Senior SQL Server DBA

An excellent opportunity has arisen for an experienced Senior SQL Server DBA to join a small, specialist database team supporting a business-critical SQL Server 2022 on-premise environment.

This is a remote role, offering home-based working with occasional UK travel required when needed. The position would suit someone who combines strong SQL Server database administration experience with advanced T-SQL development, performance tuning, automation, and troubleshooting skills.

You will be responsible for supporting, maintaining, and improving SQL Server environments to ensure high levels of performance, availability, resilience, and security. The role also includes participation in an on-call rota as part of a team providing 24/7 database support.

Key responsibilities

You will administer and maintain SQL Server environments, with a particular focus on SQL Server 2022. This will include monitoring database performance, identifying bottlenecks, analysing execution plans, and implementing tuning improvements across business-critical systems.

A key part of the role will involve writing, optimising, and troubleshooting T-SQL queries, stored procedures, and database objects. You will work closely with developers and business stakeholders to design and implement robust database solutions aligned to operational and business requirements.

You will also manage backup, restore, and disaster recovery processes, including regular testing to ensure resilience and continuity. The role will involve supporting high availability, database security, access control, monitoring, alerting, incident resolution, and root cause analysis.

In addition, you will automate routine database administration tasks using PowerShell and SQL Server Agent, while contributing to technical documentation, standards, and continuous improvement across the data platform.

The successful candidate will have proven experience as a SQL Server DBA at mid to senior level, with strong hands-on expertise across SQL Server 2016 to 2022. You will need advanced T-SQL skills and a strong understanding of performance tuning, query optimisation, backup and recovery, disaster recovery, security, permissions, and on-premise SQL Server administration.

Experience with PowerShell automation is essential, along with the ability to diagnose and resolve complex database performance issues. You should be comfortable working independently in a remote environment, while also collaborating effectively with technical and non-technical stakeholders.

A full UK driving licence and eligibility to live and work in the UK are required.

Desirable experience

Experience with any of the following would be beneficial:

• Microsoft Azure, including Azure SQL, IaaS, or hybrid environments
• SQL Server replication, including Merge Replication
• Always On Availability Groups
• Failover Cluster Instances
• SSIS
• Git or other source control tools
• Redgate, SolarWinds, or similar monitoring tools
• Data warehousing or BI environments

Working style

This role would suit a proactive, detail-oriented, and solutions-focused DBA who takes ownership of issues and enjoys working in a fast-paced technical environment. Strong communication skills are important, as you will work with a range of stakeholders and contribute to best practice database usage across the organisation.

You should be comfortable working remotely, operating as part of a small team, supporting critical systems, and taking part in occasional out-of-hours and on-call support.