Apply on Employer Site

Cherokee Federal · 5 hours ago

Lead Senior SQL Database Administrator

Herndon, VA

Full-time

Onsite

Senior Level, Lead/Staff

$125K/yr - $145K/yr

7+ years exp

Cherokee Federal is building mission-critical data platforms that power federal, healthcare, and financial programs. They are seeking a seasoned Lead SQL Senior Database Administrator to lead enterprise SQL Server and Azure data solutions with high availability, performance, and resiliency. The role involves architecting, implementing, and operating large-scale environments while collaborating across teams to deliver secure, reliable, and compliant services.

GovernmentNon ProfitProfessional ServicesPublic Relations

No H1B

U.S. Citizen Only

Responsibilities

Architect, design, and administer enterprise SQL Server environments (2016/2019/2022), including Always On Availability Groups, Failover Clustering, Replication, and Log Shipping

Lead high availability and disaster recovery (HA/DR) strategy, including planning, testing, automation, and execution; maintain DR runbooks and recovery objectives

Design and support end-to-end database solutions for mission-critical applications; provide guidance on modernization and migration initiatives

Install, upgrade, and manage SQL Server Engine, SSIS, SSRS, and SSAS; optimize performance for large-scale databases using indexing strategies, partitioning, compression, and backup/restore tuning

Implement and maintain Microsoft security patches, cumulative updates, and version upgrades to ensure platform stability and compliance

Define and enforce data engineering standards, design patterns, and operational procedures; automate provisioning and configuration using PowerShell, DSC, or equivalent tooling

Improve operational efficiency through enhanced monitoring, observability, capacity planning, and performance tuning

Collaborate with cross-functional teams to translate business needs into secure, scalable database architectures with strong HA/DR posture

Govern security and networking controls across data platforms, including Azure Storage, private endpoints, virtual networks, and database-integrated applications

Support hybrid and cloud data services including Azure SQL, Managed Instance, Cosmos DB, and other NoSQL platforms

Provide technical leadership to DBA Operations and Engineering teams; mentor staff, set priorities, and drive continuous improvement

Produce clear documentation including architectures, diagrams, DR plans, migration strategies, and standard operating procedures

Communicate effectively with technical and non-technical stakeholders; deliver high-quality work with attention to detail

Qualification

SQL Server AdministrationHigh Availability/Disaster RecoveryAzure Data ServicesPerformance TuningPowerShell AutomationDatabase Architecture DesignSecurity ComplianceCommunication SkillsLeadership AbilitiesDocumentation Skills

Required

A government contract requires that this position be restricted to U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents. You must provide documentation that you are a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident to qualify

7+ years of hands-on experience administering large-scale SQL Server environments (2016+), including VLDB performance engineering

Deep expertise with HA/DR technologies (Always On AGs, Failover Clustering, Log Shipping; replication as appropriate)

Strong experience with SSIS, SSRS, SSAS deployment and performance tuning

Demonstrated ability to design enterprise database architectures and capacity plans for mission-critical workloads

High proficiency in automation and configuration management (PowerShell, DSC, or similar)

Experience working in regulated industries (government, financial, healthcare) with strong understanding of auditing, compliance, and security requirements

Solid understanding of networking, security, and identity concepts relevant to data platforms (firewalls, NSGs, VNETs, authentication, encryption)

Excellent communication, documentation, and leadership abilities

Preferred

Relevant certifications: Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900), Azure Administrator (AZ-104), Azure Database Administrator (DP-300)

Microsoft SQL Server certifications (2016+); legacy certifications may be considered with relevant experience

CompTIA A+ or Network+

NetApp Certified Data Management Administrator (optional based on environment)

Experience with Azure data services (Azure SQL, Managed Instance, Storage Accounts, Cosmos DB, VNET integration, private endpoints)

Experience supporting application platforms requiring SQL back-end integration (e.g., SharePoint 2016+ or equivalent)

Knowledge of data warehousing and BI platform operations

Experience with security hardening, encryption, auditing, and compliance frameworks (NIST, FedRAMP, HIPAA, PCI, etc.)

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or Information Technology preferred; equivalent experience accepted

Benefits

Medical

Dental

Vision

401K

Other possible benefits as provided

Company

Cherokee Federal

Cherokee Federal, a division of Cherokee Nation Businesses, is a trusted team of government contracting professionals who can rapidly build innovative solutions.

Founded in 1969

Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA

5001-10000 employees