SQL Server / Cloud Database Administrator (DBA)

Job Description

Job Description

SQL Server / Cloud Database Administrator (DBA)
*This is an 8-month contract position
*Hybrid – Local to Mechanicsville, VA only, please

Description:
The selected candidate will administer and support Microsoft SQL Server and cloud databases. The role includes database administration, performance tuning, high availability, migrations, troubleshooting, and database-related application support. Help desk and application support responsibilities may also be included as part of a team rotation.

Responsibilities:

• Monitor databases to maintain uptime, performance, and availability
• Troubleshoot database and application issues related to connectivity, access, security, and performance
• Tune long-running SQL queries and workloads
• Review and refine existing database tasks and processes
• Use operating-system scripting and utilities to support database maintenance, diagnosis, and troubleshooting
• Review existing database implementations and recommend, execute, or direct necessary changes
• Perform SQL Server installations, including SQL Server 2022/2025 with failover clustering
• Administer, support, and tune SQL Server databases
• Work collaboratively with engineering and operations professionals
• Communicate clearly and effectively, both verbally and in writing
• Rely on experience and judgment to plan and accomplish goals
• Independently perform a variety of complex technical tasks

Skills/Knowledge/Experience:

• Expertise working as a SQL Server DBA
• Expertise with SQL clustering, mirroring, and high availability
• Experience working with large SQL Server databases
• Expertise writing Transact-SQL (T-SQL)
• Experience tuning SQL Server databases and long-running queries
• Expertise installing, upgrading, patching, and migrating SQL Server databases
• Experience working in Windows environments
• Experience or exposure to SSIS, SSAS, and SSRS
• Experience working with Azure Cloud
• Knowledge of data modeling principles

Qualifications:

• At least 6 years of experience with Microsoft SQL Server databases
• At least 1 year of experience with Azure, Snowflake, or Databricks; a relevant certification may be accepted in lieu of experience
• Master's degree in computer science, information systems, or another applicable field, and/or equivalent skills, knowledge, and work experience
• Demonstrated experience communicating effectively using standard requirements and design artifacts
• 3–4 years of hands-on experience upgrading E-Z Pass/tolling SQL Server environments
• Experience upgrading SQL Server environments from SQL Server 2012 through SQL Server 2019, including compatibility evaluations, Query Tuning Assistant, and Database Migration Assistant
• Experience diagnosing and resolving deadlocks and blocking in production workloads, including use of Extended Events, Query Store, and wait-statistics analysis
• Experience tuning very large databases (2 TB+), including index optimization, long-running workload analysis, and minimizing resource contention

Desired Knowledge and Experience:

• SQL Server 2019
• Cloud databases
• Azure
• Snowflake
• Databricks

Special Instructions:

• This position requires a fingerprint-based background check.
• The successful contractor will be required to pursue continuing education at their own expense to remain current with relevant technologies.

Required Skills / Knowledge / Experience:

• MS SQL Server Database Management — Required, 6 years
• SQL Server Tuning — Required, 3 years
• Upgrading E-Z Pass/tolling databases — Required, 2 years
• Diagnosing and resolving deadlocks and blocking in production workloads — Required, 3 years
• Tuning Very Large Databases (2 TB+), including index optimization, long-running workload analysis, and minimizing resource contention — Required, 2 years
• Experience with SSIS, SSRS, and SSAS — Required, 3 years
• Coding and debugging Transact-SQL — Required, 1 year
• Installing, upgrading, patching, and migrating SQL Server databases — Required, 4 years
• Database administration on Azure Cloud, Snowflake, and/or Databricks — Nice-to-have, 1 year

Proper email communication will only be done to and from @ astyra.co m email addresses. Please ensure you are communicating with approved Astyra recruiters by checking this point when receiving offers and messages from us. Please ensure you are communicating within these guidelines and proper channels for the quickest possible interview consideration!
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