Senior Database Administrator

Senior Database Administrator (Microsoft SQL Server - Primary)

Infrastructure and Operations

Job Purpose

The Senior Database Administrator (DBA) serves primarily as a Microsoft SQL Server administrator, with working knowledge and hands-on support capabilities for Oracle database environments. This role provides advanced technical leadership to support business-critical applications through proactive maintenance, automation, performance optimization, and disaster recovery readiness, while protecting data integrity and minimizing operational risk.

Core Responsibilities

Note: This list is not all-inclusive. Operate with a high degree of independence in managing Microsoft SQL Server environments, while sharing collective responsibility for platform health, standards, and outcomes as part of a collaborative DBA team.

Administer, monitor, and optimize Microsoft SQL Server environments, with working support for Oracle database platforms, to ensure high availability, performance, and reliability.

Perform, automate, and continually improve database maintenance and monitoring activities, including backups, restores, patching, upgrades, capacity planning, and health checks.

Diagnose and resolve complex database performance, availability, and data integrity issues, and provide architectural guidance to support long-term scalability and reliability.

Design, implement, and maintain disaster recovery and business continuity solutions, including regular testing and validation.

Implement and enforce database security controls and compliance standards in coordination with Security and GRC teams.

Partner with application development, infrastructure, and business teams to support database-dependent systems throughout their lifecycle.

Support database platform lifecycle initiatives, including upgrades, modernization efforts, and decommissioning of legacy systems.

Contribute to operational reporting and metrics, including backup success, restore testing, availability trends, and incident analysis.

Participate in on-call rotations and incident response for mission-critical database systems.

Document standards, procedures, and configurations and support knowledge sharing and peer development within the DBA team.

Behavioral Competencies

Note: These are in addition to MGE's Core Competencies

Technical/Professional Expertise - Applies deep SQL Server expertise and practical working knowledge of Oracle to solve complex problems and ensure platform reliability.

Collaborative Problem Solving - Works effectively with fellow DBAs, application teams, infrastructure, and security partners to resolve issues and improve system outcomes.

Independent Execution - Handles complex tasks with minimal oversight while maintaining alignment with team standards and shared platform responsibilities.

Manages Complexity - Evaluates interconnected systems, prioritizes effectively, and approaches problems with structured analysis.

Ensures Accountability - Follows through on commitments related to availability, security, and recoverability; contributes to team-wide reliability.

Continuous Improvement - Identifies opportunities to automate, streamline, modernize, and reduce manual operational work.

Knowledge Sharing - Documents solutions and shares insights to strengthen team capability and support collective success.

Skills

Advanced Microsoft SQL Server administration and performance tuning

Working knowledge of Oracle database administration and troubleshooting

Database security, auditing, and compliance controls

Backup, recovery, and disaster recovery planning

Automation and scripting (e.g., PowerShell, T-SQL, PL/SQL, or similar)

Monitoring and alerting tools for enterprise databases

Troubleshooting complex, multi-tier application environments

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field, or equivalent experience

Relevant database certifications (Microsoft, Oracle) preferred

Experience

7+ years of progressive experience administering enterprise-scale Microsoft SQL Server and Oracle database environments

Demonstrated experience supporting business-critical systems with high availability and security requirements

Experience implementing automation and process improvements in a production database environment