New Requirement for a Database Administrator & Senior Database Administrator for a 6-month contract in Herefordshire.
Applicants must have active DV Clearance.
Key Responsibilities:
* Team Leadership & Management: Oversee and mentor a small team of Database Administrators, providing guidance, training, and support.
* Database Administration & Maintenance: Provide technical support for MariaDB (MySQL) databases, ensuring optimal performance and availability.
* Backup & Disaster Recovery: Implement and oversee database backup and recovery strategies to mitigate data loss.
* Monitoring & Performance Optimization: Track system performance and identify bottlenecks affecting database efficiency and data integrity.
* Incident & Problem Management: Troubleshoot database-related incidents and implement proactive solutions to minimize downtime.
* Capacity Planning: Monitor and forecast database storage and performance needs, ensuring scalability.
* Upgrades & Patch Management: Plan and execute major database upgrades and periodic patching to maintain system stability.
* Database Logging & Monitoring: Configure and manage database logs for integration into a SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) solution for monitoring and security compliance.
* High Availability & Failover Management: Monitor, maintain, and orchestrate manual failover and failback procedures to maintain uptime.
* Automation & Scripting: Develop scripts using SQL, Bash, or Python to automate database maintenance and monitoring tasks.
* Documentation & Knowledge Sharing: Maintain database build and upgrade documentation, ensuring accuracy and accessibility for the team.
* Testing & Validation Support: Oversee execution of test scripts for database validation and performance assessment.
You will have:
* Proven experience as a Senior Database Administrator (DBA).
* Demonstrated leadership experience, with the ability to mentor and manage a technical team.
* Expertise in MariaDB or other relational databases (MySQL, Oracle, or SQL Server).
* Experience with backup and disaster recovery strategies for databases.
* Knowledge of database tuning, indexing, and query optimization.
* Understanding of networking protocols relevant to databases (TCP/IP, DNS, load balancing).
* Familiarity with IT Service Management (ITSM) tools, preferably ServiceNow.
* Familiarity with Agile/Scrum methodologies.
* Knowledge of ITIL/ITSM principles and best practices.
* Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
* Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across teams.
Desirable Skills:
* Familiarity with security frameworks such as CIS benchmarks or ISO 27001.
* Hands-on experience with high availability clustering and replication.
* Familiarity with virtualization technologies.
* Experience with automated patch management in database environments.
* ServiceNow environment experience is desirable.
* Experience transitioning systems to service