Senior Database Administrator

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Optum is a global organisation that delivers care, aided by technology to help millions of people live healthier lives. The work you do with our team will directly improve health outcomes by connecting people with the care, pharmacy benefits, data and resources they need to feel their best. Here, you will find a culture guided by diversity and inclusion, talented peers, comprehensive benefits and career development opportunities. Come make an impact on the communities we serve as you help us advance health equity on a global scale. Join us to start Caring. Connecting. Growing together.

Are you an experienced Senior SQL Database Administrator looking to join a team where your work genuinely makes a difference?

We're seeking a DBA with solid SQL skills and a good understanding of performance tuning and optimization data migrations to join our dynamic, innovative team.

We are a collaborative and driven team who are passionate about the work we do-and we like to enjoy the journey. If that sounds like your kind of environment, we'd love to hear from you.

What you'll do:
At Optum UK, we believe in using the power of technology to make healthcare faster, better, and more accessible for everyone. You'll play a key role in helping us deliver on that mission.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Own the stability, availability, and performance of a highly-available SQL Server database infrastructure
• Lead the setup and configuration of new database environments, ensuring scalability and resilience
• Troubleshoot and resolve complex technical challenges, including performance bottlenecks and system failures
• Ensure systems consistently meet or exceed SLA targets
• Drive the transition from legacy systems to modern cloud-based environments, advising on architecture and strategy
• Implement and maintain robust security measures to protect sensitive healthcare data, ensuring compliance with global data protection standards
• Maintain comprehensive documentation of database configurations, processes, and procedures, ensuring it is up-to-date and accessible to relevant stakeholders
• Work within outcome-based teams, acting as the subject matter expert for the DBA discipline and contributing to cross-functional goals
• Mentor and support other DBAs, fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement
• Champion best practices in database design, performance tuning, and operational excellence
• Participate in a 24/7 on-call rota to support critical systems and ensure rapid response to incidents

Who You'll Be:

You're an experienced and proactive Senior DBA with deep expertise in SQL Server and a passion for mentoring others. You thrive in collaborative environments and enjoy solving complex problems with elegant solutions.

We value curious thinkers who challenge the status quo and seek out opportunities for improvement. Your mindset and leadership will be just as important as your technical skills.

You'll be recognized and rewarded for your impact, with clear development pathways and opportunities to grow into broader architectural or leadership roles.

You will be rewarded and recognized for your performance in an environment that will challenge you and give you clear direction on what it takes to succeed in your role, as well as providing development for other roles you may be interested in.

Other useful skills and experience include:

• Extensive experience with Microsoft SQL Server (2019 and earlier versions including 2008R2/2012/2014/2016)
• Advanced performance tuning and query optimization skills, including indexing strategies and execution plan analysis
• Proven ability to mentor team members and advise on database best practices
• Solid experience with SQL Server backups, restores, DBCC checks, corruption handling, and recovery strategies
• Experience with SQL Server Always On Availability Groups and high-availability configurations.
• Hands-on experience with cloud-based database environments
• Demonstrated familiarity with database monitoring tools such as SolarWinds, Idera, Datadog or Redgate
• Proficient in T-SQL and scripting for automation and diagnostics
• Experience with modern DBA tools and practices, including DACPAC, GitHub, Infrastructure as Code (IaC), and CI/CD pipelines
• Ability to be comfortable supporting occasional out-of-hours work and participating in a 24/7 on-call rota
• Skilled in maintaining high-availability databases with minimal or zero downtime
• Proven solid understanding of database security principles and experience implementing controls to protect sensitive data in regulated environments
• Demonstrated commitment to maintaining clear, accurate, and accessible documentation for all database-related processes and configurations

Please note you must currently be eligible to work and remain indefinitely without any restrictions in the country to which you are making an application. Proof will be required to support your application.

*All telecommuters will be required to adhere to the UnitedHealth Group's Telecommuter Policy.

At UnitedHealth Group, our mission is to help people live healthier lives and make the health system work better for everyone. We believe everyone-of every race, gender, sexuality, age, location and income-deserves the opportunity to live their healthiest life. Today, however, there are still far too many barriers to good health which are disproportionately experienced by people of color, historically marginalized groups and those with lower incomes. We are committed to mitigating our impact on the environment and enabling and delivering equitable care that addresses health disparities and improves health outcomes - an enterprise priority reflected in our mission.

Diversity creates a healthier atmosphere: UnitedHealth Group is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by law. UnitedHealth Group is a drug-free workplace. © 2025 UnitedHealth Group. All rights reserved.