SQL Server DBA

Team: IT

Location: US

Commitment: Part-time

Workplace Type: remote

Accountabilities

• Urgent production support: Respond to SQL Server Agent alerts, severity errors, critical incidents, and urgent customer calls, diagnosing and resolving production database issues promptly.
• Weekend operations: Execute scheduled maintenance activities, including cumulative updates, index and statistics rebuilds, DBCC CHECKDB, schema changes, and other database administration tasks.
• Performance management: Investigate database performance issues, including tempdb contention, deadlocks, parameter sniffing, inefficient queries, stored procedures, and triggers, and implement appropriate fixes.
• High-availability support: Build, troubleshoot, and perform failovers for Always On Availability Groups and Windows Server Failover Clusters while maintaining production stability.
• Backup and recovery: Manage native SQL Server backups, point-in-time restores, database files, instance patching, and other core recovery and administration activities.
• Ticket and workload management: Work through ticket queues, manage weekday-team handoffs, monitor ongoing activities such as migrations, and ensure assigned issues progress to resolution.
• Client communication: Participate in live screen-share sessions and clearly explain technical findings, root causes, recommended actions, and database behaviors to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Data integration: Deploy, execute, and troubleshoot SSIS packages and support related SQL Server data integration activities.
• Remote collaboration: Maintain proactive communication through team channels, manage time effectively throughout the shift, and provide clear handoffs to other team members.
• Administrative accuracy: Maintain complete and accurate ticket records and timesheets to support operational tracking and client billing.

Requirements

• Professional experience: 2–5 years of experience working as a production support SQL Server DBA, with practical responsibility for live database environments.
• SQL Server expertise: Hands-on administration experience with SQL Server versions 2012 through 2025, including instance-level configuration and best practices such as MAXDOP, cost threshold for parallelism, maximum server memory, and security controls.
• T-SQL and performance tuning: Ability to write T-SQL independently, interpret execution plans, identify parameter sniffing and deadlocks, and optimize poorly performing queries, stored procedures, and triggers.
• Core DBA capabilities: Strong understanding of native backups, point-in-time restores, database file management, instance patching, and routine SQL Server administration.
• High availability: Practical experience with Always On Availability Groups and Windows Server Failover Clusters, including configuration, troubleshooting, and failover procedures.
• Data integration: Familiarity with SSIS package deployment, execution, monitoring, and troubleshooting.
• Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to explain complex database behavior and root-cause analysis clearly to clients.
• Education: High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Technical education: An Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field is beneficial, or equivalent relevant professional experience.
• Cloud experience: Experience migrating or managing SQL Server workloads in AWS environments such as RDS or EC2, or Microsoft Azure environments such as Azure SQL and Managed Instance, is a plus.
• Certifications: Active Microsoft certifications, such as Azure Data Fundamentals or Azure Database Administrator Associate, are advantageous.
• Additional technical skills: Experience with SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) and/or a background in technical support or call center support is beneficial.
• Working style: Demonstrated ability to work independently, prioritize urgent production issues, remain calm under pressure, and communicate proactively in a remote environment.

Benefits

• Compensation: Expected hourly salary range of $35–$55 per hour, depending on skills and experience.
• Schedule: Part-time commitment of approximately 17 hours per week, including a primary Saturday shift from 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM Mountain Time, plus up to two hours of preparation on Friday and up to two hours for Sunday handoff.
• Remote flexibility: Fully remote position for U.S.-based professionals.
• 401(k): Access to a 401(k) plan with company matching.
• Paid time off: Hourly team members receive a specialized PTO program providing 80 hours (10 days) annually.
• Professional development: Paid training and certification opportunities to support continued growth in SQL Server and database technologies.
• Employee assistance: Employee Assistance Program available for employees and their families.
• Protection benefits: Comprehensive identity and fraud protection.
• Work-life balance: Flexible work options designed to support personal and professional well-being.
• Additional opportunities: Potential to provide coverage for another weekend shift when needed.