Database Administrator - 12 Month Contract

Derivco; Durban, Pretoria; On-site; ZAR 750,000 - 1,100,000; Full time

Job summary

Derivco is seeking an Intermediate to Senior Database Administrator for a 12-month contract. The role focuses on enterprise-scale SQL Server environments, replication, and data movement, ensuring high availability, performance, and scalability.

Responsibilities include HA/DR design, performance tuning, incident resolution, automation, and cloud modernization. Ideal candidates will have 6–10 years in the field, a relevant IT degree, and strong communication skills.

Qualifications

• 6–10 years of progressive database administration experience in enterprise environments.
• A degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, or related discipline.
• Strong expertise in SQL Server or similar RDBMS.
• Proven experience with high availability, disaster recovery, and replication technologies.
• Advanced skills in performance tuning and query optimisation.
• Experience with automation and scripting (PowerShell, Bash, or Python).
• Exposure to cloud platforms and modern infrastructure environments.
• Solid understanding of security, compliance, and data governance practices.

Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and maintain high availability and disaster recovery solutions.
• Develop and manage complex data movement and replication architectures.
• Monitor environments and address performance, stability, and reliability issues.
• Perform advanced performance tuning using execution plans and profiling tools.
• Investigate incidents and implement remediation strategies.
• Drive database automation initiatives and create runbooks and standards.
• Provide mentorship to junior DBAs and support after-hours incidents.

Skills

SQL Server

HA/DR

Performance tuning

Automation scripting

Cloud exposure

Incident management

Communication

Education

Information Technology degree

Tools

PowerShell

Bash

Python

Clickhouse

FoundationDB

LGTMStack

Job description

We're looking for a highly skilled Intermediate to Senior Database Administrator on a 12-month contract who is passionate about managing enterprise-scale database environments, driving performance optimisation, and ensuring high availability across critical systems.

This is a hands-on specialist role where you'll work with complex SQL Server estates, design and maintain replication and data movement solutions, and play a key role in ensuring database reliability, performance, and scalability across our technology landscape. If you thrive in operational excellence and enjoy solving complex production challenges, this role is for you.

What You'll Do

• Design, implement, and maintain high availability and disaster recovery solutions (e.g. clustering, availability groups, replication frameworks)
• Develop and manage complex data movement and replication architectures across large database estates
• Monitor database environments and proactively address performance, stability, and reliability issues
• Perform advanced performance tuning using execution plans, wait statistics, and profiling tools
• Investigate incidents, conduct root cause analysis, and implement effective remediation strategies
• Drive database automation initiatives using scripting and self-service tooling to improve operational efficiency
• Support infrastructure modernisation projects, including cloud adoption and optimisation initiatives
• Ensure database security, compliance, and governance through controls such as encryption, auditing, and access management
• Create and maintain technical documentation, runbooks, and operational standards
• Provide technical mentorship and guidance to junior database administrators
• Participate in critical incident response and provide after-hours support when required

What We're Looking For

• 6 - 10 years of progressive experience in database administration within enterprise environments
• A relevant degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, or a related discipline
• Strong expertise in SQL Server or similar relational database management systems
• Proven experience with high availability, disaster recovery, and replication technologies
• Advanced skills in database performance tuning and query optimisation
• Experience with automation and scripting (e.g. PowerShell, Bash, or Python)
• ExperiencewithClickhouseDBorFoundationDBorLGTMStack(Loki,Grafana,Tempo,Mimir)orRybbitorValkey
• Exposure to cloud platforms and modern infrastructure environments
• Solid understanding of security, compliance, and data governance practices
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to manage critical incidents independently
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to work across technical and business stakeholders
• A collaborative team player who values knowledge sharing and continuous improvement

Why Join Us?

• Play a critical role in maintaining and optimising enterprise-scale database platforms
• Gain exposure to modern cloud technologies, automation frameworks, and large-scale data environments
• Work in a collaborative, high-performance engineering environment
• Contribute to infrastructure modernisation and continuous improvement initiatives
• Be part of a culture that values technical excellence, accountability, and innovation

If you're passionate about database reliability, performance optimisation, and building scalable data platforms, this role is for you.

This vacancy will be based Pretoria or Durban

Contract Duration:12 months

Closing Date: 11 August 2026