Senior Database Administrator

**Summary:** We are seeking an experienced and highly skilled SQL Server Database Administrator with 5+ years of experience to join our 24x7 operations team. In this role, you will take ownership of the health, performance, security, and availability of mission-critical SQL Server environments. You will play a key role in designing, implementing, and managing high availability and disaster recovery solutions, with a strong focus on Always On Availability Groups (AG). Additionally, you will act as a technical mentor and drive continuous improvements across database platforms. **Responsibilities:** * Administer, manage, and optimize SQL Server databases across on-premises and Azure environments. * Design, implement, and manage **Always On Availability Groups (AG)** and other **HADR solutions** for enterprise-scale systems. * Lead troubleshooting of complex database performance issues, outages, and critical incidents with RCA ownership. * Participate in and lead **24x7 on-call support**, ensuring SLA adherence and incident resolution. * Perform advanced **performance tuning** at query, index, and server levels. * Collaborate with development, infrastructure, and cloud teams to design scalable and resilient database solutions. * Drive automation initiatives using scripts (PowerShell/T-SQL) to improve operational efficiency. * Define and enforce **database security standards**, including encryption, access control, and auditing. * Manage backup, restore, and disaster recovery strategies, including DR drills and validation. * Plan and execute **SQL Server upgrades, migrations, and patching** with minimal downtime. * Perform **capacity planning**, forecasting, and cost optimization (especially in Azure environments). * Create and maintain detailed technical documentation, SOPs, and knowledge base articles. * Mentor junior DBAs and provide technical guidance to the team. * Work with monitoring tools to proactively identify and resolve issues before business impact. **Qualifications:** * **5+ years of experience** as a SQL Server Database Administrator. * Strong expertise in **SQL Server architecture, internals, and troubleshooting**. * Hands-on experience with **Always On Availability Groups (AG)** and HADR configurations. * Experience working in **Azure (IaaS/PaaS – Azure SQL, Managed Instance)** environments. * Strong experience in **performance tuning**, query optimization, and indexing strategies. * Experience with **automation (PowerShell, T-SQL scripting)**. * Hands-on experience with monitoring tools such as **SentryOne, LogicMonitor, AppDynamics**, or similar. * Good understanding of **database security, compliance, and best practices**. * Experience handling **production-critical environments with 24x7 support model**. * Strong analytical, troubleshooting, and problem-solving skills. * Excellent communication skills with ability to interact with cross-functional teams. **Preferred / Good to Have:** * Azure certifications (AZ-900, AZ-104, DP-300). * Experience with **cloud migrations and modernization projects**. * Exposure to **DevOps practices (CI/CD for database deployments)**. * Knowledge of other database platforms (PostgreSQL, MySQL) is a plus.