Database Migration Lead

Hello

Database Migration Lead - Oracle, Sql & Cloud

Santa Clara, California Open Fully On-Site

Long-term contract 12+ Months

No Markup/Discount

We are looking for Database Migration Lead - Oracle, SQL Server & Cloud Modernization. Need strong candidates as this is a lead role.

Location: Hillsborough, Oregon or Santa Clara, CA (5 days onsite)

Role Summary

We are seeking a seasoned Database Migration Expert to lead the migration of Oracle and Microsoft SQL Server databases as part of a data center modernization program. The role owns the end-to-end migration lifecycle: assessment, planning, execution, validation, and cutover. Target environments may include a new data center, private cloud or public cloud (AWS, Azure, OCI). The ideal candidate combines deep hands-on DBA expertise with strong migration planning skills and can deliver complex migrations with minimal downtime and zero data loss.

Key Responsibilities

• Assessment & discovery: inventory and assess existing Oracle and SQL Server estates. This covers versions, sizes, dependencies, licensing, performance baselines, and application integrations.

2. Migration strategy: define the approach for each database, whether rehost, replatform or refactor, and covering homogeneous moves (Oracle Oracle, SQL Server SQL Server) and heterogeneous moves (e.g., Oracle SQL Server or PostgreSQL).

3. Migration planning: build detailed wave plans, runbooks, rollback plans and cutover schedules in line with business downtime windows.

4. Execution: perform migrations using the right tools and techniques, such as Oracle Data Guard, RMAN, Data Pump, GoldenGate, SQL Server Always On, log shipping, backup/restore, AWS DMS or Azure DMS.

5. Data validation: design and run reconciliation checks covering row counts, checksums and data integrity, to confirm complete and accurate migration.

6. Performance tuning: benchmark pre- and post-migration performance, and tune queries, indexes and configurations in the target environment.

7. High availability & DR: design and configure HA/DR in the target environment (RAC, Data Guard, Always On Availability Groups, clustering).

8. Cutover & hypercare: lead cutover activities and provide post-migration stabilization support.

9. Stakeholder coordination: work closely with application owners, infrastructure, network, security and business teams to align migration windows and resolve dependencies.

10. Documentation: produce migration runbooks, as-built documentation, lessons learned and handover materials for operations teams.

11. Risk management: identify migration risks (data loss, downtime, compatibility, licensing) and drive mitigation plans.

Required Qualifications

• Experience: 10+ years as an Oracle and/or SQL Server DBA, including at least 4 years leading database migrations as part of data center or cloud migration programs.

2. Oracle expertise: strong hands-on knowledge of Oracle 12c/19c and later, RMAN, Data Pump, Data Guard, RAC, ASM and GoldenGate.

3. SQL Server expertise: strong hands-on knowledge of SQL Server 2016 and later, Always On Availability Groups, log shipping, SSIS and backup/restore strategies.

4. Migration tooling: experience with migration and replication tools such as Oracle GoldenGate, AWS DMS/SCT, Azure Database Migration Service or equivalent.

5. Scale: proven record of migrating large, business-critical databases (multi-TB) with minimal downtime.

6. Scripting: proficiency in SQL, PL/SQL, T-SQL and scripting (PowerShell, Bash or Python) for automation and validation.

7. Infrastructure knowledge: working understanding of storage, networking, virtualization (VMware) and OS platforms (Linux, Windows Server).

8. Communication: ability to explain technical migration plans, risks and status clearly to technical and business stakeholders.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with cloud database services: Amazon RDS, Azure SQL / Managed Instance, Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) or Exadata Cloud

2. Heterogeneous migration experience (e.g., Oracle PostgreSQL or SQL Server)

3. Knowledge of Oracle and Microsoft licensing implications during migrations

4. Familiarity with ITIL change management and formal cutover governance

5. Certifications such as Oracle Certified Professional (OCP), Microsoft Certified: Azure Database Administrator Associate, or AWS Certified Database Specialty

Success Measures

• Databases migrated on schedule within agreed downtime windows

2. Zero data loss, validated through documented reconciliation

3. Post-migration performance at or above baseline

4. Complete runbooks and smooth handover to operations