Employment Type: Full-time (or Senior Contractor)Reporting to: Head of Managed Services / Technical Lead Role SummaryWe are seeking an experienced Senior Database Administrator to lead database vendor-support activities and provide expert-level operational, performance, and architectural support across a heterogeneous environment (MongoDB, MySQL/MariaDB, Microsoft SQL Server, and others). This hands-on role is responsible for resolving critical tickets, driving stability and performance improvements, coordinating vendor escalations, and mentoring junior DBAs. The Senior DBA will be a key escalation point for complex incidents and lead database-related projects including migrations, HA designs, and automation. Key ResponsibilitiesServe as primary escalation engineer for complex database incidents and SLA breaches; lead incident response and post-incident root-cause analysis (RCA).Troubleshoot and resolve high-severity tickets across MongoDB, MySQL/MariaDB, MS SQL Server, and other DBMS; coordinate cross-team and vendor escalations as required.Design, implement and maintain high-availability, replication, clustering, sharding, and disaster recovery solutions; lead DR planning and periodic DR tests.Lead performance tuning efforts: query optimization, indexing strategy, resource contention mitigation, and capacity planning for large-scale production systems.Architect and execute database migrations and upgrades (on-prem ↔ cloud, cloud-to-cloud, major version upgrades), ensuring minimal downtime and reliable rollback plans.Define and enforce database change control processes; review and approve schema changes and major configuration adjustments.Implement and maintain robust backup/restore strategies (including point-in-time recovery) and ensure recoverability through regular restore testing.Develop and maintain database security best practices: roles and permissions, encryption at rest/in transit, auditing, and compliance controls.Build and improve observability and monitoring (alerts, dashboards, anomaly detection) using tools such as Prometheus, Grafana, Datadog, New Relic, Percona Monitoring, or vendor solutions.Automate repetitive operational tasks and integrate database operations into CI/CD pipelines using scripting (Python, Bash) and IaC tools (Ansible, Terraform).Collaborate with application, infrastructure, and security teams to design scalable data architectures that meet performance, reliability, and compliance requirements.Maintain thorough documentation: runbooks, SOPs, capacity forecasts, architecture diagrams, and vendor escalation procedures.Mentor and coach junior DBAs and support engineers; lead knowledge transfer and run regular training sessions.Participate in on-call rotation for critical incidents and provide after-hours support when required. Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Information Systems, or equivalent experience.4+ years of hands-on DBA experience with strong, demonstrable expertise in at least two of: MongoDB, MySQL/MariaDB, Microsoft SQL Server.Proven track record of resolving complex production incidents and driving long-term improvements.Deep SQL expertise and experience optimizing complex queries, indexing strategies, and execution plans; familiarity with MongoDB query optimization and sharding strategies.Strong experience with HA, replication, clustering, sharding, and disaster recovery design and operations.Hands-on experience with cloud-managed database services (AWS RDS/Aurora, Azure SQL, Google Cloud SQL, MongoDB Atlas) and hybrid cloud deployments.Experience with database migration projects, schema evolution strategies, and zero-downtime deployment techniques.Proficiency with monitoring/observability tools and log analysis; strong diagnostic skills for performance and resource-related issues.Scripting/automation skills (Python, Bash, PowerShell) and experience with configuration management / IaC (Ansible, Terraform, CI/CD tooling).Solid understanding of Linux and Windows server environments, storage, and networking as they relate to database performance.Excellent communication skills; comfortable coordinating with vendors (MongoDB, Microsoft, Oracle, etc.) and presenting technical information to stakeholders.Strong documentation skills and commitment to operational excellence and compliance.English proficiency required for vendor interaction and technical documentation.Preferred / Nice-to-haveCertifications: MongoDB DBA, Microsoft Certified: Azure Database Administrator, MySQL/MariaDB certifications, or similar.Experience with containerized databases and Kubernetes operators (e.g., MongoDB Kubernetes Operator, MySQL Operator).Familiarity with observability platforms (ELK/EFK stacks), query profilers, and advanced performance tools (Query Store, EXPLAIN ANALYZE).Prior experience working with global enterprise customers, RFP-managed services, or partner ecosystems (e.g., Dell Technologies).Experience with security and compliance frameworks (ISO 27001, SOC2, PCI-DSS).Deliverables & KPIsSLA adherence and mean time to resolution (MTTR) for high-severity incidents.Reduction in recurring incidents (trend-based KPIs) after RCA implementations.Successful execution of migrations/upgrades with minimal downtime.Availability and reliability metrics for database platforms (uptime, replication lag).Timeliness and quality of runbooks, documentation, and knowledge transfer sessions.