Senior Database Administrator (Azure SQL Managed Instance Stabilization & Performance Specialist)

Role: Senior Database Administrator (Azure SQL Managed Instance – Stabilization & Performance Specialist)Work location: RemoteBackground and Meet and Greet: MANDATORYJob Description:Senior Database Administrator (Azure SQL Managed Instance – Stabilization & Performance Specialist)Engagement ObjectiveCustomer needs a Senior DBA Stabilization Specialist to rapidly assess, stabilize, and optimize production workloads running on Azure SQL Managed Instance. This role is narrowly focused on performance, concurrency, and reliability—with immediate impact expected.This role is hands-on and has a short feedback loop. The right candidate has deep experience entering environments with existing technical debt, diagnosing locking and performance pathologies, and restoring predictable, stable behavior under load.Primary Outcomes (What You Will Be Accountable For)Within the first 30–60 days, you will:Identify and remediate blocking, deadlocks, lock escalation, and contention hot spotsEstablish clear performance baselines using Azure SQL MI–native toolingReduce the frequency and duration of database-driven incidentsDeliver clear, prioritized recommendations with measurable impactScope of WorkRapid Performance & Locking AssessmentAnalyze Query Store, DMVs, wait stats, blocking chains, and deadlock graphsIdentify root causes related to:Poor query plansInefficient indexingTransaction scope and isolation levelstemp db contentionResource governance constraints in Azure SQL MIStabilization & RemediationTune queries, indexes, and statistics to reduce contention and latencyAdvise on transaction boundaries and isolation strategies to mitigate blockingImplement tactical fixes that improve stability without requiring major application rewritesAddress recurring performance regressions tied to deployments or batch workloadsProduction Incident LeadershipAct as the escalation point for database-related production issuesLead focused root-cause analysis with clear evidence and reasoningProvide concise post-incident summaries oriented toward prevention, not blameMonitoring & GuardrailsEstablish lightweight, high-signal monitoring for:Lock waits and blockingCPU, IO, and memory pressureQuery regressionsDefine actionable thresholds and early-warning indicators.Knowledge TransferProduce clear, operator-ready documentation:Known failure modesWhat to watchWhat actions to takeCoach internal engineers on performance-safe patternsKey Responsibilities:Required ExpertiseAzure SQL Managed InstanceDeep, hands-on experience supporting production Azure SQL Managed Instance workloadsExpert understanding of:SQL Server locking and concurrency internalsDeadlocks, blocking chains, and lock escalationTransaction isolation levels and their real-world tradeoffsQuery execution plans and index designtempdb behavior in managed environmentsPerformance Analysis SkillsFluent in using:Query StoreDMVs and wait statisticsExecution plans (estimated vs actual)Ability to move from symptom → root cause → corrective action quicklyOperational MindsetProven experience stabilizing systems under live production loadComfortable operating in high-pressure environments with incomplete informationBias toward pragmatic, high-impact fixes over theoretical puritySuccess CriteriaLocking and contention incidents materially decreasePerformance regressions are detected earlier and resolved fasterTeams have clearer guardrails for database-safe changesWhat are the Mandatory skills and skill proficiencies required for this position?Deep, hands-on experience supporting production Azure SQL Managed Instance workloadsExpert understanding of:SQL Server locking and concurrency internalsDeadlocks, blocking chains, and lock escalationTransaction isolation levels and their real-world tradeoffsQuery execution plans and index designtempdb behavior in managed environments