Lead Oracle Database Architecture Engineer

Work Location: On-site in the Taylor, TX area during the Proof of Concept (POC) and core migration phases. Hybrid remote during interim planning and steady-state project phases.

Employment Type: Contract / Contract-to-HireTravel & On-site Requirements : 100% on-site during the initial 3-month Proof of Concept (POC). Additional on-site presence will be required throughout the project for hardware and platform validation, testing, and cutover activities.

Clearance / Compliance: Must successfully pass required background checks and complete NERC CIP compliance onboarding before starting.

Contract Length: This position is initially scoped for the 3-month POC. Upon successful completion of the POC and achievement of the defined pass/fail criteria, the project is expected to continue for an additional 12-18 months in a hybrid remote/on-site capacity.

Work Authorization: U.S. Citizens only. This position is subject to client and regulatory requirements. How you will make a difference We are seeking a senior, hands-on Oracle Database Architecture Engineer to lead the technical validation, architecture design, Proof of Concept (POC), and migration execution for Data Modernization and Platform Refresh program. In this role, you will be physically on-site at primary facilities to benchmark high-availability architectures, configure 2-node RAC with ASM and Active Data Guard across multi-site data centers, and execute near-zero downtime database migrations. The ideal candidate has deep expertise in Oracle 19c and converged infrastructure, Advanced Security and NERC CIP security controls, and cross-site disaster recovery benchmarking. This is not a management position. This is a highly hands-on role where you will serve as the lead field engineer responsible for implementing the solution and executing all migrations, supported by a team of Oracle DBAs.

Responsibilities: Architecture & POC Leadership:

• Lead and implement the physical and logical configuration of the target Oracle Database platform (RAC, ASM, Data Guard) during the initial Proof of Concept (POC) phase.
• Conduct workload characterization, workload stress testing, and failover validation across Primary and Disaster Recovery (DR) data centers meeting migration objectives.
• Evaluate storage throughput, inter-node latency, and network interconnect performance to validate platform SLAs.
• Migration Planning & Execution:
• Design and execute data migration strategies (e.g., RMAN Active Duplication, Oracle GoldenGate, or Data Guard) to migrate mission-critical databases with minimal maintenance windows.
• Develop granular runbooks, rollback procedures, and cutover checklists for the production migration phase.
• Implement Ansible automation where possible, such as Oracle installs/Rac/ASM/DG/DG Broker, ect.
• High Availability & Disaster Recovery (HA/DR):Architect, build, and test 2-node Real Application Clusters (RAC) utilizing Automatic Storage Management (ASM) and Oracle Grid Infrastructure.
• Mastery of synchronous/asynchronous redo transport (Maximum Performance mode), broker configuration, automated health validation, and executing zero-data-loss database switchovers under a strict 5-minute SLA window.
• Implement and validate Oracle Active Data Guard (FSFO/Far Sync) connecting primary and secondary data center sites.
• Compliance & Security:
• Enforce NERC CIP database security standards, TDE (Transparent Data Encryption), Unified Auditing, and strict access controls across test, staging, and production environments.
• Experience with CIS benchmark health checks/DBSAT and remediation efforts for Oracle 19c environments on Linux.
• Author technical design documents, architectural diagrams, and operational handoff playbooks for permanent Operations team enablement.
• Knowledge Transfer:
• Construct detailed runbooks for RAC/ASM, Data Guard setup and DG Broker architected solutions.
• Construct detailed runbooks for TDE and Database Vault solutions for enhanced security features.
• Create documentation evidencing the security features enabled and configured in accordance with CIS Benchmark Level 1 and NERC CIP requirements.
• Transfer knowledge of the solutions to Oracle DBA teams at XTIVIA and client DBAs.
• Ability to provide on-site client knowledge transfer sessions covering Oracle Enterprise Manager (OEM) 24ai and Oracle Data Guard failover and switchover scenarios.

Requirements: What you bring to your new team

Experience: 15+ years of enterprise Oracle Database Administration and Architecture experience, preferably within mission-critical utility, energy, or grid-operator environments.

Certification: Oracle Database 19c Oracle Certified Professional (OCP) certification. Core Oracle Stack:

• Expert-level mastery of multi-tenant Oracle Database 19c (Oracle 26ai exposure preferred).Deep experience with Oracle Grid Infrastructure, 2-node RAC, ASM disk group configuration and tuning, Active Data Guard, Data Guard Broker, Fast-Start Failover (FSFO), and geographically dispersed data centers.
• Experience orchestrating live Data Guard switchover drills to validate replication integrity and synchronization safety.
• Advanced hands-on experience with Oracle GoldenGate 21c Microservices, including Hub configuration, unidirectional Extract and Replicat processes, and trail file/transport encryption.
• Advanced Oracle performance tuning experience utilizing Diagnostics and Tuning Packs.
• Migration Expertise:
• Demonstrated success leading large-scale Oracle database migrations using RMAN, GoldenGate, and Data Guard.
• Proven hands-on experience writing migration runbooks and executing production go-live migrations with maintenance windows of 5 minutes or less.
• Operating Systems & Infrastructure:
• Proficiency with Linux (RHEL/OEL 8/9), shell scripting, UDEV/ASMFD storage mapping, Jumbo Frames/interconnect network tuning, and kernel/HugePages optimization.
• Backup & Recovery:
• Expert-level RMAN knowledge and advanced experience with Rubrik backup management.
• Understanding of backup storage capacity planning to meet SLAs, including the impact of TDE and compression on storage requirements.
• On-Site Availability:
• Ability to work 100% on-site at the client facility in Taylor, TX during the initial POC deployment, performance testing, and production go-live cutover events
• How you add even MORE value
• Experience with high-performance SAN storage architectures.
• Oracle Certified Master (OCM) or Oracle Certified Professional (OCP) - RAC/Grid Infrastructure/Data Guard.
• Advanced experience integrating database automation using Ansible.
• Experience with near-zero downtime Oracle 26ai upgrades in a 2-node RAC with Data Guard environment for mission-critical database instances.
• Advanced database security skillset with hands-on experience with Oracle TDE and other security features.
• At this time, XTIVIA cannot transfer nor sponsor a work visa for this position.
• This position has an expected hourly rate of up to $120 per hour.
• Your compensation is based on your skills and experience. Talk with your recruiter to learn more.
• Get to know XTIVIAXTIVIA is an innovative B2B technology enterprise solutions company committed to providing integrated technology solutions and services, delivering measurable results as a trusted industry thought leader for 30 years.
• Our services include managed services and business solutions, like DevOps, CRM, and ITSM; database support and management; application solutions, including mobile apps; ERP solutions for GovCon and the private sector; and platform integration, with APIs as well as digital experience CMS solutions.
• If you can imagine the business outcome, XTIVIA can create it with technology.
• XTIVIA has offices in Colorado, New York, New Jersey, Texas, and Virginia.
• Learn more at XTIVIA.com.

What We Promise: At XTIVIA, we are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and team members without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, military and veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, parental status, and any other characteristic protected by applicable laws. XTIVIA believes that diversity and inclusion among our team members are critical to our success as a global company, and we seek to recruit, develop and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool. Salary Description Up to $120 per hour