Sr Database Administrator (HYBRID Richmond, VA)

The Senior Database Administrator (DBA) is a senior technical role responsible for the design, implementation, administration, and optimization of the organization's Microsoft SQL Server and PostgreSQL database environments. This role maintains the stability, integrity, and performance of all production and non-production database systems while actively contributing to the design and development of database solutions supporting the Enterprise Data Warehouse and operational applications. The Senior DBA collaborates closely with Software Engineers, Data Engineers, Data Architects, and Infrastructure teams to deliver reliable, scalable data storage and movement solutions. As the organization transitions toward cloud-hosted infrastructure, this role will play a key part in planning and executing that migration while maintaining on-premises environments.
Position Accountabilities
Database Administration & Operations

• Administer, monitor, and maintain MS SQL Server (primary) and PostgreSQL (secondary) database environments across development, QA, and production.
• Manage and optimize query performance through index tuning, execution plan analysis, statistics management, and query rewrites.
• Implement and maintain database security, including role-based access control, auditing, and encryption at rest and in transit.
• Manage database capacity planning, storage allocation, and growth forecasting.
• Perform routine database maintenance including integrity checks, index rebuilding/reorganization, and statistics updates.

High Availability, Disaster Recovery & Replication

• Design, implement, and maintain HA/DR solutions including SQL Server Always On Availability Groups, Failover Clustering, and PostgreSQL Streaming Replication.
• Develop and maintain comprehensive backup and recovery strategies; conduct regular recovery testing to validate RPO/RTO objectives.
• Configure and manage log shipping, database mirroring, and replication topologies as appropriate.
• Maintain and test disaster recovery runbooks and failover procedures.

Database Development & Architecture

• Collaborate with application and data engineering teams on schema design, data modeling, and database object development (stored procedures, functions, views, triggers).
• Design and develop ETL/ELT pipelines and data movement solutions using T-SQL, PL/pgSQL, and Python.
• Analyze data requirements and translate them into optimized, scalable database designs consistent with enterprise data warehouse best practices.
• Review and validate database-related code from development teams; participate in code reviews and enforce standards.
• Develop and maintain data dictionaries, database documentation, and architectural diagrams.

Infrastructure & Cloud Readiness

• Manage on-premises database infrastructure including patching, upgrades, and configuration management.
• Support cloud readiness initiatives; contribute to planning and executing database migrations to cloud platforms (Azure SQL, AWS RDS/Aurora, or equivalent).
• Work with IaC tooling (Terraform or equivalent) to define and version-control database infrastructure.
• Participate in CI/CD pipeline design for database change management (schema migrations, release automation).
• Collaborate with infrastructure and DevOps teams on environment provisioning, monitoring, and alerting.

Python & Automation

• Develop Python-based data pipeline and ETL solutions for data ingestion, transformation, and loading workflows.
• Write automation scripts for routine DBA tasks including health checks, backup validation, and alerting.
• Integrate database workflows with orchestration tools and data platform components.

Agile Collaboration & Quality

• Work within an Agile/Scrum framework; participate in sprint planning, stand-ups, retrospectives, and backlog grooming.
• Collaborate with cross-functional Agile teams as well as independently managing assigned work items.
• Perform and coordinate unit and integration testing for database changes.
• Troubleshoot database application issues and resolve defects in a timely manner.
• Escalate issues and impediments proactively; communicate clearly in both technical and non-technical terms.
• Update and maintain database runbooks, standards documentation, and operational procedures.

Position Qualifications
Education & Experience

• A Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, or a related field, or equivalent work experience.
• 10+ years of experience in information technology, preferably within financial services or another highly regulated industry.
• 7+ years of hands-on database administration experience with MS SQL Server as the primary platform.
• 3+ years of PostgreSQL administration and development experience.
• 3+ years of Python development experience focused on data pipelines and ETL.
• 3+ years of experience working within an Agile environment.
• Demonstrated experience with HA/DR technologies including Always On Availability Groups, Failover Clustering, and PostgreSQL replication.
• Experience with infrastructure-as-code tooling (Terraform or equivalent) and CI/CD pipeline participation.

Preferred Qualifications

• Microsoft Certified: Azure Database Administrator Associate or equivalent SQL Server certification.
• Experience with cloud database services (Azure SQL Managed Instance, AWS RDS for SQL Server or PostgreSQL, or equivalent).
• Master's Degree in Computer Science, MIS, or a related technology discipline.
• Experience with database change management tools (Flyway, Liquibase, or equivalent).
• Familiarity with data warehouse design patterns and dimensional modeling.

Knowledge & Skills

• Deep expertise in MS SQL Server internals: query optimizer, locking/blocking, wait statistics, and storage engine.
• Strong proficiency in T-SQL and PL/pgSQL development and performance tuning.
• Working knowledge of Python for ETL, data manipulation, and automation tasks.
• Understanding of networking fundamentals, Windows Server, and Linux as they relate to database hosting.
• Familiarity with monitoring and observability tooling (SQL Server Profiler, DMVs, pg_stat_*, Prometheus, Grafana, or equivalent).
• Creative problem solver with excellent communication and collaboration skills.
• Methodical and structured approach to design, change management, and incident response.
• Delivery focused with ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong attention to detail; proactive, self-starting work style.
• Business acumen and professionalism appropriate to a regulated financial services environment.

Organizational Relationship

This position reports to the Sr. Data Architect.

Salary offered will be based on several factors including but not limited to education, work experience, certifications, etc. This position is also eligible to participate in either an applicable incentive compensation plan for the position or a discretionary profit sharing bonus program. General information on our comprehensive benefits package can be found by visiting


We are proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We maintain a drug-free workplace.

Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.