Lead Database Administrator

McKesson; Kentucky; On-site; USD 134,000 - 223,000; Full time

Job summary

McKesson is seeking a Lead Database Engineer to serve as the technical authority for PostgreSQL and SQL Server platforms across on‑premises and Azure environments. You will drive strategy, architecture, reliability, and automation while partnering with cross‑functional teams to modernize services and enable scalable, secure solutions enterprise‑wide.

This senior role requires strong leadership, extensive cloud experience (Azure preferred), and a proven track record in mission‑critical database

Qualifications

• Minimum 10+ years in database administration/engineering
• 5+ years in senior/lead/architect roles for production databases
• 5+ years designing and operating databases in public cloud, Azure preferred
• Expert PostgreSQL administration including HA, replication, performance tuning
• Strong SQL Server (2014+) and Azure SQL experience in enterprise environments
• Demonstrated success leading cross‑functional database initiatives
• Proven mentoring of engineers/DBAs and setting technical standards
• Experience with HIPAA/HITRUST or SOC 2 environments a plus

Responsibilities

• Own design, implementation, operation, and evolution of PostgreSQL, SQL Server, Azure SQL environments
• Lead cloud modernization and migration initiatives with migration strategy and cutover planning
• Establish standards, reference architectures, runbooks, governance, and roadmaps
• Design highly available, cost-efficient DB solutions including DR, backup, and failover
• Advance IaC and DBaaS via Terraform, Liquibase, and CI/CD automation
• Drive performance, observability, monitoring, and automation for reliability
• Serve as senior escalation point for critical production issues and RCAs
• Partner with security and application teams on controls and access governance
• Mentor engineers/DBAs and promote cross-team knowledge sharing
• Present recommendations and roadmaps to senior leadership

Skills

PostgreSQL administration

SQL Server administration

Azure SQL

Cloud modernization

Leadership

Mentoring

Automation scripting

Infrastructure as Code

Performance tuning

Incident response

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher

Tools

Terraform

Liquibase

Azure DevOps

GitHub Actions

PowerShell

Python

Bash

Kubernetes

Azure Monitor

Qlik

Job description

McKesson is an impact-driven, Fortune 10 company that touches virtually every aspect of healthcare. We are known for delivering insights, products, and services that make quality care more accessible and affordable. Here, we focus on the health, happiness, and well-being of you and those we serve – we care.

What you do at McKesson matters. We foster a culture where you can grow, make an impact, and are empowered to bring new ideas. Together, we thrive as we shape the future of health for patients, our communities, and our people. If you want to be part of tomorrow’s health today, we want to hear from you.

CoverMyMeds is seeking a highly experienced Lead Database Engineer to serve as the technical authority for enterprise PostgreSQL and SQL Server platforms across on-premises and Microsoft Azure environments. This role is responsible for driving the strategy, architecture, reliability, automation, and lifecycle management of mission-critical database platforms. As a trusted technical leader, you’ll partner closely with application, infrastructure, platform engineering, security, and SRE teams to modernize database services, establish engineering standards, and enable scalable, reliable, and secure solutions across the enterprise.

What You’ll Do:

• Own the design, implementation, operation, and continuous evolution of PostgreSQL, SQL Server, Azure SQL, and Azure PostgreSQL Flexible Server environments across cloud and on-premises platforms.
• Lead complex cloud modernization and database migration initiatives, including architecture design, migration strategy, performance validation, cutover planning, and post-migration stabilization.
• Establish and maintain database standards, reference architectures, operational runbooks, governance practices, and platform roadmaps that drive consistency and scalability.
• Design and validate highly available, resilient, and cost-efficient database solutions, including disaster recovery, backup, recovery, replication, and failover architectures.
• Advance Infrastructure as Code and Database-as-Code practices through Terraform, Liquibase, and CI/CD automation to enable secure, repeatable deployments.
• Drive database performance, observability, and operational excellence through proactive tuning, capacity planning, monitoring, automation, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Serve as the senior technical escalation point for critical production issues, leading incident response, root cause analysis, and preventative remediation efforts.
• Partner with security, infrastructure, and application teams to implement security controls, compliance requirements, access governance, and vulnerability remediation.
• Mentor engineers and DBAs, lead technical reviews, establish engineering standards, and promote knowledge sharing across teams.
• Present technical recommendations, roadmaps, risks, and architectural decisions to senior leaders and stakeholders, translating technical concepts into business outcomes.

Basic Requirements:

• Degree or equivalent and typically requires 10+ years of relevant experience with database administration, database engineering, or related database platform experience
• 5+ years serving in a senior, lead, architect, or enterprise technical leadership role supporting production database environments
• 5+ years designing, operating, and optimizing databases in public cloud environments, with Microsoft Azure strongly preferred
• Expert-level PostgreSQL administration experience, including high availability, replication, performance tuning, upgrades, and operational support.
• Strong expertise administering SQL Server (2014+) and Azure SQL in enterprise production environments.
• Demonstrated success supporting mission-critical systems with stringent availability, reliability, security, and recovery requirements.
• Proven experience leading complex, cross-functional database initiatives from concept through implementation.
• Demonstrated success mentoring engineers and DBAs while influencing technical standards and best practices across teams.

Preferred Skills / Experience:

• Experience with Azure Database for PostgreSQL Flexible Server, Azure SQL Database, Azure SQL Managed Instance, Azure Monitor, Entra ID authentication, and private networking
• Experience developing and maintaining Infrastructure as Code solutions using Terraform
• Experience implementing database CI/CD pipelines using Liquibase and platforms such as Azure DevOps or GitHub Actions
• Strong automation and scripting skills using PowerShell, Python, Bash, or similar technologies.
• Experience supporting Kubernetes-based workloads and containerized application environments
• Experience with SSIS, CDC technologies such as Qlik, and modern data integration or data movement patterns
• Experience in healthcare or other regulated environments, including HIPAA, HITRUST, or SOC 2 compliance
• Relevant Azure, PostgreSQL, SQL Server, or cloud platform certifications.
• Exposure to Azure Cosmos DB migration strategies
• Practical experience leveraging AI-assisted tools for troubleshooting, analysis, automation, or engineering productivity

McKesson complies with all applicable U.S. immigration laws and regulations. The Company does not provide employer support or sponsorship for any immigration related employment benefit for this role.

Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a fulltime basis without the need for employer support or sponsorship now or in the future. This includes having the legal right to work in the United States without the need for McKesson support or sponsorship for any immigration related employment authorization (e.g., H1B, O1, E3, H1B1, TN, F1 OPT, F1 STEM OPT, F1 CPT, etc.) now or in the future.

We are proud to offer a competitive compensation package at McKesson as part of our Total Rewards. This is determined by several factors, including performance, experience and skills, equity, regular job market evaluations, and geographical markets. The pay range shown below is aligned with McKesson’s pay philosophy, and pay will always be compliant with any applicable regulations. In addition to base pay, other compensation, such as an annual bonus or long-term incentive opportunities may be offered. For more information regarding benefits at McKesson, please click here.

Our Base Pay Range for this position

$133,900 - $223,100

McKesson is an Equal Opportunity Employer

McKesson provides equal employment opportunities to applicants and employees, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, age, genetic information, or any other legally protected category. For additional information on McKesson’s full Equal Employment Opportunity policies, visit our Equal Employment Opportunity page.

McKesson is committed to being an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and offers opportunities to all job seekers including job seekers with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation to assist with your job search or application for employment, please contact us by sending an email to (United States) [e-mail] or (Canada) [e-mail]. Resumes or CVs submitted to this email box will not be accepted.

Join us at McKesson!