Senior SQL Server Database Administrator

Lisbon, Portugal
Senior (4-6 Years)
Hybrid
English Required Not Accepting Candidates Living Abroad
A senior SQL Server DBA role with strong ownership of production database operations, deeply integrated with Azure cloud services. The role requires solid technical autonomy, cloud-native expertise and the ability to operate independently across the full DBA lifecycle — from performance tuning to incident resolution and release management. Infrastructure partners provide support but the DBA maintains direct operational responsibility.
 
What You'll Do
 
  • Administer Microsoft SQL Server databases in production, integrated with Azure cloud services, with strong operational ownership;
  • Manage Always-On Availability Groups, Failover Cluster Instances and storage account operations;
  • Lead technical resolution of SQL Server incidents: diagnose, remediate and produce structured root cause analysis independently;
  • Execute and validate production releases using Azure DevOps and UrbanCode Deploy (UCD);
  • Perform query tuning, T-SQL optimization and execution plan analysis;
  • Administer and optimize Azure SQL, Azure Pipelines, Azure Monitor and Azure Event Hub;
  • Enforce security, permissions management and audit-quality documentation;
  • Collaborate with application teams, infrastructure partners and release management;
  • Contribute to runbook quality and continuous improvement of database operations.
 
What You'll Need
 
Qualifications
 
  • University degree in Computer Science, Engineering or comparable technical field;
  • 5-10 years of hands-on experience with Microsoft SQL Server in production environments;
  • Proven track record in incident management, production support and performance tuning;
  • Strong Azure platform experience is mandatory.
 
Technical Skills
 
  • SQL Server installation and configuration; Always-On Availability Groups (must); FCI; T-SQL scripting (must);
  • PowerShell automation (must); execution plan analysis; storage account management;
  • Azure SQL, Azure DevOps, Azure Pipelines, Azure Alerts, Azure Event Hub, Azure Monitor (must);
  • PostgreSQL, PowerShell, SQL;
  • Azure Database Administrator certification is a plus; Microsoft SQL Server certifications valued;
  • Tools: MS SQL Server, UrbanCode Deploy, Jira, DBeaver.
 
Profile & Other Requirements
 
  • Professional English C1 (spoken and written) — mandatory; French and/or Dutch is a plus;
  • Strong ownership and accountability; comfortable operating with autonomy in complex production environments;
  • Structured troubleshooting mindset; clear communication with technical and non-technical stakeholders;
  • Generalizing-specialist profile — open to working across multiple database technologies;
  • Experience in regulated environments (e.g., financial services) is a strong plus;
  • Must own a valid work permit or EU/Schengen Space nationality to legally work in Portugal;
  • Lisbon/Portugal-based — hybrid working model.
 
Legal: Must own a valid work permit or EU/Schengen Space Nationality to legally work in Portugal
 
We connect IT professionals with projects that match their skills, professional experience, and goals, then we offer a career progression program, delivered by in-house specialists - our People Experience Partners - to guide them through our journey with us.

What we offer:

  • A project that matches your skills and ambitions, as well as your preferences for working policies and culture.
  • A competitive salary with awesome benefits and opportunities to leverage your knowledge and network to earn additional income.
  • An empowering and respectful work culture enriched with social and learning events.
  • A People Experience Partner specially assigned to you - your go-to career guide, responsible for supporting your growth, facilitating training, and ensuring your work-life balance at KWAN.
At KWAN, they make sure that I feel comfortable with the client I’m working for and that what I’m doing aligns with my career aspirations.
Luis Caldeira, DevOps @ KWAN
At KWAN, I’m given the space to be myself and do what I love. I have control over the projects I work on, as well as the direction of my career.
Pedro Fonseca, Front End Developer @ KWAN
I see my People Experience Partner as someone who is always available to provide me with motivation and constant feedback, which helps me be sure that I am in the right place.
Josimar dos Reis, Software Developer @ KWAN
I know that I’ve contributed to the growth of a company that truly values a “people first culture”, because my ideas, experiences, and individuality were always appreciated.
João Nascimento, Software Developer (KWAN Alumni)
My two years at KWAN were an incredible experience! From the start, I was welcomed into a warm and collaborative environment where I felt truly supported.
Laís Ortiz, Software Developer @ (KWAN Alumni)
Grab this opportunity, apply now!

What You Can Expect as a KWANer

Respect isn’t optional here

You’re trusted to deliver and supported to speak up.

Dedicated People Experience Partner

Someone accountable for your growth, not your allocation.

Continuous learning, built in

Learning that keeps pace with the systems you build.

Recognition that’s visible

Your impact doesn’t go unnoticed. Through our Rocket Points System, we constantly recognize your contributions.

A culture you can feel

From movie and quiz nights to dinners and our annual summer gathering, we don’t just work together - we build real connections.

Flexible spaces to work your way

Remote-first, with physical hubs when you want connection.

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Tell Us About You

We review every application. If there’s alignment, we won’t let it get lost in a database.