Senior DBA/DBE Consultant

Green Dot Corporation; Los Angeles (CA); Hybrid; USD 134,000 - 201,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Accommodations upon request

Job summary

Green Dot Corporation seeks a senior SQL Server DBA to own high-volume transactional databases, diagnose latency, and optimize performance across OLTP workloads including payments and ledger services. You will leverage Query Store, Extended Events, and DMVs to identify bottlenecks and implement durable fixes with partitioning, indexing, and HA/DR design.

Responsibilities include leading P1/P2 incident response, mentoring junior DBAs, and collaborating with application engineering, SRE, and

Job description

We’re looking for talented professionals to join us in bringing smart money management and payment solutions to everyone’s fingertips.This position is classified as structured hybrid, with an expectation of a minimum of three (3) days per week working in the office and flexibility to work remotely on the remaining days. On-site expectations may evolve over time to support business needs, with clear communication provided in advance.<<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>>JOB DESCRIPTIONLocation RequirementThis position is open only to candidates who currently reside in one of the following approved locations:Remote / Hybrid – Must have flexibility to travel for 1-2 weeks to either Miami or Northern CaliforniaAbout Green DotFinancial technology company and bank holding companyGreen Dot Bank is regulated by the OCC and FDICRuns prepaid, debit, banking-as-a-service (BaaS), and money-processing platformsOperates mission-critical, high-volume transactional systemsTreats reliability, data integrity, and security as non-negotiablePosition SummaryTechnical authority on SQL Server internals, performance engineering, and scalabilityHands-on, high-impact role supporting our highest-volume financial transaction databasesDiagnoses and fixes hot spots, latch/lock contention, blocking, plan regressions, and I/O bottlenecksDesigns durable fixes: partitioning, indexing standards, query redesign, and HA/DR architectureWorks with application engineering, SRE, architecture, and security teamsMentors the internal DBA team and serves as the escalation pointDriving outcomes: Owns results end to end, from diagnosis to measurable improvement in latency, stability, and scalability, with clear accountability and follow-throughKey ResponsibilitiesApply deep knowledge of SQL Server internals (storage engine, query optimizer, SQLOS, memory, transaction log, tempdb) to diagnose complex production issuesPerform root-cause analysis using wait statistics, DMVs, Extended Events, Query Store, and PerfMon countersHave strong knowledge of Stored Procedure design and optimization skills. Should have ability to read code and provide feedback to optimize the code.Analyze execution plans at the operator level: cardinality estimation, memory grants, spills, parallelism, and row goalsAdvise on engine configuration: MAXDOP, cost threshold for parallelism, compatibility levels, database-scoped configurations, and trace flagsOwn end-to-end performance tuning for latency-sensitive OLTP workloads (authorization, ledger, payments, account services)Resolve parameter sniffing, plan regressions, implicit conversions, and non-SARGable predicatesUse Query Store and Intelligent Query Processing features for baselining, plan forcing, and regression controlGovern indexing and statistics strategy: clustered key design, covering and filtered indexes, columnstore, and maintenanceTroubleshoot and resolve hot spots, including last-page insert contention (PAGELATCH_EX), tempdb contention, and spinlock contentionResolve blocking chains, deadlocks, lock escalation, and isolation-level issues, recommending RCSI or snapshot isolation where appropriateWrite, refactor, and review complex high-performance T-SQL, including stored procedures, set-based logic, window functions, and dynamic SQL written to be safe from SQL injectionReview developer and ORM-generated (e.g., Entity Framework) SQL, and publish coding standards and anti-pattern guidanceDesign batched large data changes (purges, backfills, archival) that are safe to run onlineDesign and operate table and index partitioning for multi-billion-row financial tables, including sliding-window patterns (SWITCH, SPLIT, MERGE)Support data lifecycle, archival, compression, and retention that meet regulatory requirementsDesign, implement, and troubleshoot Always On Availability Groups (sync/async commit, readable secondaries, distributed AGs, WSFC quorum)Diagnose AG redo lag, log send queue growth, HADR_SYNC_COMMIT waits, and failover issuesDesign, operate, and troubleshoot transactional and peer-to-peer replication, including latency and data consistency issuesValidate HA/DR against RTO/RPO targets, and lead DR tests and failover drills with audit-ready documentationEnforce least-privilege access and data protection controls (TDE, Always Encrypted, TLS, SQL Server Audit)Support audit readiness for PCI-DSS, SOX, GLBA, and FFIEC-aligned controls, and follow CAB change managementDesign proactive monitoring and alerting for performance, blocking, AG health, replication, jobs, and capacityBuild idempotent automation with PowerShell (dbatools), T-SQL, and CI/CD pipelinesFind opportunities for AI-assisted operations, anomaly detection, and self-healing remediationLead or support P1/P2 incidents, and deliver RCA reports with corrective and preventive actionsEstablish performance baselines, SLOs, and capacity models, and quantify every change with before/after metricsMentor DBAs and developers, and present findings to leadership in terms of risk, cost, and business impactRequired Qualifications10+ years of hands-on SQL Server DBA or database engineering experience5+ years in a senior or principal-level performance-focused roleExpert knowledge of SQL Server 2016–2022 internalsProven tuning of large, high-concurrency OLTP systems (thousands of TPS, multi-TB databases)Experience in financial services, payments, or bankingDemonstrated resolution of hot spot, latch, lock, and tempdb contention in productionAdvanced T-SQL development and execution plan analysisHands-on design and operation of partitioning at scaleDeep production experience with Always On AGs and SQL Server ReplicationStrong proficiency with Query Store, Extended Events, DMVs, and wait-stats methodologyWorking knowledge of Windows Server, WSFC, SAN/NVMe storage, and virtualizationPowerShell scripting and automation (dbatools preferred)Experience working under PCI-DSS, SOX, or similar audit controlsStrong written communication, including RCA reports and executive summariesPreferred QualificationsAzure SQL Managed Instance, Azure SQL Database, or SQL Server on Azure/AWS VMsCloud performance and cost optimization experienceIn-Memory OLTP and columnstore for hybrid workloadsSQL Server on Linux and containersDatabase DevOps: SSDT, Flyway, or Liquibase, plus CI/CD and automated testingAdditional platforms such as PostgreSQL, Cosmos DB, or SnowflakeCertifications such as DP-300 (Azure Database Administrator Associate) or MCSE/MCM Data PlatformCommunity contributions (blogs, speaking, open-source tools)Key CompetenciesAnalytical rigor: Diagnoses with evidence (waits, plans, XE), not guessworkProduction ownership: Stays calm under P1 pressure; contains the impact first, then fixes permanentlyEngineering judgment: Weighs reliability, performance, cost, and complexity trade-offsCommunication: Explains technical findings in terms of business impactKnowledge transfer: Builds team capability and documents to audit-ready standards**Ability to work in the U.S. without sponsorship****Ability to meet the location requirement outlined above**POSITION TYPEContractorPAY RANGEThe targeted full-time base salary for this position is $134,100 to $201,100 per year. The final compensation will be determined by a number of factors such as qualifications, expertise, and the candidate’s geographical location.<<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>>We’re Here to Support You—Accommodations Upon RequestGreen Dot is committed to providing an inclusive and accessible hiring experience for all candidates. If you require a reasonable accommodation during any part of the application or interview process, we encourage you to let us know. We will work with you to meet your needs in a way that respects your privacy and ensures equal opportunity. Our goal is to support every applicant in showcasing their talents and potential.Work Authorization RequirementAt Green Dot Corporation, we value diversity and strive for fair and inclusive hiring practices. However, we are currently unable to offer visa sponsorship. All applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of application and throughout the duration of employment, without the need for current or future sponsorship.Important Notice on Application AccuracyWe value integrity in our hiring process. Please ensure that all information provided in your resume and application is accurate and authentic. Submissions found to be fraudulent or misleading will result in disqualification from consideration, and any offers extended may be rescinded.