terraform, ARM, or Bicep for database infrastructure.
Familiarity with monitoring platforms (e.g. Azure Monitor, SQL Sentry, Redgate, Prometheus).
Experience supporting large-scale or mission-critical platforms.
Exposure to DevOps / SRE practices applied to data platforms.
Microsoft certifications (e.g. Azure Database Administrator Associate, legacy MCSE) are desirable but not mandatory.

Responsibilities

Database Engineering & Operations
Design, deploy, and operate highly available and resilient SQL Server environments (Standalone, Failover Cluster Instances, Always On Availability Groups).
Own the end-to-end lifecycle of SQL Server instances: build, patch, upgrade, decommission.
Ensure database platforms meet availability, performance, security, and recoverability requirements.
Act as a senior escalation point for complex database incidents and performance issues.
Automation & Platform Engineering (Core Focus)
Design and implement automation-first DBA processes, minimizing manual intervention.
Build and maintain automation using:
PowerShell
T-SQL
CI/CD pipelines (Azure DevOps, GitHub Actions, or equivalent)
Automate:
SQL builds and configuration
Patching and upgrades
Backups, restores, and DR testing
Monitoring, alerting, and health checks
Implement Infrastructure as Code (ARM, Bicep, Terraform, DSC where applicable) for database platforms.
Promote “DBA as a service” capabilities for engineering teams.
Performance, Tuning & Reliability
Lead advanced performance troubleshooting and query optimization.
Analyze execution plans, wait statistics, and IO patterns.
Design and implement indexing, partitioning, and data-growth strategies.
Proactively identify and remediate performance and capacity risks.
Support performance testing and release readiness for critical applications.
Security & Compliance
Implement and maintain SQL security best practices:
Least privilege access
Encryption (TDE, TLS, Always Encrypted where applicable)
Auditing and logging
Support compliance with organizational and regulatory requirements (e.g. SOX, ISO 27001, internal security standards).
Work closely with security teams to address vulnerabilities and hardening requirements.
Cloud & Hybrid Platforms
Operate SQL Server across on-premises and cloud environments:
Azure SQL Managed Instance / Azure SQL DB
SQL Server on Azure IaaS (VMs)
Optimize cost, performance, and availability in cloud platforms.
Support migration and modernization initiatives (on-prem → cloud, lift-and-shift, re-platform).
Collaboration & Leadership
Partner with application, data, and platform engineering teams to design database-friendly architectures.
Provide guidance and mentoring to junior DBAs and engineers.
Contribute to standards, patterns, and documentation for database engineering.
Participate in architecture and design reviews for new systems.