Senior Microsoft SQL Server DBA - On-Premises

Senior Microsoft SQL Server DBA – On-Premises @ Remote, USA

Key Responsibilities

• Install, configure, upgrade, and maintain on-premises Microsoft SQL Server instances (2022 or later).
• Manage database provisioning, capacity planning, and storage allocation across physical/virtual servers.
• Perform routine maintenance including index rebuilding, statistics updates, integrity checks (DBCC), and patching.
• Administer user roles, permissions, and security policies following the principle of least privilege.
• Monitor database performance and proactively identify and resolve bottlenecks.
• Optimize T-SQL queries, stored procedures, functions, and views (often those originating from the .NET application).
• Analyze and tune execution plans, indexing strategies, and query performance.
• Configure and manage SQL Server Agent jobs, alerts, and automated monitoring.
• Design, implement, and test robust backup and disaster recovery (DR) strategies.
• Manage High Availability solutions such as Always On Availability Groups, Failover Clustering, log shipping, or replication.
• Perform point-in-time recovery and regularly validate restore processes.
• Collaborate with development teams to support day to day SQL database builds across multiple environments and support necessary of the .NET application.
• Troubleshoot database connectivity, connection pooling, and performance issues originating from the application (e.g., Entity Framework, ADO.NET).
• Review and optimize database code and schema changes deployed through application releases.
• Assist with deployment of database changes across development, testing, and production environments.
• Support application configuration related to database connections (connection strings, IIS/app server integration).
• Implement and maintain database security, encryption (TDE, Always Encrypted), and auditing.
• Ensure compliance with relevant data protection regulations and internal governance policies.
• Manage vulnerability remediation and apply security patches.
• Maintain comprehensive documentation of database architecture, configurations, and procedures.
• Provide on-call support for critical database and application issues (rotational, as needed).
• Participate in incident, problem, and change management processes.

Experience

• 5+ years of hands-on experience as a SQL Server DBA in an on-premise environment.
• Proven experience supporting .NET applications and their backend databases.
• Strong experience with SQL Server versions 2022 and above.
• Expert knowledge of SQL (writing, debugging, and optimizing).
• Strong understanding of database internals, indexing, and performance tuning.
• Hands-on experience with High Availability / Disaster Recovery (Always On, Clustering, Replication, Log Shipping).
• Proficiency with SQL Server tools: SSMS, SQL Profiler, Extended Events, SQL Server Agent.
• Familiarity with Windows Server administration and Active Directory integration.
• Understanding of how .NET applications connect to and consume SQL Server data (ADO.NET, Entity Framework, connection strings, IIS).
• Experience with backup/recovery tools and monitoring solutions (e.g., Redgate ( recommended)).
• Experience with SSIS, SSRS, and SSAS.

Technical Skills:

Advanced SQL Server Administration

• Microsoft SQL Server 2012/2014/2016/2019/2022
• SQL Server Always On Availability Groups
• Failover Clustering. Database Mirroring , Log Shipping and Replication
• SQL Server Agent, SQL Server Profiler and Extended Events

Database Design

• Normalization and Denormalization
• Data Modeling and design & support complex Database Architecture with supporting of 10+ TB of data
• OLTP, Data Warehouse Design and Capacity Planning

Automation

• PowerShell, SQL Agent Jobs, T-SQL Scripting
• SSIS and CI/CD for Database Deployments