Principal Database Engineer

Principal Database Engineer, Bangalore Position Overview We are seeking an experienced Principal Database Engineer to lead our database infrastructure initiatives with a primary focus on Microsoft SQL Server environments. This senior-level position requires deep technical expertise, strategic thinking, and leadership capabilities to drive database architecture decisions across the organization. Key Responsibilities Database Architecture & Design - Design, implement, and maintain enterprise-scale SQL Server database solutions - Develop database architecture standards, best practices, and design patterns - Lead database capacity planning and scalability initiatives - Architect high-availability and disaster recovery solutions using SQL Server Always On, failover clustering, and replication technologies - Help with strategy, architecture and implementation of data warehouse across all of our products Performance & Optimization - Conduct advanced performance tuning and query optimization across SQL Server instances - Work with DBA to understand the database monitoring solutions and performance baselines - Design and implement indexing strategies for optimal query performance - Analyze and optimize database storage, memory allocation, and I/O patterns Leadership & Strategy - Provide technical leadership and mentorship to database engineering team members - Collaborate with application development teams on database design and integration - Lead database technology evaluations and migration projects - Participate in architectural review boards and technical decision-making processes Operations & Maintenance - Oversee database backup, recovery, and business continuity strategies - Implement database security policies, access controls, and compliance measures - Establish and maintain database documentation and operational procedures Data Management - Design and implement data governance frameworks and data quality initiatives - Lead ETL/ELT process design and optimization - Oversee data archival, retention, and purging strategies - Support business intelligence and analytics initiatives Required Qualifications Technical Skills - 10+ years of hands-on experience with Microsoft SQL Server - Expert-level knowledge of T-SQL programming, stored procedures, functions, and triggers - Extensive experience with SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) and related tools - Deep understanding of SQL Server internals, query execution plans, and performance optimization - Proficiency with SQL Server Always On Availability Groups, failover clustering, and replication - Experience with SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS), Reporting Services (SSRS), and Analysis Services (SSAS) - Strong knowledge of database security, encryption, and compliance requirements Development & Automation - Proficiency in PowerShell scripting for database automation and administration - Experience with Infrastructure as Code (IaC) tools and practices - Knowledge of CI/CD pipelines and database deployment automation - Familiarity with monitoring tools (SQL Monitor, SolarWinds, Nagios, etc.) - Hands-on experience with a data warehouse implementation Preferred Qualifications Additional Technologies - Experience with cloud platforms (Azure SQL Database, AWS RDS for SQL Server) - Knowledge of other database platforms (Oracle, PostgreSQL, MySQL) for comparison and migration projects - Familiarity with big data technologies and modern data platforms - Experience with containerization (Docker, Kubernetes) for database workloads Leadership Experience - Previous experience leading database engineering teams - Project management experience with large-scale database initiatives - Experience with vendor management and technology procurement Education & Experience - Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or related field - 10+ years total experience in database engineering and administration - 5+ years experience in senior or lead database engineering roles - Experience in enterprise environments with high-availability requirements Key Competencies - Strategic Thinking: Ability to align database strategies with business objectives - Problem Solving: Strong analytical skills for complex database troubleshooting - Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication skills for technical and non-technical audiences - Leadership: Proven ability to mentor team members and drive technical initiatives - Adaptability: Willingness to learn new technologies and adapt to changing requirements Work Environment - Hybrid work environment with flexibility for remote work - Occasional on-call responsibilities for critical database issues - May require travel for system implementations or disaster recovery exercises - Fast-paced environment with multiple concurrent projects