Infrastructure Engineer - Database Administrator

fairlife, LLC is a Chicago-based nutrition company that creates great-tasting, nutrition-rich and dairy products to nourish consumers.

With over $3B in annual retail sales, fairlife's portfolio of delicious, lactose-free, real dairy products includes: fairlife ultra-filtered milk; Core Power High Protein Shakes, a sports nutrition drink to support post-workout recovery; fairlife nutrition plan , a nutrition shake to support the journey to better health.

A wholly owned subsidiary of The Coca-Cola company, fairlife, LLC has been recognized by both Fast Company and Nielsen for its industry leading innovation.

To learn more about fairlife and its complete line of products, please visit fairlife.com.

job purpose: We are seeking a detail-oriented and technically skilled SQL Server Database Administrator (DBA) to manage, optimize, and secure our Microsoft SQL Server environments. This role is ideal for someone with a strong foundation in database administration who is also comfortable supporting broader server infrastructure and general IT operations. You'll collaborate with IT, development, and business teams to ensure our data assets are reliable, performant, and protected, while contributing to the overall health of our IT environment.

responsibilities:
Provide onsite and remote support for SQL Server databases and related infrastructure in a 24x7 environment.
Participate in on-call rotation schedule.
Install, configure, upgrade, and maintain SQL Server instances and databases across production, development, and test environments.
Monitor database performance, identify bottlenecks, and implement tuning solutions (indexes, queries, server parameters).
Design and implement backup, restore, and disaster recovery strategies; regularly test recovery procedures.
Manage database security: user access, permissions, encryption, and compliance with organizational policies.
Collaborate with developers to optimize queries, refine schemas, and support application performance.
Maintain and document database configurations, processes, and troubleshooting steps.
Support and maintain related server infrastructure (Windows Server, Active Directory, virtualization platforms).
Assist with general IT environment tasks, including monitoring, patching, and troubleshooting server and network issues.
Refine and automate regular processes using scripting (PowerShell, T-SQL, etc.).
Track and report on database and IT infrastructure KPIs as directed.
Stay current with emerging database and IT technologies, contributing ideas for continuous improvement.
Mentor and support junior team members, fostering a culture of knowledge sharing.

skills/qualifications required:
Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or related field, or equivalent work experience.
2-4 years of experience supporting SQL Server environments as a DBA or similar role.
Proficiency in SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS), T-SQL, and database performance tuning.
Experience with backup and recovery models, high availability (HA), and disaster recovery (DR) options for SQL Server.
Working knowledge of Windows Server administration and Active Directory.
Familiarity with virtualization platforms (VMware, Hyper-V, Nutanix) and cloud environments (Azure SQL).
Basic understanding of networking concepts (TCP/IP, DNS, VPN).
Scripting experience (PowerShell, T-SQL) is a plus.

how fairlife nourishes you:

At fairlife, we believe in better - and that includes how we support our people. We offer a comprehensive suite of benefits and wellbeing resources designed to support you physically, emotionally, socially, and financially, both in and out of work.
Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, effective day one!
Supplemental health plans (hospital indemnity, accident, and critical illness insurance)
Paid Time Off to recharge and support work-life balance
Paid parental leave & adoption assistance (up to $10,000)
Parental support & family care benefits, including childcare resources and lactation support
401(k) to support retirement planning with up to 9% in employer match
Wellness reimbursement (up to $500 for qualified wellbeing expenses)
Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for emotional wellbeing and work-life support
Company-paid life insurance and short-term disability
Employer HSA funding (for HDHP participants)
Tuition reimbursement (up to $10,000) and student loan repayment ($200/month)
Learning & development programs to unlock your full potential
Rewards & recognition, matching gifts, free product, and Business Resource Groups

fairlife's nour!sh program is designed to meet you where you are - supporting your individual wellbeing journey while enabling you to do your best work every day.

position location: Coopersville, MI

reports to: Director, IT Infrastructure & Services

travel requirements: 25%

salary range: $100,000 - $125,000

exempt/nonexempt: Exempt

#LI-BB1

*Base pay offered may vary depending on geography, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. A full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the position, is offered.

Base pay range:

$100,000-$125,000 USD

fairlife, LLC is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of 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. All qualified applicants and employees will be given equal opportunity. Selection decisions are based on job-related factors.

In addition to its nondiscrimination commitment, the Company will also provide reasonable accommodation of qualified individuals with known disabilities unless doing so would impose an undue hardship on the Company. If you have a disability and would like to request accommodation in order to apply for a position with us, please email

For Recruitment AgenciesAt fairlife, we manage the majority of our hiring internally through our dedicated Talent Acquisition team, which is actively engaged in direct candidate sourcing. Most of our roles are filled through applications submitted via our careers site or through direct outreach by our team.

As our recruitment is primarily handled in-house, we work only occasionally with external agencies, and only those on our existing, pre-approved vendor list. At this time, we are not reviewing or expanding that list.

Unsolicited resumes or submissions from external agencies not authorized by our Talent Acquisition team will be considered direct candidate applications. As such, fairlife will not assume responsibility for any placement fees associated with these submissions.