Azure SQL DB SME | Federal Cloud Data Architect

i4DM; Millersville (MD); On-site; USD 140,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

i4DM seeks an experienced Azure SQL Database SME to serve as the technical authority for designing, deploying, securing, and operating Azure SQL solutions supporting federal programs.

The role covers Azure SQL Database, Azure SQL Managed Instance, and SQL Server on Azure VMs, with strong T-SQL, performance tuning, HA/DR, and migrations from on‑premises SQL Server. Collaborate with engineers and DevOps to deliver reliable data foundations in Azure Government.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, or related technical field.
• 7+ years of experience with Microsoft SQL Server database administration, development, or engineering.
• 3+ years hands-on experience with Azure SQL Database and/or Azure SQL Managed Instance in production environments.
• Expert-level Azure SQL skills, including query optimization, indexing, and database performance tuning.
• Experience migrating SQL Server schemas and data to Azure using Azure Database Migration Service, Data Migration Assistant, or similar tools.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the SME for Azure SQL Database, Azure SQL Managed Instance, and SQL Server on Azure VMs, advising on deployment options and models.
• Design, provision, and configure secure, scalable Azure SQL environments in Azure Government using IaC, PowerShell, and Azure CLI.
• Plan and lead migrations from on-premises SQL Server to Azure SQL using migration tools.
• Design and implement scalable, secure data pipelines using Azure Data Factory (ADF).
• Develop and optimize ETL processes to ingest and store data in Azure Data Lake, SQL, and Synapse Analytics.
• Write and optimize complex T-SQL, including procedures, functions, views, and indexing strategies.
• Maintain relational data models and schemas for applications, reporting, and analytics.
• Implement database security best practices including Entra ID authentication, RBAC, encryption, auditing, and key vaults.
• Manage capacity planning, scaling, and cost optimization across Azure SQL resources.
• Automate maintenance and operations with Elastic Jobs, SQL Agent, Azure Automation, and PowerShell.
• Implement CI/CD for databases using Azure DevOps or GitHub Actions.
• Support integration of Azure SQL with ADF, Synapse, Microsoft Fabric, and Power BI.

Skills

Azure SQL Database

Azure SQL Managed Instance

SQL Server

T-SQL

Performance tuning

Data security

PowerShell

Azure CLI

Infrastructure as Code

CI/CD for databases

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field

Tools

SSMS

VS Code MSSQL extension

Azure DevOps

GitHub Actions

Terraform

Bicep/ARM

Job description

i4DM seeks an experienced Azure SQL Database SME to serve as the technical authority for designing, deploying, securing, and operating Azure SQL solutions supporting federal programs.

The role covers Azure SQL Database, Azure SQL Managed Instance, and SQL Server on Azure VMs, with strong T-SQL, performance tuning, HA/DR, and migrations from on‑premises SQL Server. Collaborate with engineers and DevOps to deliver reliable data foundations in Azure Government.