SQL Database Administrator

ASA Recruitment’s client, a Public Sector organisation in Edinburgh, are currently looking to recruit a SQL DBA on a hybrid basis (a couple of days onsite per month), for an initial 12 month contract (with potential extensions) on a rate of c.£500/day outside of IR35 (based on experience).

Responsibilities:

Database Operations

• Administer, configure, and support SQL Server environments across development, test, and production.
• Manage, optimise, and monitor Azure Cosmos DB workloads, ensuring cost-effective, scalable performance.
• Perform proactive capacity planning, patching, and upgrades to meet operational needs.

Performance & Optimisation

• Identify and resolve database performance issues impacting legacy systems.
• Improve query and indexing strategies, schema design, and execution plans to reduce latency.
• Introduce monitoring and alerting improvements aligned to operational SLAs and KPIs.

Data Quality, Governance & Security

• Ensure compliance with data legislation and security standards, including GDPR and government policy.
• Manage access controls, auditing, and data protection measures.
• Maintain documentation that supports transparency, continuity, and operational resilience.

Continuous Improvement

• Support the evolution of data platforms with modern architectures where appropriate.
• Collaborate closely with engineering and delivery teams to support service transformation initiatives.

Essential Experience:

• Strong SQL Server administration experience in live service environments.
• Demonstrable expertise in performance tuning and troubleshooting database bottlenecks.
• Practical experience with Azure Cosmos DB, including throughput, indexing, and partitioning strategies.
• Understanding of HA/DR design principles and tooling.
• Commitment to secure, well-governed data management practices.
• Ability to work effectively in a collaborative, service-focused environment.

Desirable Experience:

• Experience in public sector IT services and associated compliance standards.
• Familiarity with cloud-hosted operational databases and Azure infrastructure.
• Knowledge of automation (PowerShell, ARM/Bicep, Terraform, DevOps pipelines).
• Experience supporting legacy application transformation or migration projects.