• Design, deploy, and operate highly available and resilient SQL Server environments (Standalone, Failover Cluster Instances, Always On Availability Groups). • Own the end-to-end lifecycle of SQL Server instances: build, patch, upgrade, decommission. • Ensure database platforms meet availability, performance, security, and recoverability requirements. • Act as a senior escalation point for complex database incidents and performance issues. • Design and implement automation-first DBA processes, minimizing manual intervention. • Build and maintain automation using: PowerShell, T-SQL, CI/CD pipelines (Azure DevOps, GitHub Actions, or equivalent). • Automate: SQL builds and configuration, Patching and upgrades, Backups, restores, and DR testing, Monitoring, alerting, and health checks. • Implement Infrastructure as Code (ARM, Bicep, Terraform, DSC where applicable) for database platforms. • Promote “DBA as a service” capabilities for engineering teams. • Lead advanced performance troubleshooting and query optimization. • Analyze execution plans, wait statistics, and IO patterns. • Design and implement indexing, partitioning, and data-growth strategies. • Proactively identify and remediate performance and capacity risks. • Support performance testing and release readiness for critical applications. • Implement and maintain SQL security best practices: Least privilege access, Encryption (TDE, TLS, Always Encrypted where applicable), Auditing and logging. • Support compliance with organizational and regulatory requirements (e.g. SOX, ISO 27001, internal security standards).