Staff Database Administrator - SQL Server
First seen by Alion on Nov 4, 2026.
About the Role:
As Staff Database Administrator, you will play a key role in designing, implementing, and managing our critical database platforms.
You will manage both on-premises and cloud/hybrid deployments (including Azure and AWS), drive high-availability and disaster-recovery solutions, and proactively support performance, stability and security in a regulated (HIPAA-equivalent) environment.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities:
- Design, implement, monitor, and maintain database platforms with a primary focus on Microsoft SQL Server (2016/2019/2022) and Windows Server (2019/2022) environments.
- Manage high-availability and disaster-recovery solutions including clustering, Always On Availability Groups, database mirroring, log shipping, replication topologies, fail-over testing, RTO/RPO alignment and patch/update lifecycles.
- Campaign for performance excellence: leveraging wait-stats, Query Store, index/plan management, baselining, extended events/trace, and third-party tools such as Redgate SQL Monitor and/or SolarWinds Database Performance Analyzer.
- Implement and test backup/restore strategies utilizing native and third-party tools and off-site storage (e.g., Azure Blob).
- Operate in a hybrid deployment footprint: on-premises, cloud (e.g., Azure SQL Database, Amazon RDS), and interconnected environments.
- Participate in change-management and incident-management frameworks: create and follow runbooks, coordinate with CABs, execute audit-ready reporting, operate under regulated compliance (HIPAA-equivalent) standards.
- Collaborate with application teams, data engineering and infrastructure teams as a true team player: providing input on schema design, query optimization, and database health.
- Stay current with other database flavors (e.g., MySQL, MongoDB, PostgreSQL) - while SQL Server remains the primary focus.
- On-call rotation: respond to database incidents, perform root-cause analysis, document and implement corrective/ preventive actions.
Qualifications:
- Minimum of 5 years of hands-on experience as a DBA, with significant focus on SQL Server administration (including HA/DR deployment in production).
- Deep experience with SQL Server high-availability/disaster-recovery technologies: Always On Availability Groups, clustering, mirroring, log shipping, replication.
- Proven track record troubleshooting, maintaining and improving performance in enterprise-grade environments based on SLAs.
- Familiar with performance diagnostics (wait stats, Query Store, execution plans, etc.).
- Experience working in regulated environments (healthcare, finance or equivalent) with formal change-management, incident-management and audit processes.
Skills
SQL Server, Windows Server, Database Performance Tuning, Azure, AWS, DBA, DB, Monitoring Tools, MongoDB, Incident Management