Senior DBA

Job Description

ELLKAY is a nationwide leader in health care data interoperability delivering innovative solutions that support the data migration needs of all members of the healthcare ecosystem. ELLKAY is playing a vital role in helping healthcare organizations access and share data among disparate systems. We are recognized by our e-health industry partners, independent medical group practices, hospitals and health systems, laboratories, and payers as the “Healthcare Data Plumbers” that make data migration and interoperability possible.

Our 'Client-first' focus has made ELLKAY one of the most respected healthcare IT companies in the nation. We value our clients and believe that strong relationships are the foundation for a strong company, and we're dedicated to providing connectivity to the healthcare industry.

Company Culture: We deal with medical data and we take our work very seriously, but not ourselves. If you’re a smart, hard-working, dedicated individual who thrives in a laidback, friendly work environment, ELLKAY may be the place for you. We’re committed to attracting good people who are passionate about the work they do.

ELLKAY was founded over a decade ago on the values of innovation, efficiency, and service created in a collaborative work culture. As we have grown, we are proud to still possess the same energy and passion for what we do. We strive to provide exceptional customer experiences to our clients, which begins with first employing amazing people. ELLKAY is proud to maintain a high-quality, innovative, and diverse workforce.

Job Description:

We are seeking a highly skilled and experienced Senior SQL DBA/Developer to manage, optimize, and support mission-critical SQL Server databases exceeding 10+ TB in a high-transaction, 24/7 production environment. The ideal candidate will be a hands-on expert in query tuning, index optimization, partitioning, and performance troubleshooting with a proven track record of handling large-scale enterprise systems. This role requires deep knowledge of SQL Server internals, the ability to analyze and resolve complex performance bottlenecks, and experience with high availability (HA/DR) architectures. You will work closely with engineering, and infrastructure teams to ensure maximum reliability, security, and efficiency of database systems in real time

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

Database Design & Maintenance: Maintain and optimize large-scale SQL Server databases (10+ TB), ensuring data integrity, availability, and performance.

Query Optimization: Tune complex and high-impact SQL queries; rewrite stored procedures and functions for optimal execution plans.

Support and evolve our SQL Server footprint, with a focus on high-throughput transactional systems

Participate in security, compliance, and DR planning for data systems

Define and enforce standards for indexing, partitioning, backups, and schema management

Index Strategy: Analyze and maintain indexes (clustered, non-clustered, filtered) to balance query speed and writing performance.

Performance Monitoring: Proactively monitor server health, handle CPU/memory spikes, and resolve long running or blocking processes.

Backup & Recovery: Manage full, differential, and transaction log backups with a clear RTO/RPO strategy.

High Availability: Configure and support Always on Availability Groups, log shipping, replication, and clustering as needed.

Incident Response: Troubleshoot and resolve live production incidents, providing root cause analysis and permanent fixes.

Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Information Systems, or related field experience.

10+ years of experience supporting relational databases in production, with deep expertise in SQL Server

Index tuning, statistics updates, partitioning strategies.

Handling parameter sniffing and optimizing query parallelism (MAXDOP, cost threshold).

Experience with tools like Redgate, Forti monitor etc.

Experience working in 24/7 production environments.

Microsoft Certified preferred.

Strong track record of performance tuning, schema refactoring, and supporting large-scale systems

Skilled at interpreting query plans, analyzing system metrics, and resolving database-related bottlenecks

Comfortable collaborating with developers to improve code-level database interactions (ORM, raw SQL, Dapper, etc.)

Proficient in scripting and automation using T-SQL and optionally PowerShell or other tools

Experienced working in CI/CD pipelines and version-controlled database change workflows

Clear communicator who can act as a bridge between infrastructure and development teams

Analytical and pragmatic, able to weigh trade-offs in scalability, reliability, and maintainability

Experience with cloud-managed databases (e.g., Azure SQL, AWS RDS) or exposure to alternative platforms like Postgres or document-based systems

Excellent problem-solving and analytical abilities.

Strong communication and collaboration skills.

Benefits:

ELLKAY offers a comprehensive and competitive benefit package that starts day one!

Including:

A Competitive salary

401k w/ matching – once eligibility is met

Work/life balance

Paid Volunteer Program

Flexible working hours

Unlimited PTO

Remote work options

Employee Discounts

Parental Leave

Our awesome culture includes:

Working with talented, collaborative, and friendly people who love what they do

Professional growth within

Innovation environment

On site in HQ Free daily lunches

Additional information

At ELLKAY, we are committed to operating as a hybrid workplace, offering employees flexibility in how they structure their time between in-office and remote work. We recognize the significance of fostering connections, collaboration, and creativity within our office culture and its positive impact on our business. Our philosophy of operating as a hybrid workplace underscores our dedication to enabling employees to tailor work-life balance to their individual preferences. For those who do not live within 40 miles of one of our offices, we are open to considering remote work for candidates whose skills and experience strongly align with the role. While we prioritize a hybrid work environment for most roles, we understand the importance of flexibility and are open to remote work for specific positions and specialized skill sets.

For more information on our company, visit

ELLKAY LLC is a Smoke-Free Workplace.

ELLKAY, LLC provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

Full-time