SQL Server Database Architect & Data Engineer

Job Title: SQL Server Database Architect & Data Engineer

Location: New York, NY - Hybrid; 3 days onsite, 2 days remote

Duration: Thru 2/28/2027 (very likely to be extended)

Pay Range: $70-75/hr (W2), depending on experience

Interview Process: First round virtual via MS Teams, 2nd round likely onsite in New York, NY

Position Overview

Our Fortune 500 client located in New York, NY is seeking an experienced Senior SQL Server Database Architect & Data Engineer to design, administer, optimize, integrate, and govern enterprise data platforms supporting critical business applications, analytics, reporting, and digital transformation initiatives.

This is a senior, hands-on hybrid role combining database architecture, SQL Server administration, and data engineering. The successful candidate will be responsible for building and maintaining scalable, secure, highly available database solutions while developing enterprise ETL processes, data pipelines, data warehouse/lake solutions, and reporting capabilities.

The ideal candidate brings deep Microsoft SQL Server and advanced SQL/T-SQL expertise, complemented by experience with SSIS, data warehousing, data lakes, Power BI, Python, PowerShell, performance tuning, backup/recovery, disaster recovery, and database security.

Key Responsibilities

Database Architecture & Data Modeling

• Design and maintain enterprise database architectures supporting transactional, analytical, and operational applications.
• Develop conceptual, logical, and physical data models aligned with business and technical requirements.
• Establish and maintain database architecture standards, design principles, governance practices, and data-management standards.
• Design scalable, secure, highly available, and resilient database environments.
• Architect solutions for high availability, replication, disaster recovery, backup/recovery, and business continuity.
• Facilitate database architecture reviews and technical design sessions.

SQL Server Database Administration

• Administer and support enterprise Microsoft SQL Server environments.
• Monitor database health, availability, performance, capacity, and utilization.
• Perform advanced database performance tuning, indexing, query optimization, and performance analysis.
• Develop and optimize SQL/T-SQL scripts, queries, stored procedures, and other database objects.
• Implement and maintain backup, recovery, replication, security, and access-control solutions.
• Troubleshoot complex production database issues, perform root-cause analysis, and implement long-term corrective solutions.
• Support capacity planning, monitoring, maintenance, upgrades, and ongoing database operations.
• Participate in planned maintenance activities and provide support during critical production incidents when required.

Data Engineering & ETL

• Design, develop, maintain, and optimize enterprise ETL processes and data pipelines.
• Develop data integration solutions using SSIS, SQL/T-SQL, Python, PowerShell, and other automation technologies.
• Support enterprise data warehouse, data lake, and lakehouse architectures.
• Develop data cleansing, transformation, validation, reconciliation, and integration processes.
• Automate data movement and recurring operational processes using modern scripting and engineering practices.
• Ensure reliable movement and integration of data across enterprise applications, databases, analytics platforms, and reporting environments.

Analytics & Business Intelligence

• Support enterprise analytics, business intelligence, and reporting initiatives.
• Develop and maintain data structures supporting analytical and reporting requirements.
• Partner with business and technical teams to provide reliable, analytics-ready enterprise data.
• Support Power BI and related enterprise reporting solutions.
• Improve data availability, quality, performance, and usability for downstream reporting and analytics.

Data Governance, Security & Compliance

• Follow enterprise standards for data governance, metadata management, master data management, and data architecture.
• Maintain data quality, integrity, consistency, and lineage across enterprise systems.
• Implement and maintain role-based access controls, auditing, and database security standards.
• Partner with cybersecurity and compliance teams to protect critical enterprise data assets.
• Support regulatory, audit, SOX, and data-retention requirements.
• Incorporate security and governance requirements into database architecture and data-engineering solutions.

Technical Leadership & Collaboration

• Partner with business stakeholders, application-development teams, infrastructure teams, cybersecurity, analytics teams, and external contractors.
• Lead and participate in database architecture reviews and technical design discussions.
• Provide senior-level technical guidance across database administration, architecture, and data-engineering initiatives.
• Develop and maintain technical documentation covering database environments, development environments, standards, procedures, current initiatives, and operational responsibilities.
• Manage multiple technical priorities while supporting both strategic initiatives and ongoing production operations.

Required Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in database administration, database architecture, database design, or closely related disciplines.
• 5+ years supporting enterprise or large-scale organizational environments.
• Deep hands-on expertise administering and supporting Microsoft SQL Server.
• Advanced proficiency with SQL and T-SQL, including complex queries, scripting, and stored procedures.
• Strong database architecture and relational data-modeling experience.
• Strong experience with SSIS and enterprise ETL development.
• Experience designing, developing, or supporting data warehouses and data lakes.
• Hands-on experience with Python and PowerShell for scripting, automation, data processing, or operational support.
• Experience supporting Power BI and enterprise analytics/reporting requirements.
• Strong database performance-tuning experience, including indexing and query optimization.
• Experience with database backup/recovery, disaster recovery, security, capacity planning, monitoring, and automation.
• Demonstrated enterprise data-integration and analytics experience.
• Strong troubleshooting, analytical, and root-cause-analysis capabilities.
• Understanding of data governance, data quality, security, access control, and cybersecurity principles.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to communicate technical concepts effectively to technical stakeholders.
• High school diploma, associate degree, bachelor's degree, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with additional scripting and development technologies such as VBA and shell scripting.
• Experience designing or supporting lakehouse architectures.
• Experience with metadata management, master data management, and data lineage.
• Experience supporting regulatory, audit, SOX, or enterprise data-retention requirements.
• Experience developing database standards, governance frameworks, and technical operating procedures.
• Experience leading technical initiatives and coordinating work across application, infrastructure, security, analytics, and business teams.

Working Environment

This is a contract position operating within a hybrid work environment consisting of both onsite and remote work. The position may require participation in planned maintenance windows, occasional after-hours activities, and on-call support during critical production incidents.

What We're Looking For

The ideal candidate is more than a traditional SQL Server DBA. We are looking for a senior-level professional who can operate across database architecture, hands-on SQL Server administration, and modern data engineering.

You should be equally comfortable designing database architectures, writing advanced SQL/T-SQL and stored procedures, troubleshooting SQL Server performance, developing SSIS ETL solutions, working with data warehouses and data lakes, automating processes with Python and PowerShell, and supporting Power BI and analytics initiatives. You bring an operational mindset to reliability and security while also having the architecture and engineering skills to help evolve enterprise data platforms for future business needs.

About Seneca Resources

At Seneca Resources, we are more than just a staffing and consulting firm, we are a trusted career partner. With offices across the U.S. and clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to government organizations, we provide opportunities that help professionals grow their careers while making an impact.

When you work with Seneca, you re choosing a company that invests in your success, celebrates your achievements, and connects you to meaningful work with leading organizations nationwide. We take the time to understand your goals and match you with roles that align with your skills and career path. Our consultants and contractors enjoy competitive pay, comprehensive health, dental, and vision coverage, 401(k) retirement plans, and the support of a dedicated team who will advocate for you every step of the way.

Seneca Resources is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace where all qualified individuals are encouraged to apply.