Overview:
IT solutions company located in the Western New York area (Buffalo), specializing in delivering high-end information technology services to clients across WNY and multiple states, is seeking a Contract Database Administrator (DBA) to support and maintain client SQL Server environments.
In this role, you will be hands-on with database servers and core DBA operations, taking ownership of database health, performance, reliability, and operational standards. You will work alongside additional support staff who assist with execution and follow-through. We are a cloud-first organization, managing much of our infrastructure through cloud platforms, and we partner closely with clients to deliver dependable, secure, and well-documented database operations.
We are seeking candidates with strong SQL Server administration experience, a disciplined operational mindset, and the ability to communicate clearly in an SLA-driven production environment.
Responsibilities:
- Act as the primary DBA responsible for day-to-day SQL Server and database server administration (not application development).
- Establish and maintain the DBA operating cadence (daily, weekly, monthly routines) and coordinate supporting staff on:
- Log and error review
- Job health checks
- Space monitoring
- Backup verification
- Ticket updates
- Monitor and improve database performance and stability by:
- Identifying slow queries and procedures
- Recommending and implementing tuning strategies
- Managing indexing and statistics
- Resolving locking and blocking issues
- Own backup and restore strategy and readiness, including routine restore testing and documented recovery procedures.
- Ensure database integrity and operational hygiene, including:
- DBCC checks
- Transaction log monitoring
- Growth management
- Maintenance execution
Qualifications:
- 5+ years of hands-on DBA experience in production Microsoft SQL Server environments.
- Strong SQL Server administration fundamentals, including backups and restores, HA/DR concepts, maintenance plans, SQL Agent jobs, performance tuning, indexing, and capacity planning.
- Experience operating in an incident- and SLA-driven environment with structured triage and communication.
- Familiarity with database monitoring and performance tools (any comparable platform).
- Strong documentation skills, with the ability to create clear runbooks and operational standards.
- Ability to lead and delegate effectively to supporting staff while maintaining accountability for outcomes.
- Comfortable working in secure client environments, including VPN, MFA, least-privilege access, and confidentiality requirements.
Preferred Certifications:
- Microsoft Certified: Azure Database Administrator Associate (DP-300) or equivalent SQL Server certification
- ITIL Foundation (incident and change management)
- Security+ or similar security fundamentals certification
Growth Opportunities:
- Expand scope into architecture guidance and modernization planning (upgrades, migrations, HA/DR improvements).
- Build automation and reliability improvements (alert enrichment, self-healing checks, restore readiness programs).
- Opportunity to extend contract scope or support additional environments based on performance and business needs.
Compensation & Work Arrangement:
- 1099 independent contractor position
- Hourly rate: $70–$100, based on experience
- Flexible, part-time schedule
- Remote delivery
- No benefits are provided for this contract role
Job Type: Contract
Pay: $70.00 - $100.00 per hour
Expected hours: 10 – 40 per week
Application Question(s):
- Have you acted as a consultant before?
- Are you comfortable working in a remote desktop environment?
- When is the last time you completed ePHI training?
Experience:
- Database administration: 4 years (Required)
Language:
Location:
- Buffalo, NY 14221 (Preferred)
Work Location: In person
