Database/SQL Server Engineer; .NET framework, Security Cleared, Azure at Vesta Consulting Limited, Taunton, 6 Months, £450 per day

Database/SQL Server Engineer; .NET framework, Security Cleared, Azure

• Rate - £450 p/d outside IR35
• MUST HAVE security Clearance
• Contract/Location: Taunton(3 days onsite)

This role will build on that work validating findings, tying data structures back to application functionality, and driving safe, incremental change to reduce risk, improve performance, and strengthen reliability.

This is not a documentation or governance role. It is a delivery-focused engineering position requiring deep technical capability, strong analytical thinking, and the ability to move changes safely through environments into production.

You will operate in alignment with Azure Well-Architected principles for reliability, performance efficiency, and security applied pragmatically to a largely on-prem/hybrid environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Analyse and rationalise a 1TB+ SQL Server database, identifying redundant, obsolete, or high-risk tables and data structures.
• Map database objects back to application functionality to determine what is required, what can be archived, and what can be safely removed.
• Document and implement data retention and archival strategies aligned to business and regulatory requirements.
• Improve performance through indexing, partitioning, query optimisation, and schema refinement.
• Reduce single points of failure and improve database-level resilience.
• Strengthen database security (encryption, access control, auditing).
• Collaborate with developers to improve data access patterns and eliminate inefficient queries.
• Work closely with architects and SREs to ensure database design supports system reliability objectives.
• Safely promote database changes through development, test, and production environments using controlled release strategies.
• Ensure rollback and recovery mechanisms are in place for structural changes.
• Build on previous analysis rather than restarting discovery work.

Required Skills & Experience

• Deep hands-on expertise in Microsoft SQL Server.
• Proven experience analysing and optimising large enterprise databases (hundreds of GB to TB scale).
• Strong experience with query tuning, execution plans, indexing strategies, and partitioning.
• Experience designing and implementing data retention and archival strategies.
• Experience supporting large .NET Framework-based applications.
• Strong understanding of database reliability patterns (HA, failover, backup/restore validation).
• Experience deploying schema changes safely via controlled CI/CD or release processes.
• Strong understanding of security principles at the database layer.
• Ability to diagnose and resolve complex database issues under tight timelines.
• Knowledge of performance monitoring and telemetry tools.

Desirable Skills

• Experience working in hybrid or Azure-integrated environments.
• Familiarity with Well-Architected Framework principles applied to database systems.
• Experience reducing technical debt in Legacy monolithic systems.
• Experience in regulated or secure environments.

Deliverables

• Reduction in unnecessary or redundant data structures.
• Clear understanding and discussion of database schema and business functionality.
• Measurable improvements in reliability and performance.
• Reduced storage growth and improved capacity planning.
• Safe, controlled promotion of database changes without production instability.
• Improved alignment between database architecture and system reliability objectives.