SQL Server Architect - SC Cleared

SQL Server Architect - SC Cleared

+ 6 month initial contract

+ Hybrid working from London

+ £605 per day - Inside IR35

+ SC Cleared role

Key Skills

• SQL Server Always On
• Sharepoint

Key Activities

• Work with Infra Architect to define PoV success criteria (RPO/RTO, failover time, throughput, recovery steps).
• Stand up PoV topology: SQL Server Always On Availability Groups on Amazon EC2 across multiple AZs.
• Storage using EBS (io1/io2 / gp3) and, where required, FSx for Windows File Server for cluster dependencies.
• Integrate CloudWatch, AWS Backup, Systems Manager, and automation as appropriate (CloudFormation/Terraform/PowerShell).
• Confirm and test SharePoint compatibility (content/search/service DBs).
• Produce pattern catalogue and TCO/performance findings and assessment of complexity to introduce and in terms of operability and maintainability for each of the chosen patterns (AlwaysOnavailabilitygroups,AlwaysOnfailoverclusterinstances(FCI),SIOSDataKeeper,AWSElasticDisasterRecovery,andAWSDatabaseMigrationService(AWSDMS .

Deliverables

• PoV Plan & Success Metrics
• Resilience Pattern Catalogue (HA/DR topologies, pros/cons, prerequisites)
• Testing of DR options with SharePoint team.
• Performance Baseline & Findings Report (throughput/latency, failover timings)
• PoV Recommendation & NextStep Design Decisions

Core Responsibilities

• Architect HA/DR for SQL Server in AWS to support a missioncritical SharePoint farm.
• Evaluate native AWS options (EC2, EBS, FSx, Route53, CloudWatch, Backup, Systems Manager, CloudFormation).
• Design and validate Always On patterns, listener routing, quorum/witness.
• Collaborate with the Infrastructure Architect to ensure network/IAM/security fit.
• Produce documentation, runbooks, and handover materials for operations.

Essentials

• 10+ years with Microsoft SQL Server (2016+) architecture and operations.
• Proven delivery of Always On Availability Groups, FCI, log shipping/replication.
• Largescale SharePoint database design/operations experience.
• Strong performance engineering (indexing, I/O, concurrency, wait stats, storage optimisation).
• Deep understanding of networking for Always On, listener design, DNS failover.
• Excellent documentation and stakeholder communication.

Desirable

• Azure SQL HA/DR exposure (SQL MI, zone redundancy) for comparative design decisions.
• Handson AWS deployment for SQL workloads (EC2, EBS, FSx, Route53, CloudWatch, Backup, SSM).
• Automation tooling (CloudFormation/Terraform, PowerShell DSC).
• Experience with regulated environments and security hardening