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