Head of Database Engineering and Operations

Location: New York

This job is with MSCI, an inclusive employer and a member of my Gwork – the largest global platform for the LGBTQ+ business community. Please do not contact the recruiter directly.

Your Team Responsibilities:
We are seeking the head of Database Engineering & Operations for MSCI's large database infrastructure spread across our Tier-IV data center, Google cloud and Azure, to lead and grow our team responsible for the performance, availability, and scalability of critical database platforms - Oracle, SQL Server, Cassandra, Mongo

DB and Apache Ignite - across our hybrid cloud environment which incorporates on premise data centers, Azure, GCP and Oracle Cloud. This role combines technical depth with strong leadership skills, ensuring the stability, efficiency, and continuous improvement of both legacy and modern data systems.  This role requires very deep 20+ years of hands-on engineering experience with multi-vendor databases  - structured and non-structured.
This is an executive level positions that requires candidate evidence prior positions leading mission critical database infrastructure that powers MSCI's multi-billion dollar business. The ideal candidate is a  hands-on leader  with a strategic mindset, capable of driving engineering modernization, automation, and operational excellence in a complex and fast-paced environment.
Your

Key Responsibilities:

Team Leadership & Strategy
Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing team of database engineers and administrators.
Define and execute a strategic roadmap for database engineering and operations.
Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
Database Engineering & Architecture
Provide technical leadership for the design, deployment, and optimization of Oracle, SQL Server, Cassandra and other No

SQL databases on the MSCI Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) Platform
Guide infrastructure design and implementation decisions for on-premises and cloud-hosted database workloads
Drive standardization of database architecture, tooling, automation, and best practices.
Operations & Performance
Oversee 24/7 database operations, ensuring system reliability, availability, performance and proactive maintenance.
Own and optimize backup, recovery, HA/DR, patching, and capacity planning processes.
Develop robust monitoring, alerting, and incident response procedures.
Develop designs to enable fast recovery of databases ranging from 50TB to 250TB
Cloud & Automation
Lead the transition and integration of database services into cloud and hybrid environments.
Promote Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) practices for database provisioning and deployment.
Drive automation of routine operations to reduce manual effort and increase reliability.
Security, Compliance & Governance
Ensure compliance with data security policies, regulatory requirements, and industry standards (e.g., SOX, HIPAA, GDPR).
Enforce access controls, encryption, auditing, and other data governance measures.
Partner with Info Sec and compliance teams to perform risk assessments and audits.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
Work closely with application development, Dev Ops, SRE, and business intelligence teams to support data-intensive applications.
Participate in architectural reviews, performance tuning sessions, and capacity planning initiatives.
Vendor & License Management
Manage vendor relationships for database platforms, tools, and support contracts.
Monitor and optimize database licensing usage and costs.
AI
Integrate AI into all the operations and management processes outlined above
Your skills and experience that will help you excel:  

Required Qualifications
Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or related field.
15+ years of experience in database engineering or administration.
10+ years in a leadership and  overseeing multi-platform database environments.
Strong hands-on experience with:
Oracle (Data Guard, RMAN)
SQL Server (Always On, SSIS, SSRS)
Cassandra (Data modeling, scaling, tuning)
Proven experience in managing hybrid cloud environments (on-prem + AWS, Azure, or GCP).
Solid understanding of backup/recovery, disaster recovery strategies, and high availability…