Senior SQL Server Database Administrator || Houston TX || Long Term

Title: Senior SQL Server Database Administrator

Location: Houston, TX (100% Onsite)
Duration: Long-Term Contract (Contract-to-Hire)

Position Overview

We are seeking a Senior SQL Server Database Administrator to support and maintain Enterprise's mission-critical database infrastructure across both on-premises and cloud environments. This is a hands-on technical role responsible for the installation, administration, optimization, automation, and operational support of enterprise SQL Server environments while also supporting open-source database platforms such as PostgreSQL.

The ideal candidate has strong SQL Server administration experience, cloud database knowledge, automation skills, and enjoys working in a fast-paced enterprise environment where reliability, performance, and availability are critical.

Key Responsibilities

• Administer SQL Server environments across Development, Test, Production, and Disaster Recovery environments.
• Install, configure, patch, upgrade, monitor, and maintain Microsoft SQL Server databases.
• Support PostgreSQL databases in production environments; experience with MongoDB or other open-source databases is a plus.
• Perform database backups, restores, disaster recovery testing, capacity planning, and performance tuning.
• Troubleshoot database performance, blocking, connectivity, replication, and availability issues.
• Support High Availability solutions including:
• Always On Availability Groups
• Distributed Availability Groups
• Failover Clustering
• Partner with Infrastructure, Application, and Operations teams to ensure secure, reliable, and high-performing database environments.
• Develop and maintain automation using PowerShell, T-SQL, Python, Ansible, or similar technologies.
• Support database deployments and administration within Azure and AWS cloud environments.
• Participate in DevOps initiatives, CI/CD pipelines, and infrastructure automation efforts.
• Support production deployments, incident response, service requests, and change management activities.
• Contribute to database standards, architecture improvements, and operational best practices.

Required Qualifications

• 10+ years of SQL Server Database Administration experience
• Strong experience administering SQL Server 2016 2022 in enterprise environments
• Hands-on experience supporting PostgreSQL in production
• Experience supporting databases in both Azure and AWS
• Experience with High Availability technologies including Always On Availability Groups and Failover Clustering
• Experience working in virtualized environments (VMware preferred)
• Strong PowerShell scripting skills
• Experience with SQL Server performance tuning, backup/recovery, and disaster recovery planning
• Experience supporting enterprise production environments with high availability requirements

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with MongoDB
• Experience with Snowflake
• Experience with Python and/or Ansible automation
• Experience participating in DevOps and CI/CD pipelines
• Experience with monitoring platforms such as SolarWinds, Idera, Grafana, or Dynatrace
• Experience working in SOX or other regulated environments
• Exposure to SQL Server 2025
• Experience with Zerto replication technologies

Technical Environment

Required

• Microsoft SQL Server
• PostgreSQL
• AWS
• Azure
• PowerShell

Preferred

• Ansible
• Python
• MongoDB
• Snowflake
• SQL Server Always On
• VMware
• DevOps / CI-CD