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Database Administrator - Journeymanat SMX(View all jobs) (https://www.smxtech.com/careers/)

United States

SMX is seeking an experienced Database Administrator to be responsible for ensuring database health, performance, and reliability across AWS EC2 and RDS environments, with a strong focus on Microsoft SQL Server platforms. This role includes proactive incident troubleshooting, performance tuning, automation of routine tasks, and clear communication with engineers, stakeholders, and support teams. The ideal candidate works independently; exercises sound judgment and escalates issues appropriately.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

+ Manage and maintain production and non-production databases on Amazon RDS and EC2-hosted SQL Server instances (2016 and 2019)

+ Administer SQL Server databases using SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS), including configuration, security, and performance tuning

+ Design, implement, and monitor SQL Server maintenance plans for backups, index optimization, integrity checks, and cleanup tasks

+ Troubleshoot database performance, availability, backups, replication, and connectivity issues end-to-end and execute remediation

+ Monitor and tune query performance, indexes, schema design, and resource utilization to meet SLA targets

+ Implement and validate backup, restore, and disaster recovery strategies across SQL Server and other supported platforms

+ Automate routine DBA tasks using scripts and tools to reduce manual effort and risk

+ Plan and execute database upgrades, patching, migrations, and configuration changes with minimal downtime

+ Design and enforce security controls, access policies, and encryption for data at rest and in transit

+ Collaborate with application developers, platform engineers, and SREs to define capacity, scaling, and performance requirements

+ Create and maintain runbooks, run-of-records, change tickets, and documentation for systems and procedures

+ Participate in on-call rotation, incident response, postmortems, and continuous improvement initiatives

+ Communicate status, risks, and technical recommendations clearly to technical and non-technical stakeholders

Required Skills & Experience

+ Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science/Information Systems

+ DoD Secret security clearance

+ 5+ years of hands-on experience as a Database Administrator, including production support

+ Strong working knowledge of Amazon RDS (MySQL, PostgreSQL, or Aurora) and EC2-hosted databases

+ Proven experience with Microsoft SQL Server 2016 and 2019, including SSMS and maintenance plan configuration

+ Demonstrated ability to diagnose and resolve complex database performance and availability problems

+ Proficiency with shell scripting, Python, or similar for automation and operational tasks

+ Deep knowledge of backup architecture, point-in-time recovery, and DR testing

+ Experience with monitoring tools and alerting (CloudWatch, Prometheus, Datadog, New Relic, or similar)

+ Knowledge of database security best practices, IAM, encryption, and audit logging

+ Excellent communication skills with ability to explain technical issues clearly

+ Proven ability to work independently, prioritize proactively, and drive projects to completion in a remote environment

Desired Skills & Experience

+ Desired certifications: AWS Certified Database Specialty, AWS Solutions Architect, or relevant DB certifications

+ Experience with clustering, multi-AZ setups, read replicas, and cross-region replication

+ Familiarity with query analyzers, EXPLAIN plans, and profiling tools

+ Exposure to Infrastructure as Code tools like Terraform or CloudFormation

+ Experience with Docker, Kubernetes, and containerized database environments

+ Knowledge of integrating database changes into CI/CD pipelines safely

\#cjpost #LI-REMOTE

Application Deadline: 10/28/25

The SMX salary determination process takes into account a number of factors, including but not limited to, geographic location, Federal Government contract labor categories, relevant prior work experience, specific skills, education and certifications. At SMX, one of our Core Values is to Invest in Our People so we offer a competitive mix of compensation, learning & development opportunities, and benefits. Some key components of our robust benefits include health insurance, paid leave, and retirement.

The proposed salary for this position is:

$93,700—$156,200 USD

At SMX®, we are a team of technical and domain experts dedicated to enabling your mission. From priority national security initiatives for the DoD to highly assured and compliant solutions for healthcare, we understand that digital transformation is key to your future success.

We share your vision for the future and strive to accelerate your impact on the world. We bring both cutting edge technology and an expansive view of what’s possible to every engagement. Our delivery model and unique approaches harness our deep technical and domain knowledge, providing forward-looking insights and practical solutions to power secure mission acceleration.

SMX is an Equal Opportunity employer including disabilities and veterans.

Selected applicant may be subject to a background investigation and/or education verification.

SMX does not sponsor a new applicant for employment authorization or immigration related support for this position (i.e. H1B, F-1 OPT, F-1 STEM OPT, F-1 CPT, J-1, TN, E-2, E-3, L-1 and O-1, or any EADs or other forms of work authorization that require immigration support from an employer).