Job Summary
We are seeking a Senior SQL DBA / Database Migration Consultant to support a cloud transformation initiative involving the migration of a business-critical application from an on-premises environment to Google Cloud Platform (GCP). The consultant will serve as the primary SQL Subject Matter Expert (SME), collaborating with Cloud Architects, Cloud Engineers, and application teams to ensure the database layer is successfully migrated, optimized, and supported in the target cloud environment. The ideal candidate will have strong SQL Server administration expertise, proven experience with large-scale on-premises-to-cloud database migrations, and preferably hands-on experience with GCP database services and migrations to Google Cloud.
Key Responsibilities
• Analyze existing SQL Server environments, including databases, schemas, stored procedures, jobs, integrations, and dependencies.
• Perform database health assessments and identify migration risks, performance bottlenecks, and technical constraints.
• Review database architecture, growth patterns, backup strategies, disaster recovery processes, and operational requirements.
• Collaborate with application owners to understand database dependencies and critical business workloads.
• Serve as the SQL Subject Matter Expert throughout the migration lifecycle.
• Develop database migration strategies and recommend appropriate approaches for replication, synchronization, cutover, and rollback.
• Collaborate with GCP Architects to design target-state database solutions that meet performance, availability, security, and scalability requirements.
• Assist in defining migration waves, testing plans, validation criteria, and operational readiness activities.
• Provide guidance on SQL Server deployment models in cloud environments, including Compute Engine-hosted SQL Server and managed database services, as appropriate.
• Support database migration activities, including replication setup, backup and restore validation, data synchronization, and cutover planning.
• Validate database performance, availability, and integrity throughout testing and production migration activities.
• Troubleshoot migration-related database issues and collaborate with infrastructure teams to resolve connectivity, latency, and dependency concerns.
• Participate in production cutovers and post-migration stabilization activities.
• Monitor and optimize SQL Server performance, indexing strategies, query execution plans, and database resource utilization.
• Evaluate and implement high-availability, backup, recovery, and disaster recovery solutions.
• Ensure cloud-hosted database environments maintain operational characteristics comparable to existing on-premises deployments.
• Prepare migration documentation, runbooks, operational procedures, and knowledge transfer materials.
• Collaborate with Cloud Architects, infrastructure engineers, and application development teams throughout the cloud migration process.
Required Qualifications
• 7+ years of SQL Server Database Administration experience.
• Strong hands-on expertise in SQL Server administration, backup and recovery, high availability and disaster recovery, and replication technologies.
• Experience with performance tuning, query optimization, stored procedures, indexing, and database design.
• Proven experience supporting on-premises-to-cloud database migration projects.
• Experience planning and executing database cutovers and migration validation activities.
• Strong understanding of database architecture and design, data integrity and consistency, backup and recovery, and disaster recovery processes.
• Understanding of infrastructure and networking concepts that affect database performance.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with cloud engineering, infrastructure, and application development teams.
• Strong consulting, troubleshooting, performance tuning, and stakeholder communication skills.
Preferred Qualifications
• Experience migrating SQL Server workloads to Google Cloud Platform (GCP).
• Hands-on experience with Google Cloud SQL, AlloyDB, Google Compute Engine, and Google Cloud Storage.
• Experience with cloud migration tools and database replication technologies.
• Familiarity with Azure or AWS database migration projects.
• Experience supporting application modernization and cloud transformation initiatives.
• Google Cloud certifications.
