Senior SQL Server Developer

Our client is seeking a Senior SQL Server Developer with deep expertise in building

high-performance, scalable, and mission-critical database solutions. This role is ideal for someone who lives and breathes SQL Server, understands data at a granular level, and can solve complex database challenges with elegance and precision whilst ensuring high-level performance and best practices.

While SQL Server mastery is the core requirement, experience with .NET (C#, ASP.NET, EF, or related frameworks) is a strong advantage. You will have the opportunity to work on large-scale, performance-heavy systems in a collaborative engineering culture where technical excellence is valued.

The client is based in Oxford, UK, and you will be required to work in the office 1 day per month
; otherwise, you will be working remotely
.

• 8+ years of hands‑on SQL Server experience (SQL Server 2016 or later).
• Strong and demonstrable experience writing and optimising advanced queries, stored procedures, functions, tables, etc.
• Excellent experience in tuning and optimising performance to ensure all database code paths are optimal and performant.
• Experience in using execution plans to understand and improve code execution.
• Thorough comprehension of indexing strategies, concurrency and locking to ensure optimal performance.
• Broad understanding and experience with SSIS.
• Understanding of service brokers and message queues (SSSB, Kafka etc)
• Knowledge of database security and roles, as well as security and database best practices.
• Working knowledge of CI/CD tools (Team City).
• Solid experience working with source control platforms and tools such as GIT.
• Experience with Cloudflare, AWS, Terraform (nice to have).
• Writing database specific unit tests
• experience with .NET (C#, ASP.NET, EF, or related frameworks) (nice to have)
• Experience with logging tools (Elasticsearch, Rollbar Sentry)
• Great communication skills as a core member of an internationally based team
• Passion for data and databases with a desire to remain up to date with the latest skills
• Experience working on high‑traffic 24/7, performant data‑backed systems.
• Experience with Agile methodologies (Sprints, Scrum, Stand-Ups)