SQL Server DBA

About this role

Location(s) Chicago, Illinois, Downers Grove, Illinois

Details

Kemper is one of the nation’s leading specialized insurers. Our success is a direct reflection of the talented and diverse people who make a positive difference in the lives of our customers every day. We believe a high-performing culture, valuable opportunities for personal development and professional challenge, and a healthy work-life balance can be highly motivating and productive. Kemper’s products and services are making a real difference to our customers, who have unique and evolving needs. By joining our team, you are helping to provide an experience to our stakeholders that delivers on our promises.    

Kemper is seeking an SQL Server DBA.  This Database Administrator (DBA) is a principal-level Microsoft SQL Server technical expert responsible for the architecture, administration, performance, security, and operational excellence of enterprise SQL Server database environments within a large Property & Casualty (P&C) insurance organization. This role provides advanced technical leadership in designing, implementing, optimizing, and supporting highly available, secure, and resilient SQL Server platforms that support mission-critical business applications and regulatory requirements. As a trusted SQL Server subject matter expert, the DBA establishes database standards, drives SQL Server modernization and automation initiatives, and provides technical guidance on database platform strategy and operational best practices. This individual leads complex SQL Server initiatives, mentor’s database professionals, and collaborates with application teams, infrastructure teams, cloud engineering, cybersecurity, enterprise architecture, and business stakeholders to ensure database platforms deliver exceptional performance, reliability, security, and business continuity.

Position Responsibilities • Serves as a senior technical authority for Microsoft SQL Server database platforms, providing expertise in architecture, administration, performance optimization, security, and operational support. • Designs, installs, configures, upgrades, patches, and maintains enterprise Microsoft SQL Server environments across development, test, staging, and production environments. • Provides advanced administration and support for SQL Server technologies, including SQL Server Database Engine, Always On Availability Groups, Failover Cluster Instances, replication, SQL Agent, SSIS, SSRS, and related components. • Develops and implements SQL Server architecture standards, configuration baselines, operational procedures, and best practices to ensure consistency, reliability, and scalability. • Performs advanced SQL Server performance tuning, including query optimization, execution plan analysis, indexing strategies, statistics management, database configuration tuning, and workload analysis. • Monitors SQL Server environments using database monitoring tools and proactively identify issues related to performance, availability, capacity, storage, and resource utilization. • Designs and maintains SQL Server high availability and disaster recovery solutions, including backup strategies, restore procedures, replication, failover testing, and recovery planning. • Implements and manages SQL Server security controls, including authentication, authorization, role-based access, encryption, auditing, vulnerability remediation, and compliance requirements. • Supports SQL Server environments hosted in AWS and hybrid cloud platforms, collaborating with cloud and infrastructure teams to deploy and optimize database solutions using services such as Amazon EC2, Amazon RDS, Amazon EBS, Amazon VPC, AWS IAM, AWS KMS, Amazon CloudWatch, S3, and AWS Backup. • Leads SQL Server migration, modernization, and consolidation initiatives, including migrations to AWS and implementation of cloud-based database solutions where applicable. • Develops automation solutions using PowerShell scripting, Python, Infrastructure as Code (IaC), and database administration tools to improve operational efficiency and reduce manual processes. • Partners with application development teams to support database design, data modeling, schema changes, release deployments, and production application support. • Troubleshoots complex SQL Server incidents, performs root cause analysis, and implements permanent corrective actions to improve platform stability. • Provides technical guidance during production incidents, change activities, upgrades, and major database-related initiatives. • Maintains SQL Server documentation, architecture diagrams, standards, configuration records, and operational runbooks. • Mentors and provide technical guidance to database administrators, promoting knowledge sharing and continuous improvement. • Evaluates SQL Server tools, technologies, and industry practices to improve database reliability, performance, and operational maturity. • Participates in on-call support, incident response, and critical production issue resolution as required.

Position Qualifications • Minimum of ten (10) years of hands-on experience administering enterprise database environments, with a strong focus on Microsoft SQL Server. • Extensive experience installing, configuring, upgrading, patching, securing, and supporting Microsoft SQL Server in large-scale enterprise environments, including AWS. • Advanced knowledge of SQL Server architecture, including SQL Server Database Engine, Always On Availability Groups, Failover Cluster Instances, replication, backup/recovery, and performance tuning. • Strong experience with query optimization, execution plan analysis, indexing strategies, and database troubleshooting. • Experience supporting SQL Server environments across on-premises, hybrid, and AWS cloud platforms. • Working knowledge of AWS services supporting SQL Server database platforms, including Amazon EC2, Amazon RDS, Amazon VPC, Amazon EBS, AWS IAM, AWS KMS, Amazon CloudWatch, AWS Backup, Route 5

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