SQL Server DBA / Cloud Database Administrator

Position Overview

We are seeking an experienced SQL Server Database Administrator (DBA) / Cloud Database Administrator to join the Tolling Engineering and Operations team.

The selected candidate will be responsible for administering, maintaining, monitoring, troubleshooting, and optimizing SQL Server databases and cloud database environments supporting tolling applications and business operations. The role requires hands-on expertise in SQL Server administration, performance tuning, high availability, disaster recovery, database upgrades, and cloud technologies.

The position also includes application support and rotational help-desk responsibilities within the Tolling group. The candidate will collaborate with engineering, application development, infrastructure, and operations teams to ensure database reliability, security, availability, and performance.

Primary Responsibilities

1. SQL Server Database Administration

• Install, configure, administer, maintain, and support Microsoft SQL Server 2019 and newer versions.
• Perform SQL Server installation, upgrades, patching, migrations, configuration changes, and maintenance activities.
• Support SQL Server 2022 and newer versions, including SQL Server 2025 where applicable, with failover clustering.
• Monitor database health, uptime, availability, storage utilization, and resource consumption.
• Manage database objects, schemas, logins, users, permissions, jobs, and maintenance plans.
• Perform database backup and recovery operations and validate recovery procedures.
• Troubleshoot database connectivity, authentication, authorization, and application integration issues.
• Review existing database implementations and recommend improvements to performance, reliability, scalability, and maintainability.

2. High Availability and Disaster Recovery

• Configure, maintain, and troubleshoot SQL Server failover clustering and high-availability solutions.
• Support database mirroring in existing environments and evaluate appropriate high-availability technologies.
• Monitor cluster health, failover behavior, database availability, and service recovery.
• Develop, maintain, and test disaster recovery procedures and database recovery plans.
• Perform recovery testing and validate backup integrity and recovery objectives.
• Support business continuity planning for critical tolling databases.

3. SQL Server Performance Tuning and Optimization

• Analyze and optimize long-running SQL queries, stored procedures, functions, and database workloads.
• Troubleshoot blocking, deadlocks, wait statistics, execution plans, and resource contention.
• Optimize indexes, statistics, query execution plans, and database configurations.
• Use SQL Server Query Store, Extended Events, Dynamic Management Views (DMVs), and other diagnostic tools to identify performance bottlenecks.
• Support large and very large databases (VLDBs), including databases exceeding 2 TB.
• Analyze CPU, memory, disk I/O, storage latency, and transaction-log utilization.
• Establish performance baselines and implement proactive monitoring to prevent recurring production issues.

4. Azure Cloud Database Administration

• Support SQL Server databases hosted on Windows servers and Microsoft Azure infrastructure.
• Administer and troubleshoot Azure SQL Database, Azure SQL Managed Instance, and SQL Server on Azure Virtual Machines, as applicable to the environment.
• Assist with database migrations from on-premises SQL Server environments to Azure.
• Monitor cloud database performance, availability, storage, connectivity, and resource utilization.
• Support cloud backup, recovery, security, access management, and database configuration.
• Assist with cloud database cost optimization, capacity planning, and resource utilization reviews.
• Collaborate with cloud engineering teams to troubleshoot network connectivity, identity, firewall, and application-to-database communication issues.

5. T-SQL Development and Database Processes

• Develop, review, troubleshoot, and optimize Transact-SQL (T-SQL) queries, stored procedures, views, functions, and database scripts.
• Automate database maintenance, reporting, validation, and diagnostic activities.
• Review and refine existing database jobs, processes, and procedures to align with agency and operational priorities.
• Support SQL Agent jobs, scheduled tasks, data-processing workflows, and database dependencies.
• Apply data modeling principles and maintain database schema documentation.
• Assist developers with SQL performance issues and database design improvements.

6. SQL Server Integration and Reporting Services

• Support SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) packages and ETL workflows.
• Assist with SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS) and SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS), including troubleshooting and operational support.
• Monitor data-processing jobs and investigate failed packages, data inconsistencies, and integration errors.
• Support data movement between tolling applications, operational databases, and reporting systems.
• Collaborate with application and reporting teams to resolve database dependency and data-quality issues.

7. Security, Compliance, and Access Management

• Administer SQL Server logins, database users, roles, permissions, and service accounts.
• Implement least-privilege access and follow established security and access-control policies.
• Support secure database connectivity, encryption, credential management, and auditing.
• Review database configurations and access permissions to identify security risks.
• Support applicable PCI requirements, audit activities, and regulatory compliance controls for tolling and financial transaction data.
• Maintain database documentation, change records, access reviews, and operational evidence.

8. Monitoring, Troubleshooting, and Operational Support

• Monitor database environments to maintain uptime, availability, and operational stability.
• Troubleshoot production incidents involving databases, applications, connectivity, authentication, and performance.
• Perform root-cause analysis and document corrective and preventive actions.
• Use Windows Server tools, operating-system logs, PowerShell, and scripting utilities for database diagnostics and maintenance.
• Participate in incident management, change management, maintenance windows, and production deployments.
• Prepare implementation plans, validation procedures, rollback plans, and post-change verification steps.
• Provide application support and participate in the Tolling team's rotational help-desk support schedule.
• Support scheduled off-hours maintenance and critical production incidents as required.

9. Automation, Documentation, and Collaboration

• Develop and maintain PowerShell or other operating-system scripts to automate database administration and operational tasks.
• Maintain database architecture diagrams, dependency maps, recovery procedures, technical specifications, and support runbooks.
• Prepare technical documentation, requirements, design artifacts, and operational reports.
• Collaborate with database administrators, cloud engineers, developers, infrastructure teams, and operations personnel.
• Independently manage complex technical assignments while communicating progress, risks, and recommendations clearly.

Required Qualifications

• At least 2 years of hands-on Microsoft SQL Server database administration experience.
• Strong knowledge of SQL Server installation, configuration, upgrades, patching, migrations, and maintenance.
• Experience with SQL Server high availability, failover clustering, database mirroring, and disaster recovery.
• Strong T-SQL skills, including stored procedures, query development, and query optimization.
• Experience troubleshooting long-running queries, blocking, deadlocks, and database performance issues.
• Knowledge of SQL Server indexing, execution plans, database statistics, and performance diagnostics.
• Experience working with Windows Server environments.
• At least 1 year of experience with Azure, Snowflake, or Databricks; an applicable certification may substitute for experience, as permitted by the hiring requirements.
• Working knowledge of cloud database administration, database security, backup and recovery, and connectivity troubleshooting.
• Exposure to SSIS, SSAS, and SSRS.
• Knowledge of database modeling, schema design, and data management principles.
• Experience with operating-system scripting and database maintenance automation.
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, or a related field, or equivalent skills, knowledge, education, and work experience.
• Ability to communicate technical requirements and design concepts using standard documentation and design artifacts.
• Strong analytical, troubleshooting, organizational, and communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience administering SQL Server 2019 and newer versions.
• Experience supporting SQL Server 2022 and SQL Server 2025 environments.
• Experience with Azure SQL Database, Azure SQL Managed Instance, and SQL Server on Azure Virtual Machines.
• Experience with cloud database migrations, high availability, and disaster recovery.
• Experience supporting large databases and high-volume transactional workloads.
• Familiarity with Snowflake and/or Databricks.
• Experience with PowerShell automation, SQL Server monitoring, and performance diagnostics.
• Familiarity with database security, auditing, and PCI compliance requirements.
• Experience supporting enterprise application databases in production environments.

Special Instructions

• The position requires a fingerprint-based background check.
• The selected contractor must maintain current technical knowledge through continuing education at their own expense to stay current with VDOT technologies and applicable database platforms.
• The role includes application support, rotational help-desk responsibilities, and off-hours support as required.