Database Administrator, SQL Server

Job content

Ensono is a well-funded private equity backed business, that helps enterprises to manage, optimise and modernise their systems and applications. With global reach and impressive growth, our core values are honesty, collaboration, passion, curiosity and reliability. We pride ourselves on delivering high quality experience across a broad spectrum of operational and transformational services, including software application development, cloud transformation, mainframe modernization and modern workplace solutions. In short, unleashing our clients across all industry sectors to ‘operate for today and optimise for tomorrow’. Reporting to the EU Database Manager you will be part of a global database support team providing 24 x 7 coverage within the Client Technical Operations Department. As part of this team you will deliver a responsive and exceptional support service, resolving technical incidents and problems. Using your proven analytical and problem-solving skills you will help identify, communicate and resolve issues to optimise our clients’ databases. The Database Tower brings together a diverse group of people to make a compelling team dynamic. Working with people who are cross-skilled in multiple technologies you’ll achieve common goals in a positive learning environment where knowledge sharing will help build your experience as a DBA. Your day-to-day role will expose you to a broad mix of client solutions including some of the very latest technologies and tools. Your focus will be on MS SQL databases on-prem and in the cloud plus you may have opportunities to work with other RDBMS technologies such as Oracle, MySQL and Postgres. In addition to our online training portal - ‘Ensono University’, you will be supported by training and mentoring from experienced DBAs. Longer term objectives will concentrate on helping you develop the skills and experience necessary for you to progress on your chosen career path.

Key Responsibilities

Supporting Client Infrastructure Databases

You Will Be Responsible For

To ensure the integrity of all managed databases and that data is always available through proactive management and monitoring of the databases.

• Planning and maintenance of client’s database systems.
• Providing support to client’s databases and maintaining high availability through proactive measures.
• Resolving technical issues escalated by the client or internal departments.
• Administration and troubleshooting of database/server issues.
• Ensuring clients & partners are regularly updated on status of issues.
• Database patching – inputting into the strategy and mechanism for applying these.
• Implementing operational procedures, utilising tools and database best-practice.
• Helping achieve required levels of operational scalability & performance.
• Available to help with out-of-hours work and participating in an on-call rota if required.
  

Measured By

• Successful resolution of escalated issues within agreed SLA’s.
• Proactive analysis of issues.
• Managing successful client solution projects.
  

Documentation & Knowledge Base

To ensure client-specific and database knowledge is captured and retained. You will be responsible for:

• Documentation of procedures and knowledgebase articles.
• Documentation of troubleshooting carried out (including root cause analysis etc).
  

Measured By

• Clear and concise documents made available for future reference.
  

Backup and Recovery

To protect databases against data loss and recover the data should loss occur. You will be responsible for:

• Configuring backups for clients.
• Reviewing and updating backup procedures for databases.
• Ensuring that all new backup scenarios are documented and ready for the knowledge base.
• Troubleshooting and resolving database integrity issues, performance issues, blocking and deadlocking issues etc.
  

Measured By

• Successful resolution of escalated backup & recovery issues within agreed SLAs.
  

Knowledge

• Experience of SQL Server database administration in versions ranging from 2008 to current versions.
• Experience of configuring and maintaining Always On Availability Groups.
• Knowledge of methods used for backups, restores and recovery., shrink operations and DBCC commands.
• Experience of configuring and administering log shipping, mirroring, replication, clustering and Always On availability groups.
• Knowledge of methods used for index management, integrity checks, statistics, configuration and patching.
• Experience of creating jobs, Database mail, Alerts, and Maintenance plans in a production environment.
• Able to detect and troubleshoot CPU, memory and I/O issues, I/O, disk and resource contention issues.
• Experience in performance tuning, Performance Monitor, SQL Profiler and related tools.
• Knowledge/experience of ITIL standards desirable.
• Knowledge in a scripting language such as PowerShell desirable.
• Knowledge of other Database technologies such as Oracle, MySQL or Postgres desirable.
• Knowledge of database management Azure and AWS desirable.
  

Skills

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Good problem solving and decision-making skills.
• Willing to work as part of a Team across global regions. Strong interpersonal skills. Self-motivated with keen attention to detail.
  

Experience / Qualifications

• Educated to a degree level in an IT-related subject.
• Demonstrable experience in a database administration role.
• Microsoft Certification for SQL and/or Azure Database Administration for example MCSA/MCSE/Azure Database Administrator Associate (exam DP-300) is desirable but not essential.
  

What do we offer?

• 25 days annual leave
• ½ day birthday leave
• Private medical care
• Life insurance
• Referral bonus
• 5 days study leave
• One paid day off for charity events
• Training and development programs
• Home working
• Perkbox