Senior Database Performance Engineer – SQL Server/AWS

Salary: £60,000 - 65,000 per year

Requirements:

• Strong commercial experience as a senior SQL Server DBA, Database Performance Engineer, or SQL Server Performance Specialist
• Senior-level SQL Server experience, expert-level T-SQL, and knowledge of the SQL Server query optimiser
• Excellent understanding of execution plans, indexing, and statistics
• Experience managing multiple SQL Server instances
• Strong understanding of Entity Framework and how it generates SQL
• Experience proactively identifying database performance issues through monitoring and analysis
• Experience working with SQL Server on AWS, including EC2 and/or RDS
• Understanding of AWS infrastructure, storage, and networking considerations that affect database performance
• Experience with SQL Server high availability and disaster recovery, such as Always On or Multi-AZ
• Experience designing databases and applications to handle significantly larger data volumes
• Scripting experience with tools such as PowerShell or dbatools
• Strong communication skills and ability to work closely with developers
• Self-starter able to identify priorities independently and drive improvements to completion
• Methodical, analytical, curious, and self-directed approach
• Comfortable challenging developers when application-level issues are causing performance problems, and explaining issues clearly to technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Desirable experience with Redgate SQL Monitor, SolarWinds DPA, Datadog, CloudWatch, Application Insights, EF Core logging, MiniProfiler, load testing, partitioning, data archiving, large-table management, DACPACs, Flyway, or Redgate deployment tools
• Microsoft or AWS database certifications are desirable

Responsibilities:

• Monitor and improve SQL Server performance across multiple instances
• Identify expensive queries, blocking, deadlocks, indexing issues, execution plan regressions, and resource pressure
• Use Query Store, execution plans, DMVs, and Extended Events to diagnose root causes
• Compare database instances to identify performance outliers and understand differences in their behaviour
• Investigate SQL generated by Entity Framework and identify issues such as N+1 queries and excessive data loading
• Work closely with developers to implement application-level performance improvements
• Manage database-side changes, including indexing, statistics, and configuration
• Plan for database scalability as customers and data volumes grow
• Advise on AWS infrastructure, database sizing, and performance versus cost
• Support backup, recovery, high availability, and disaster recovery strategies
• Lead database performance investigations during incidents
• Build monitoring, dashboards, and alerts to identify issues proactively

Technologies:

• AWS
• CloudWatch
• Datadog
• EC2
• Flyway
• Support
• PowerShell
• Redgate
• SQL
• Cloud

More:

We are an established technology organisation seeking a Senior Database Performance Engineer to take ownership of SQL Server performance across a large AWS environment. This is a full-time, permanent, onsite role in Birmingham, paying £60,000–£65,000. You will be the sole database specialist, with significant autonomy and direct influence over database performance, scalability, and resilience, working across SQL Server, AWS, and modern application architecture.

last updated 40 week of 2026