Senior Oracle DBA

Role: Senior Oracle DBA

Location: Phoenix, AZ- Onsite

Employment type: contract-to-hire

The Opportunity: We are seeking a Senior Oracle Database Administrator (DBA) to design, implement, and support mission-critical Oracle database environments within a highly regulated, enterprise setting. This role focuses on ensuring high availability, performance optimization, and secure database operations supporting critical business applications.

This is a contract-to-hire opportunity, offering the potential to transition into a full-time position based on performance and business needs. The ideal candidate is a hands-on Oracle expert with deep experience in high-availability environments, performance tuning, and database security.

Responsibilities

Database Administration & Architecture

• Design, install, configure, and maintain Oracle databases across development, test, and production environments
• Manage database upgrades, patching, and migrations with minimal downtime and risk
• Implement and support high availability and disaster recovery solutions including RAC and Data Guard

Performance & Optimization

• Monitor and optimize database performance, including SQL and PL/SQL tuning, indexing, and schema design
• Analyze execution plans and system metrics to identify and resolve performance bottlenecks
• Perform capacity planning for compute and storage to support scalability

Backup, Recovery & DR

• Develop and maintain RMAN backup and recovery strategies aligned with business and compliance requirements
• Support disaster recovery planning, testing, and execution including failover and failback procedures
• Maintain and improve recovery documentation and runbooks

Security & Compliance

• Implement database security controls including roles, privileges, encryption, and auditing
• Ensure alignment with regulatory and compliance standards in a governed environment
• Partner with security and risk teams to address audit findings and strengthen controls

Production Support & Collaboration

• Support application releases, schema changes, and deployments in coordination with engineering teams
• Provide advanced troubleshooting and root cause analysis for production incidents
• Participate in on-call rotation and support critical after-hours activities as needed
• Create and maintain documentation for configurations, procedures, and operational standards
• Mentor junior team members and contribute to knowledge sharing across teams

Required Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience as an Oracle DBA in enterprise environments
• Strong expertise with Oracle 12c / 19c (or newer) in Linux/UNIX environments
• Hands-on experience with:

Oracle RAC and Data Guard

RMAN backup, recovery, and cloning

Performance tuning tools (AWR, ASH, OEM, TKPROF)

SQL and PL/SQL optimization

• Experience supporting 24x7, high-availability systems
• Strong understanding of database security, encryption, roles/privileges, and auditing
• Experience working within change management / ITIL-aligned environments
• Strong problem-solving skills and ability to operate in fast-paced, production environments
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting financial services or other regulated industries
• Exposure to Oracle Exadata, OCI, or cloud-based Oracle environments
• Experience with automation or scripting (Shell, Python, Ansible)
• Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines and DevOps practices for database deployments
• Relevant certifications such as Oracle Certified Professional (OCP)