Senior SQL Server DBA - DV Cleared

Location:

Reading (Onsite)
Rate:
Up to £98 per hour

Contract:

6 Months Initial
IR35:
Inside IR35
Clearance:
Active DV Clearance Required

We are seeking an experienced Senior SQL Server DBA to join a highly skilled technical team supporting business-critical database environments within a secure public sector organisation.

This is an excellent opportunity for a hands‑on DBA with strong experience across legacy and modern SQL Server platforms, providing 2nd and 3rd line support, maintaining database availability, security and performance, and driving continual service improvement.

• Provide 2nd and 3rd line support across production, pre-production and development SQL Server environments.
• Administer and maintain SQL Server versions (Apply online only), including patching, upgrades and migrations.
• Manage SQL Server high availability, clustering, Failover Cluster Instances (FCI) and Always On Availability Groups.
• Lead database incident resolution, troubleshooting and root cause analysis.
• Manage backup, restore and disaster recovery arrangements, including resilience and failover testing.
• Perform database performance tuning, capacity management and optimisation.
• Maintain database security, access controls, auditing and compliance.
• Develop automation and scripting solutions using Power Shell and T‑SQL.
• Work closely with application, infrastructure, security and service management teams.
• Maintain technical documentation, runbooks and operational standards.

• Proven experience as a Senior SQL Server DBA in business-critical production environments.
• Strong SQL Server administration experience across versions (Apply online only).
• Hands‑on experience with Windows Server Failover Clustering (WSFC), FCI and Always On Availability Groups.
• Strong T‑SQL and Power Shell scripting skills.
• Experience of database backup, recovery, disaster recovery and high availability.
• Performance tuning using execution plans, indexing, DMVs, Extended Events and Query Store.
• Experience with SQL Server security, Active Directory integration and access management.
• Good knowledge of Windows Server, Active Directory and SQL connectivity.
• Experience working within ITIL‑based incident, problem and change management processes.
• Excellent troubleshooting, communication and stakeholder management skills.

• SSIS, SSRS and SSAS.
• Cyber Ark or other privileged access management tools.
• Power Shell dbatools, Redgate SQL Monitor, SCOM or Solar Winds.
• SQL Server upgrade and migration planning, including end‑of‑support and ESU.
• Azure SQL, Azure Managed Instance or Azure Arc.
• Experience with in defence, government or secure environments.

Candidates must hold active UK DV Security Clearance to be considered for this opportunity