iO Associates
Cloud-First SQL Database Administrator - Azure
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Cloud-First SQL Database Administrator - Azure - Hybrid - Permanent
This is not a traditional on-premise SQL Server DBA position.
We are looking for a genuinely cloud-first DBA who combines strong SQL Server fundamentals with substantial, recent experience managing production database services in Microsoft Azure.
You must already be comfortable operating within Azure at scale. This role will not suit someone whose career has been almost entirely focused on on-premise SQL Server and who is now looking for their first meaningful cloud opportunity.
The role
Working within a modern Cloud Platform team, you will take responsibility for the deployment, operation, security and continual improvement of development and production database environments.
You will help move the database estate towards cloud-native, automated and repeatable ways of working—improving resilience, performance, security and operational efficiency across the platform.
Key responsibilities will include:
- Managing and optimising production database services within Azure
- Supporting the modernisation and migration of SQL Server workloads into Azure
- Monitoring performance and resolving issues involving queries, indexing, capacity, CPU and I/O
- Designing and maintaining backup, restore, high-availability and disaster-recovery processes
- Implementing database security, encryption, access controls, patching and vulnerability management
- Automating database provisioning, configuration and routine operational tasks
- Improving CI/CD processes for database changes and deployments
- Establishing cloud database standards, documentation and operational runbooks
- Working closely with Platform Engineering, Architecture, Information Security, Compliance and application teams
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Essential experience:
- At least five years' experience in database administration, with strong Microsoft SQL Server expertise
- Substantial, recent hands-on experience operating large-scale Azure infrastructure and database services
- Production experience with Azure SQL Database and/or Azure SQL Managed Instance
- Experience modernising or migrating SQL Server workloads into Azure—not simply supporting SQL Server on-premise
- Strong knowledge of performance monitoring, query optimisation, indexing and capacity management
- Expertise across backup, restore, replication, resilience and disaster recovery
- Experience applying database security and least-privilege access controls within Azure
- Strong scripting and automation capability using PowerShell, Python or similar
- Experience with modern CloudOps, DevOps or Site Reliability Engineering practices
- Familiarity with CI/CD, source-controlled database changes and automated deployments
- Working knowledge of Windows and Linux operating environments
- Strong communication and problem-solving skills within a complex enterprise environment
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What "cloud-first" means for this position:
Your Azure experience must be practical and production-based. Certifications are valuable, but they will not replace evidence that you have personally operated, secured, automated and optimised database platforms within Azure.
This opportunity is unlikely to be suitable if your experience is predominantly:
- Long-term administration of traditional on-premise SQL Server estates
- Limited to SQL Server hosted on Azure virtual machines
- Based on training, certifications or personal projects rather than production ownership
- Focused on manual DBA processes without automation, DevOps or cloud-native practices
We are looking for someone who is already an Azure-focused database engineer—not a traditional DBA hoping to transition into one.
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