Data Platform Administrator

DEPARTMENT:

JOB SUMMARY:

The Data Platform [Azure & SQL] Administrator has hands-on experience supporting and administering SQL Server, Microsoft Azure data services, Microsoft Fabric, Azure Synapse Analytics, Azure SQL Database, Azure Storage, data pipelines, and Power BI environments.

The ideal candidate will have an understanding of Azure data-platform architecture and MS SQL database administration and will be responsible for platform support, monitoring, troubleshooting, deployments, access management, and day-to-day operational activities across development, QA, and production environments. Responsibilities include monitoring and managing Azure cost and consumption, including budgets, alerts, tagging, rightsizing, and support for chargeback/showback reporting.

This is primarily a platform administration, database administration, and technical support role (not a software development position). The candidate should have an admin mindset and be comfortable working with development, infrastructure, security, and business teams.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Administer and support on-premises MS SQL Database, Azure data-platform resources across development, QA, and production environments
• Administer and support on-premises SQL databases, including database configuration, installation, upgrade, migration, security, performance, availability, and troubleshooting
• Provide support for Microsoft Fabric, Azure Synapse Analytics, Azure SQL Database, Azure Storage, and related services
• Monitor database health, performance, storage utilization, connectivity, and availability
• Troubleshoot SQL database issues including blocking, deadlocks, failed jobs, connectivity issues, permissions, and performance degradation
• Support database backup, restore, recovery, and disaster-recovery processes
• Assist with database upgrades, migrations, patching, and environment refreshes
• Manage database users, logins, roles, permissions, and access using appropriate security practices
• Support data pipeline deployments and troubleshoot failed pipeline executions
• Deploy and manage data pipelines and related resources across environments using established deployment processes
• Support Microsoft Fabric workspaces, pipelines, lakehouses, and related data-platform components
• Support Azure Synapse Analytics environments and troubleshoot common connectivity, pipeline, and resource issues
• Manage and troubleshoot Azure Storage and Blob Storage resources
• Work with Parquet files and understand common data-lake storage concepts
• Manage Azure Resource Groups, subscriptions, resources, and environment configurations
• Support Azure RBAC and AD roles and permissions / Microsoft Entra ID
• Support Power BI workspaces, datasets/semantic models, refreshes, gateways, permissions, and connectivity
• Monitor Azure resources and investigate alerts and operational issues
• Work with development teams to support application and database deployments without being responsible for application development
• Participate in production incident resolution and root-cause analysis
• Follow established change-management, security, release, and production-support processes
• Maintain technical documentation, operational procedures, and troubleshooting guides
• Serve as a technical point of contact for Azure data-platform and database-related issues
• Any other duties assigned by leadership

REQUIREMENTS / QUALIFICATIONS:

• High school diploma or GED required. Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field preferred (equivalent combination of education and hands-on experience will be considered in lieu of a formal degree)
• Minimum of 2 years of hands-on experience in database administration, database development, or a related technical support role
• Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate (or equivalent cloud platform certification) is a plus

SQL Database Administration

• Strong knowledge of Microsoft SQL Server and Azure SQL Database administration, operational support, architecture, configuration, and maintenance
• Hands-on experience with database installation, upgrades, migrations between environments, and environment refreshes
• Experience managing databases, schemas, tables, indexes, database objects, logins, users, roles, and permissions using proper SQL Server authentication and Azure SQL authentication/authorization
• Demonstrated ability to monitor database performance, troubleshoot connectivity issues, and manage execution plans, indexing, statistics, blocking, and deadlocks
• Knowledge of SQL Server Agent jobs, scheduled database processes, backup/restore procedures, recovery models, point-in-time recovery, and high availability/disaster recovery (HA/DR) concepts
• Working knowledge of T-SQL and ability to assist development teams with deployment, release activities, and basic query performance reviews (Note: Not a SQL developer role)

Azure & Microsoft Fabric Technologies

• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Azure and modern cloud data-platform technologies across Dev, QA, and Production environments
• Hands-on experience supporting Microsoft Fabric (workspaces, capacities, lakehouses, pipelines, data resources)
• Practical experience supporting Azure Synapse Analytics (workspaces, SQL pools, pipelines)
• Experience deploying, monitoring, and troubleshooting data pipelines using Azure Data Factory (ADF) or similar tools (triggers, parameters, linked services, datasets)

Azure Storage & Data Concepts

• Experience managing Azure Storage Accounts, Blob Storage, containers, access controls, and storage permissions
• Familiarity with data-lake concepts, Parquet files, and common data formats
• Ability to troubleshoot storage connectivity and access issues across integrated services (Synapse, Fabric, Power BI, data pipelines)
• Experience with Azure resource monitoring, alerting, and incident management

Power BI, Security & Azure Governance

• Working knowledge of Power BI administration and support, including workspaces, permissions, datasets/semantic models, refreshes, gateways, and connectivity troubleshooting (Note: Report development is not a primary duty)
• Experience managing Azure subscriptions, Resource Groups, Azure RBAC roles (Reader, Contributor, Owner), managed identities, and service principals

Required Soft Skills & Operational Mindset

• Strong troubleshooting, problem-solving, and diagnostic skills in production-support environments
• Ability to collaborate effectively in an IT team environment (Development, Infrastructure, DBAs, Data team)
• Strong communication, collaboration, and technical documentation skills
• Ability to evaluate the entire Azure data environment and understand how components interoperate, focusing on administering, monitoring, and troubleshooting rather than building solutions from scratch