Senior SQL Server Database Administrator

About the Position

We are looking for an experienced Senior SQL Server Database Administrator to join and extend an in-house infrastructure DBA team. You will mainly take on business-as-usual (BAU) database operations so that permanent staff can focus on project work.

This is a hands-on, all-round DBA role covering administration, configuration, performance tuning, and stored procedure work. You'll work across SQL Server estates hosted on VMware and in Azure. The team works in highly technical areas where the next line of support is the vendor, so strong self-sufficiency, clear communication, and disciplined governance are essential.

This is a 100% remote role based in Portugal.

Responsibilities

• Provide full, all-round administration of SQL Server across on-premises VMware and Azure Cloud environments.
• Install, configure, patch, and maintain SQL Server instances and databases.
• Automate most repetitive work.
• Develop, review, and optimize stored procedures, queries, and indexes, resolving performance issues where required.
• Manage backup, restore, security, access controls, and database health in line with client standards.
• Act as a technical escalation point within the team, working with vendors when issues go beyond internal support.

Requirements

• 5+ years of strong, hands-on experience as a SQL Server DBA, covering administration, configuration, and performance tuning.
• SQL Server experience in both VMware-virtualized and Azure Cloud environments, such as Azure SQL and SQL Server on Azure VMs.
• HA/DR expertise, including Always On Availability Groups, Failover Cluster Instances (FCIs), log shipping, geo-replication, and backup and restore testing.
• Practical understanding of SRE principles, including SLIs/SLOs, toil reduction, root cause analysis (RCA), and post-incident review.
• Good T-SQL skills, including writing, troubleshooting, and optimizing stored procedures.
• Scripting and automation skills with PowerShell/dbatools, T-SQL, and Python.
• Experience with ITSM processes, including incident, service request, and change management, with Change Advisory Board (CAB) participation.
• Experience using Azure DevOps (ADO) Boards for task tracking and delivery.
• Good documentation skills, for example, in Confluence.
• Excellent communication skills, with confidence managing incidents and changes with technical and business stakeholders.
• Experience handling sensitive or personally identifiable information (PII) and following data protection controls such as GDPR and DPIA.

Nice to Have

• Azure and data integration skills are secondary to the core SQL Server DBA skill set.
• Redgate tooling, such as SQL Monitor and SQL Change Automation / Flyway.
• Azure Monitor and Log Analytics.
• Azure Data Factory, Azure Synapse Analytics, and general ETL/batch experience.
• Microsoft Dynamics data flows and integrations.
• Database CI/CD with Azure DevOps pipelines.
• Infrastructure as Code exposure with Bicep or Terraform.
• Azure cost optimization (FinOps) for data platforms.

Qualifications

No mandatory qualifications were provided. The following certifications are desirable:

• Microsoft Certified: Azure Database Administrator Associate (DP-300)
• Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate (AZ-104)
• VMware Certified Professional (VCP)
• ITIL Foundation
• SRE Foundation

We Offer

• Gross annual salary: €30,000–€36,000, depending on experience and suitability for the role.
• Meal allowance.
• Flexible benefits package.
• Extra day off on your birthday.
• One additional day off on either 24 December or 31 December.

About the Company

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