Senior Database Architect (SQL Server & PostgreSQL) - B2B / Freelancers

xebiacee; United States; Remote; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Remote work in EU-based setup

Job summary

xebiacee is seeking a senior database architect to lead a multi-year modernization of a business-critical ERP, balancing legacy stability with a move to a modern web-based stack. You will audit SQL Server performance and evaluate PostgreSQL migration feasibility.

You will stand up database observability within an AI-native engineering workflow, define monitoring, and produce clear recommendations for non-DBA stakeholders while helping legacy and modern systems coexist throughout the transition.

Qualifications

• Strong hands-on SQL Server expertise covering design, indexing, query optimisation, and operational practices.
• Working PostgreSQL knowledge sufficient to assess migration feasibility and compatibility.
• Track record of query and index optimisation in production environments.
• Experience modernising or refactoring databases behind legacy applications.
• Ability to define and operate database observability and monitoring tooling.
• Pragmatic, risk-aware approach that balances improvement effort against migration cost.
• Experience assessing SQL Server to PostgreSQL migrations and working in legacy-plus-modern production environments.
• Comfort with structured specification frameworks such as OpenSpec or similar.
• Clear written communication for non-technical stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Audit the current SQL Server schema, indexes, queries, and operational practices.
• Identify performance issues, technical debt, risks, and strengths, then recommend prioritised improvements.
• Assess SQL Server to PostgreSQL migration feasibility, including compatibility issues, effort estimates, and recommended approaches.
• Define and implement database observability: baselines, query-level diagnostics, wait stats, blocking and deadlock detection, capacity trends, and alerting.
• Produce business-readable recommendations for non-DBA stakeholders.
• Apply Specification-Driven Development frameworks such as OpenSpec to structure requirements, plans, validation, and traceability.
• Support the coexistence of legacy and modern systems throughout the transition.

Skills

SQL Server design & indexing

Query optimisation

PostgreSQL migration feasibility

Database observability & monitoring

Legacy modernization & refactoring

OpenSpec / spec frameworks

Technical communication

Tools

SQL Server tooling

PostgreSQL tooling

Job description

Role overview

A senior consulting engagement supporting a multi-year modernisation of a business-critical ERP system, balancing legacy stability with a move toward a modern web-based stack. The architect will audit SQL Server performance, evaluate PostgreSQL migration feasibility, and stand up database observability within an AI-native engineering workflow.

Responsibilities

• Audit the current SQL Server schema, indexes, queries, and operational practices
• Identify performance issues, technical debt, risks, and strengths, then recommend prioritised improvements
• Assess SQL Server to PostgreSQL migration feasibility, including compatibility issues, effort estimates, and recommended approaches
• Define and implement database observability: baselines, query-level diagnostics, wait stats, blocking and deadlock detection, capacity trends, and alerting
• Produce business-readable recommendations for non-DBA stakeholders
• Apply Specification-Driven Development frameworks such as OpenSpec to structure requirements, plans, validation, and traceability
• Support the coexistence of legacy and modern systems throughout the transition

Requirements

• Strong hands‑on SQL Server expertise covering design, indexing, query optimisation, and operational practices
• Working PostgreSQL knowledge sufficient to assess migration feasibility and compatibility
• Track record of query and index optimisation in production environments
• Experience modernising or refactoring databases behind legacy applications
• Ability to define and operate database observability and monitoring tooling
• Pragmatic, risk‑aware approach that balances improvement effort against migration cost
• Experience assessing SQL Server to PostgreSQL migrations and working in legacy‑plus‑modern production environments
• Comfort with structured specification frameworks such as OpenSpec or similar
• Clear written communication for non‑technical stakeholders

Nice to have

• Exposure to legacy 4GL or transpiled and generated codebases
• Familiarity with .NET or Blazor application ecosystems as consumers of the data layer
• Experience with database‑heavy ERP domains such as payroll, billing, or workforce scheduling
• Broader AI‑assisted or AI‑native engineering workflow experience

Benefits and work setup

• B2B or freelance engagement
• Remote work based in the European Union; a valid EU work permit is required
• Recruitment process includes CV review, HR call, technical interview, client interview, and final decision