SQL Server Architect - SC Cleared

SQL Server Architect - SC Cleared

+ 6 month initial contract

+ Hybrid working from London

+ £605 per day - Inside IR35

+ SC Cleared role

Key

Skills:

SQL Server Always On

Sharepoint

Key Activities

Work with Infra Architect to define PoV success criteria (RPO/RTO, failover time, throughput, recovery steps).

Stand up PoV topology:

SQL Server Always On Availability Groups on Amazon EC2 across multiple AZs.

Storage using EBS (io1/io2 / gp3) and, where required, FSx for Windows File Server for cluster dependencies.

Integrate Cloud Watch, AWS Backup, Systems Manager, and automation as appropriate (Cloud Formation/Terraform/Power Shell).

Confirm and test SharePoint compatibility (content/search/service DBs).

Produce pattern catalogue and TCO/performance findings and assessment of complexity to introduce and in terms of operability and maintainability for each of the chosen patterns (Always On availability groups, Always On failover cluster instances (FCI), SIOS Data Keeper, AWS Elastic Disaster Recovery, and AWS Database Migration Service (AWS DMS)).

Deliverables

PoV Plan & Success Metrics

Resilience Pattern Catalogue (HA/DR topologies, pros/cons, prerequisites)

Testing of DR options with SharePoint team.

Performance Baseline & Findings Report (throughput/latency, failover timings)

PoV Recommendation & Next Step Design Decisions

Core Responsibilities

Architect HA/DR for SQL Server in AWS to support a mission critical SharePoint farm.

Evaluate native AWS options (EC2, EBS, FSx, Route 53, Cloud Watch, Backup, Systems Manager, Cloud Formation).

Design and validate Always On patterns, listener routing, quorum/witness.

Collaborate with the Infrastructure Architect to ensure network/IAM/security fit.

Produce documentation, runbooks, and handover materials for operations.

Skills & Experience

Essential

10+ years with Microsoft SQL Server (2016+) architecture and operations.

Proven delivery of Always On Availability Groups, FCI, log shipping/replication.

Large scale SharePoint database design/operations experience.

Strong performance engineering (indexing, I/O, concurrency, wait stats, storage optimisation).

Deep understanding of networking for Always On, listener design, DNS failover.

Excellent documentation and stakeholder communication.

Desirable

Azure SQL HA/DR exposure (SQL MI, zone redundancy) for comparative design decisions.

Handson AWS deployment for SQL workloads (EC2, EBS, FSx, Route 53, Cloud Watch, Backup, SSM).

Automation tooling (Cloud Formation/Terraform, Power Shell DSC).

Experience with regulated environments and security hardening