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Role Overview
We are seeking a senior-level Azure Data Platform Engineer with deep expertise in Azure SQL Managed Instance, Azure Data Factory (ADF), and enterprise database administration. This individual will play a hands-on leadership role in managing, troubleshooting, and driving data platform reliability and performance across a complex client environment.
This is not a passive support role. The ideal candidate is someone who will step in, take ownership of data pipelines and database operations, and proactively identify and resolve issues—often in high-pressure or ambiguous situations with demanding stakeholders.
This role is best suited for a practitioner who can balance deep technical execution with client engagement, operate across vendor ecosystems, and lead critical data loading and platform operations end-to-end.
Engagement Focus
- Long-term contract supporting a mission-critical data platform
- Emphasis on stability, performance improvement, and operational ownership
- Requires a resource who can operate independently and lead through ambiguity
- Not advisory—this is a hands-on execution and delivery role
Key Responsibilities
Azure SQL Platform Administration & Optimization
- Administer and manage Azure SQL Managed Instance and Azure SQL databases in production environments
- Perform database performance tuning, including indexing strategies, query plan analysis, and workload optimization
- Diagnose and resolve locking, blocking, and concurrency issues
- Implement and manage database security, user access, and role-based permissions
- Ensure robust backup, recovery, and high availability practices
Data Factory (ADF) Engineering & Operations
- Design, build, and maintain ADF pipelines for batch and incremental data loading
- Administer ADF environments, including monitoring, scheduling, and failure handling
- Troubleshoot pipeline failures, integration issues, and performance bottlenecks
- Analyze execution logs and metrics to identify systemic issues in data processing workflows
- Ensure pipelines are resilient, scalable, and operationally supportable
Data Load Process Ownership
- Take end-to-end ownership of data loading processes, from ingestion through validation
- Lead efforts to stabilize, standardize, and improve existing pipelines
- Identify root causes of failures and implement durable, repeatable fixes
- Coordinate across teams to ensure data availability and integrity
- Establish and enforce monitoring, alerting, and operational discipline
Automation & Scripting
- Develop and maintain automation using Python and/or PowerShell
- Automate operational workflows such as environment validation, monitoring, and remediation
- Reduce manual intervention through repeatable scripting solutions
Azure Infrastructure & DevOps Integration
- Work within Azure environments to support infrastructure dependencies impacting data workloads
- Utilize Azure DevOps (ADO) for:
- Managing database schema changes
- Versioning and promoting ADF pipelines
- Contribute to CI/CD practices for data platform deployments
Delivery & Stakeholder Engagement
- Work directly with client stakeholders, internal teams, and third-party vendors
- Operate effectively in environments with unclear ownership, legacy systems, or process gaps
- Communicate clearly around issues, risks, and remediation strategies
- Demonstrate a willingness to take initiative, assume ownership, and drive outcomes
Required Qualifications
- 7+ years of experience in database administration, data engineering, or data platform operations
- Deep hands-on expertise with:
- Azure SQL Managed Instance / Azure SQL Database
- Azure Data Factory (pipeline development and administration)
- Strong experience in SQL query optimization and performance tuning
- Proven ability to diagnose and resolve:
- Locking/blocking issues
- Data pipeline failures
- Performance bottlenecks
- Experience managing database user access and security administration
- Hands-on experience with Python and/or PowerShell scripting
- Experience with Azure DevOps (ADO) for managing code and deployments
- Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret logs and debug data processes
- Ability to work independently in complex, high-pressure environments
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience supporting large-scale or high-volume data environments
- Exposure to multi-vendor or hybrid data ecosystems
- Familiarity with broader Azure services supporting enterprise data platforms
- Prior experience in client-facing or consulting roles
- Experience stabilizing or inheriting underperforming data environments
What Success Looks Like
- Data pipelines run reliably with minimal disruption
- Database performance issues are identified early and resolved quickly
- Data load processes are owned, documented, and continuously improving
- Stakeholders gain confidence in the platform and its stability
- The environment shifts from reactive issue management to proactive control
- The individual becomes the go-to resource for platform reliability and execution
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