This position is either for the client's branch in Claremont Cape Town, or in Port Elizabeth.

Build, optimise and protect SQL Server environments across multiple enterprise customers.

At our client they don't manage a single SQL environment, they support multiple business-critical Microsoft SQL Server platforms across a diverse customer base.

You'll work with different SQL Server versions, architectures, maintenance strategies and business requirements, helping customers keep their environments stable, performant and resilient.

If you enjoy solving complex SQL Server challenges, working directly with customers, and building automation rather than performing repetitive manual tasks, we'd like to hear from you.

What you'll be doing

As our Senior Microsoft SQL Platform Engineer, you'll take ownership of SQL Server environments from installation through to optimisation, disaster recovery and ongoing performance improvements.

You'll be responsible for:

• Installing, configuring and upgrading Microsoft SQL Server

• Designing and maintaining Always On Availability Groups

• Managing SQL Server replication

• Backup, recovery and disaster recovery planning

• Performance troubleshooting and optimisation

• Query tuning and execution plan analysis

• Index and statistics optimisation

• Capacity and storage planning

• SQL Server security reviews and hardening

• Planned maintenance and health checks

• Supporting customer projects and migrations

• Producing clear technical documentation

• Mentoring junior engineers

• Participating in after-hours maintenance when required

• Automating repetitive administration using PowerShell and T-SQL

What makes this role different

Although you'll manage approximately 25 SQL Server environments, they're spread across multiple customers.

That means you'll regularly work with:

• Different SQL Server versions

• Different backup solutions

• Different maintenance windows

• Different storage platforms

• Different application vendors

• Different business priorities and SLAs

No two environments are exactly the same, making this a role for someone who enjoys variety and solving new technical challenges.

What we're looking for

We're looking for someone who can confidently work independently while representing our client professionally with our customers.

Ideally you'll have experience with:

Essential

• Microsoft SQL Server administration

• SQL Server installation and upgrades

• Always On Availability Groups

• Backup and recovery strategies

• Performance tuning

• Query optimisation

• T-SQL

• Windows Server administration

• PowerShell scripting

• Customer-facing technical support

Advantageous

• SQL Server replication

• Failover clustering

• Disaster recovery planning

• Enterprise storage platforms

• Azure SQL technologies

• Microsoft certifications

Who will thrive here

You'll enjoy this role if you:

• Love solving complex technical problems

• Prefer variety over repetitive work

• Take ownership of customer outcomes

• Enjoy improving and automating processes

• Can communicate technical concepts clearly to customers

• Like working across infrastructure, operating systems and SQL Server, not just writing queries