Sr. Database Administrator

Zachary Piper Solutions is seeking a Sr. Database Administrator (DBA) to support a major federal modernization program based in Huntsville, AL . This position is a full-time role that will be fully onsite . The Senior DBA will play a critical role in designing, administering, optimizing, and sustaining mission-critical database environments across cloud and on-premises infrastructures. This position partners closely with engineering, DevSecOps, data migration, and application teams to ensure secure, reliable, and high-performing data operations supporting national security objectives.

Responsibilities:

Database Administration & Operations

• Administer, configure, and maintain enterprise relational and NoSQL database environments supporting mission-critical applications.
• Monitor database health, performance, availability, storage utilization, and operational metrics.
• Optimize database performance through query tuning, indexing strategies, configuration management, and capacity planning.
• Perform backups, restores, patching, upgrades, clustering, replication, and disaster recovery activities.
• Support high-availability database architectures and ensure continuous operational readiness.

Data Integrity, Security & Compliance

• Ensure data accuracy, consistency, availability, and recoverability across all environments.
• Implement and maintain database security controls including encryption, auditing, monitoring, and role-based access controls (RBAC).
• Support compliance with federal security requirements and classified environment standards.
• Partner with cybersecurity teams to address vulnerabilities, hardening requirements, and security findings.

Cloud & Modernization Support

• Support cloud database operations and modernization initiatives, with emphasis on AWS environments.
• Assist with migration of legacy databases into modern cloud-based architectures.
• Collaborate with data engineering and ETL teams on integration, transformation, mapping, and migration efforts.
• Support modernization projects involving large-scale data platforms and enterprise applications.

Troubleshooting & Performance Optimization

• Investigate and resolve database issues impacting applications, integrations, and data pipelines.
• Conduct root cause analysis of database performance degradation, outages, and data anomalies.
• Collaborate with software engineers, QA teams, cloud engineers, and DevSecOps teams to resolve complex system issues.
• Analyze system trends and proactively recommend improvements to database reliability and performance.

Documentation & Reporting

• Maintain architecture diagrams, standard operating procedures (SOPs), runbooks, and configuration documentation.
• Develop operational reporting, performance metrics, and incident summaries for leadership and stakeholders.
• Document system changes, upgrades, tuning actions, and maintenance activities to support continuity and audit requirements.

Requirements:

• Active Top Secret Security Clearance
• Bachelor's degree and 8+ years of experience in database administration, database engineering, or enterprise data platform operations
• Experience with enterprise database platforms such as PostgreSQL, Oracle, SQL Server, and MySQL
• Strong experience with SQL optimization, stored procedures, database tuning, indexing strategies, and performance management
• Experience supporting cloud database services, including AWS RDS, Aurora, and DynamoDB
• Understanding of database security, encryption, backup and recovery, clustering, and replication technologies
• Excellent troubleshooting, communication, and technical documentation skills

Compensation to Include:

• Salary Range: $135,000 - $175,000 depending on experience
• Full Benefits: Medical, Dental, Vision, 401K, PTO, Sick Leave if Required by Law

This job opens for applications on 9/29/2026. Applications for this position will be accepted for at least 30 days from the posting date.

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