Our client is looking for a SQL Server Architect to joint their team on a six month initial contract, working two days a week onsite in central London and rest remotely. This role is Inside IR35, requires an active SC clearance and a sole British national.

Key Activities
* Work with Infra Architect to define PoV success criteria (RPO/RTO, failover time, throughput, recovery steps).
* Stand up PoV topology:
* SQL Server Always On Availability Groups on Amazon EC2 across multiple AZs.
* Storage using EBS (io1/io2 / gp3) and, where required, FSx for Windows File Server for cluster dependencies.
* Integrate CloudWatch, AWS Backup, Systems Manager, and automation as appropriate (CloudFormation/Terraform/PowerShell).
* Confirm and test SharePoint compatibility (content/search/service DBs).
* Produce pattern catalogue and TCO/performance findings and assessment of complexity to introduce and in terms of operability and maintainability for each of the chosen patterns (Always On availability groups, Always On failover cluster instances (FCI), SIOS DataKeeper, AWS Elastic Disaster Recovery, and AWS Database Migration Service (AWS DMS)).

Skills & Experience
Essential
* 10+ years with Microsoft SQL Server (2016+) architecture and operations.
* Proven delivery of Always On Availability Groups, FCI, log shipping/replication.
* Largescale SharePoint database design/operations experience.
* Strong performance engineering (indexing, I/O, concurrency, wait stats, storage optimisation).
* Deep understanding of networking for Always On, listener design, DNS failover.
* Excellent documentation and stakeholder communication.


Due to the nature and urgency of this post, candidates holding or who have held high level security clearance in the past are most welcome to apply. Please note successful applicants will be required to be security cleared prior to appointment which can take up to a minimum 10 weeks. LA International is a HMG approved ICT Recruitment and Project Solutions Consultancy, operating globally from the largest single site in the UK as an IT Consultancy or as an Employment Business & Agency depending upon the precise nature of the work, for security cleared jobs or non-clearance vacancies, LA International welcome applications from all sections of the community and from people with diverse experience and backgrounds.

Award Winning LA International, winner of the Recruiter Awards for Excellence, Best IT Recruitment Company, Best Public Sector Recruitment Company and overall Gold Award winner, has now secured the most prestigious business award that any business can receive, The Queens Award for Enterprise: International Trade, for the second consecutive period.