Senior SQL Server DBA

Role Overview

Key Responsibilities

• Administer and support Microsoft SQL Server across on-premises environments, Azure SQL Database, Azure SQL Managed Instance, and SQL Server on Azure Virtual Machines.
• Lead performance diagnostics and tuning using Query Store, execution plans, Dynamic Management Views, Extended Events, wait statistics, PerfMon, SQL Profiler, and Azure monitoring tools.
• Optimize complex T-SQL queries, stored procedures, indexes, statistics, partitioning, memory usage, TempDB, parallelism, locking, blocking, deadlocks, CPU utilization, storage I/O, and transaction logs.
• Detect query-plan regressions and workload bottlenecks, establish performance baselines and capacity forecasts, and validate measurable improvements.
• Govern Azure SQL automatic tuning and Database Advisor recommendations with production safeguards and rollback readiness.
• Design and support high-availability and disaster-recovery solutions using Always On availability groups, failover groups, clustering, replication, log shipping, backup, restore, and point-in-time recovery.
• Plan and execute database migrations, upgrades, patching, consolidation, modernization, and cloud adoption with minimal disruption.
• Manage Azure SQL service tiers, elastic pools, scaling, geo-replication, private connectivity, firewall rules, and cost-performance optimization.
• Implement least-privilege access, Microsoft Entra authentication, managed identities, encryption, auditing, vulnerability remediation, secrets management, and compliance controls.
• Automate database provisioning, configuration, health checks, maintenance, backup validation, and reporting using PowerShell, T-SQL, Azure CLI, and infrastructure-as-code practices.
• Own P1/P2 incidents, outages, root-cause analysis, corrective actions, vendor escalations, and stakeholder communications.
• Maintain database standards, runbooks, recovery procedures, dashboards, and knowledge articles while mentoring support teams and supporting change and release readiness.

Required Skills & Qualifications

• 8–14 years of relevant database administration experience, with strong Level 3 Microsoft SQL Server and Azure DBA expertise.
• Advanced hands-on experience with Microsoft SQL Server, Azure SQL Database, Azure SQL Managed Instance, and SQL Server on Azure Virtual Machines.
• Deep knowledge of Query Store, performance monitoring, execution-plan analysis, T-SQL optimization, indexing, blocking, deadlocks, and capacity management.
• Proven experience with high availability, replication, clustering, backup and recovery, database migrations, upgrades, and patching.
• Automation capabilities using PowerShell, T-SQL, Azure CLI, and infrastructure-as-code practices.
• Experience managing production incidents, outages, root-cause analysis, and database change management.
• Graduate degree or equivalent education.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Azure SQL automatic tuning, Database Advisor, elastic pools, geo-replication, and cost optimization.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Entra authentication, managed identities, encryption, auditing, vulnerability remediation, and compliance evidence.
• Experience mentoring support teams, improving operational runbooks, and reducing recurring incidents through preventive engineering and automation.
• Experience with major outage management, stakeholder communications, and vendor escalations.

Applicants will be asked to answer the following qualifying questions when applying for this position:

• 1Are you legally authorized to work in Canada without visa sponsorship?
• 2Do you have 8+ years of database administration experience, including advanced hands-on Microsoft SQL Server and Azure SQL administration?
• 3Do you have hands-on experience with SQL Server performance tuning, execution-plan analysis, T-SQL optimization, and Always On high-availability solutions?
• 4What is your earliest available start date?