Sr. Information Systems Specialist (Database Engineer)

ECCO Select; Maryland; On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

ECCO Select is seeking a Senior Database Automation Engineer to modernize on-premises SQL Server and PostgreSQL environments, driving automation and security compliance.

The role focuses on building robust CI/CD pipelines with GitLab, developing IaC with PowerShell and Ansible, and enforcing enterprise-grade database security, backups, DR, and performance tuning. Onsite Washington, DC required.

Qualifications

• Senior-level experience managing and automating enterprise SQL Server environments (2019+).
• Experience with PostgreSQL administration/engineering.
• Expertise in CI/CD pipeline design, esp. GitLab.
• Strong PowerShell scripting and T-SQL for automation.
• Proficiency with Ansible playbooks/roles and Ansible Platform.
• Proven IaC development for on-premises databases.
• Experience with database builds, upgrades, patch cycles, and maintenance automation.
• Knowledge of SQL Server performance tuning and optimization.
• Experience with backups, DR, and monitoring.

Responsibilities

• Design, implement and maintain GitLab CI/CD pipelines for SQL Server and PostgreSQL.
• Automate upgrades, patching, configuration changes, backups, health checks, and maintenance.
• Develop IaC using PowerShell, Ansible and related tools.
• Enforce secure administration, roles, permissions, and access controls.
• Support security, vulnerability scanning, hardening, and compliance evidence collection.
• Monitor performance, capacity, and availability; perform tuning and optimization.
• Create runbooks and documentation for knowledge transfer.

Skills

SQL Server

PostgreSQL

GitLab CI/CD

PowerShell

Ansible

IaC

Security & Compliance

Automation scripting

T-SQL

Performance tuning

Tools

GitLab

Ansible

PowerShell

Job description

Position Title: Senior Database Automation Engineer

Location Information Washington, DC (Full-time Onsite)

Position Responsibilities

We are seeking a Senior Database Automation Engineer to provide expert-level database server administration and engineering support for enterprise Microsoft SQL Server and PostgreSQL environments. This role will drive automation initiatives to modernize, secure, and optimize on-premises database platforms while ensuring compliance with rigorous security and operational standards.

• Database Automation and Infrastructure as Code
• Design, implement, and maintain robust GitLab CI/CD pipelines for Microsoft SQL Server and PostgreSQL environments.
• Automate common tasks such as database version upgrades, patching, configuration changes, backups, health checks, and routine maintenance.
• Develop Infrastructure as Code (IaC) with PowerShell, Ansible playbooks and roles, executed via Ansible Automation Platform, and other tools and scripts as appropriate.
• Provision, configure, and enforce enterprise-grade desired state for on-premises database servers through automated and scalable processes.
• Create and maintain technical documentation, standard operating procedures, runbooks, and training documents to enable effective knowledge transfer and operational consistency.
• Security and Compliance
• Integrate security controls and compliance checks within database deployment and maintenance pipelines to meet FISMA and related standards.
• Incorporate automated vulnerability scanning, security hardening, configuration validation, and compliance evidence collection processes.
• Support Authorization to Operate (ATO) activities for PostgreSQL, including the development of technical evidence.
• Enforce secure administration practices across development, test, and production environments, handling managed accounts, roles, permissions, and access controls.
• Configure and support database encryption technologies, such as Transparent Data Encryption (TDE) and Always Encrypted.
• Database Administration and Operations
• Install, configure, upgrade, patch, and maintain Microsoft SQL Server (2019, 2022, 2025) and PostgreSQL server environments.
• Support all aspects of database business-continuity and disaster-recovery, including planning, execution, and ongoing improvements.
• Monitor and maintain database performance, capacity, availability, and operational health using both native and third-party tools.
• Conduct index optimization, statistics updates, integrity checks, and DBCC CHECKDB to assure data quality and performance.
• Troubleshoot and resolve complex database infrastructure, performance, security, or configuration issues as they arise, and perform advanced performance tuning and optimization.

Qualifications

• Senior-level experience managing and automating enterprise Microsoft SQL Server environments (2019 or newer).
• Hands-on experience with PostgreSQL database server administration or engineering.
• Expertise in CI/CD pipeline design, particularly with GitLab.
• Strong PowerShell scripting skills and experience developing T-SQL scripts and stored procedures for automation.
• Proficiency developing, maintaining, and executing Ansible playbooks/roles and leveraging Ansible Automation Platform.
• Proven ability to develop and maintain Infrastructure as Code in complex on-premises database environments.
• Demonstrated experience with full lifecycle database builds, upgrades, patch cycles, and enterprise-scale maintenance automation.
• Comprehensive knowledge of SQL Server performance tuning and optimization best practices.
• Experience managing and restoring database backups, disaster recovery operations, and ongoing capacity and availability monitoring.
• Solid background in administering granular database security, including user accounts, roles, permissions, and advanced encryption technologies.
• Working knowledge of integrating vulnerability scanning and system hardening into pipeline-driven environments.
• Strong written communication skills, capable of producing high-quality documentation and runbooks.
• Ability to work full-time onsite in Washington, DC is required.
• Preferred Experience:
• Support for FISMA-regulated or similarly highly controlled enterprise environments.
• Experience developing technical evidence for Authorization to Operate and supporting PostgreSQL ATO activities.
• Modernizing legacy database administration processes using automation and Infrastructure as Code.
• Preparing on-premises environments for cloud or hybrid-cloud adoption.
• Utilization of third-party monitoring/performance-management tools.
• Support for highly available, business-critical database environments under formal change-and-configuration management processes.

ECCO Select is committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce. Our policy is to provide equal opportunity to all people without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, marital status, veteran status, age, disability, pregnancy, genetic information, citizenship status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or any other legally protected category. Veterans of our United States Uniformed Services are specifically encouraged to apply for ECCO Select opportunities.

Equal Employment Opportunity is The Law

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