SQL Server Database Architect
Role: SQL Server Database Architect
Location: 100% Remote
Duration: 12+ Months
Experience required: 10+ years
Hourly rate: $90/hr. W2 no benefits
Technical Leadership Provide architectural leadership across Microsoft SQL Server environments supporting mission-critical business systems. Guide database architecture, schema design, T-SQL development, performance optimization, and engineering best practices. Establish practical standards around source control, peer review, testing, CI/CD, deployment automation, monitoring, and operational excellence. Improve platform reliability through root-cause analysis, automation, observability, and continuous improvement. Partner with Analytics Engineering and Product teams to establish reliable data contracts and protect downstream systems during database changes. Skills for Success Builds high-performing engineering teams through coaching, accountability, and trust. Demonstrates excellent stakeholder management and cross-functional collaboration. Makes thoughtful technical decisions that balance innovation with operational stability. Communicates complex technical concepts clearly to technical and business audiences. Creates predictable engineering execution through prioritization, planning, and strong operational discipline. Understands how database architecture, application behavior, infrastructure, and business processes work together. Promotes continuous improvement without introducing unnecessary complexity. Remains calm and decisive when navigating competing priorities and production challenges.
Required Qualifications:
Proven experience leading, mentoring, or managing database or software engineers.
Demonstrated success with hiring, coaching, performance management, career development, and difficult conversations.
Deep production experience with Microsoft SQL Server, including database architecture, schema design, query optimization, indexing strategies, and T-SQL development.
Experience establishing engineering standards across enterprise SQL environments.
Experience improving engineering workflows through source control, CI/CD, deployment automation, monitoring, and operational tooling.
Experience leading delivery across roadmap initiatives, operational support, technical debt, and cross-functional dependencies.
Experience partnering effectively with technical and non-technical stakeholders.
Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to explain technical tradeoffs clearly.
Demonstrated ability to influence priorities across multiple teams and build trusted working relationships.
You Might Also Have:- Experience leading database modernization or platform transformation initiatives.
- Experience with Azure SQL, AWS RDS for SQL Server, Infrastructure as Code, or DevOps automation.
- Experience supporting highly available or regulated production environments.
- Knowledge of data warehousing, ETL, analytics platforms, or enterprise Microsoft Access applications.
- Experience implementing data contracts or API-style interfaces between transactional databases and downstream systems.
- Experience responsibly leveraging AI-assisted engineering tools to improve software development or operational workflows.
- What We Look ForWe're looking for a leader who is equally comfortable coaching an engineer, influencing a stakeholder, and making a difficult technical decision.
- The Strongest Candidates Will:
- Develop engineers while maintaining high performance standards.
- Build trust across technical and business teams.
- Make pragmatic technical decisions grounded in business value.
- Balance operational excellence with thoughtful modernization.
- Communicate directly, collaborate effectively, and lead with humility.
- Leave teams, systems, and processes stronger than they found them.
