SQL Architect

Job Title: SQL Architect Experience: 10+ Years Employment Type: Contract 1 year (FTC) (Inside IR35) Location: Birmingham Work Mode: Hybrid (2 days work from office) Role Overview We are seeking a highly experienced SQL Architect with deep expertise in the Microsoft data stack to design, build, and deliver scalable, high-performance data platforms. This role requires strong architectural thinking, hands-on technical leadership, and the ability to own end-to-end delivery from discovery through production support. Key Responsibilities • Architect and design enterprise-scale SQL Server and Azure-based data solutions. • Lead end-to-end delivery of data platforms including requirements analysis, design, development, deployment, and support. • Design and optimize data models using normalization, dimensional modeling, and proven data architecture patterns. • Drive performance tuning, capacity planning, and HA/DR strategies for SQL Server environments. • Design and implement data ingestion and transformation pipelines using SSIS, Azure Data Factory, Databricks, and Microsoft Fabric. • Establish DevOps and CI/CD best practices for database and data engineering solutions. • Collaborate with stakeholders to translate business needs into robust technical designs. • Act as technical authority and escalation point for complex SQL and data platform issues. Mandatory Skills & Experience • 10+ years of experience in data engineering, DBA, or data architecture, with strong focus on SQL Server and Microsoft data platforms. • Expert knowledge of SQL Server 2016 & 2022, including: • Engine internals • Query optimization and performance tuning • High Availability & Disaster Recovery (Always On, Failover Clustering, etc.) • Advanced T-SQL development: • Stored procedures, functions, triggers, indexing strategies • Hands-on experience with: • SSIS – package design, orchestration, and deployment • Azure Data Factory – pipelines, triggers, integration runtimes • Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2 – security, access patterns, folder structures • Microsoft Fabric – Lakehouse, OneLake, Data Engineering workloads • Databricks – Spark SQL, Delta Lake, notebooks, integration with ADF/Fabric • Strong data design principles: • Normalization • Dimensional modeling • Scalable data architecture patterns • Proven ability to work autonomously, delivering solutions from discovery to production. • Experience with Git and Azure DevOps, including CI/CD for data solutions. Nice to Have Skills • Azure Synapse Analytics • Power BI semantic models • Data governance and cataloging using Microsoft Purview • Security and secrets management: • RBAC / ABAC, Azure Key Vault • Scripting and automation using PowerShell and Python • Experience with event-driven architectures and Change Data Capture (CDC) Preferred Certifications • Microsoft Certified: Azure Data Engineer Associate (DP-203) • Microsoft Certified: Fabric Analytics Engineer Associate (DP-600) Behavioural Competencies • Autonomous & Accountable: Owns delivery with minimal supervision. • Design-First Mindset: Prioritizes simplicity, scalability, and maintainability. • Clear Communicator: Effectively documents architecture and influences stakeholders.