Skillable is a 100% remote and virtual tech company that’s modernizing the world of training. Come share your professional magic with highly talented, driven and fun colleagues who believe in the power of “skilling.” Experience what a true team focused on doing the right thing feels like! 

Our people and talent are what make us great and fun! We work together to create amazing solutions and experiences for our customers and their clients. We utilize our employees’ personal strengths to help our company grow and ensure our team is living their best, authentic life. We don’t just share our appreciation for our team members once a year with a branded mug—it’s shared on a daily basis. Our remote work environment blends the demands of work and life without the added pressure of commuting or feeling guilty about leaving early to visit the dentist. 

Come work with us and learn what teamwork and integrity blended with an emphasis on well-being and balance can do for your career! 

The Senior Backend Engineer – SQL is responsible for designing, optimizing, and maintaining Azure SQL database environments with a strong emphasis on supporting development teams and modern DevOps practices. This role partners closely with engineering teams and architects to ensure database design, deployment, and performance are fully aligned with application development and agile delivery. 

Responsibilities

• Design and model relational database solutions using SQL technologies (e.g., Azure SQL), including schema design, normalization, and optimization for performance and scalability. 

• Deep involvement with engineering team in the Data Access Layer using EF CodeFirst modeling, mappings, and LINQ queries to ensure the schema and C# domain model are coherent, intentional, optimized, maintain integrity, and follow best practices 

• Establish data unit test patterns and framework for LINQ/query expressions and other data access patterns 

• Plan, script, review, and safely roll out EF migrations (including zero downtime/online migration patterns and rollback plans). 

• Design, develop and debug Data Access Layer application code in C# 

• Analyze and optimize SQL query performance to ensure efficient data retrieval and application responsiveness, applying Entity Framework techniques such as query translation analysis, LINQ optimization, and proper use of eager vs. lazy loading. 

• Optimize performance of application-generated queries on Azure SQL Database through techniques such as index tuning and query plan analysis to ensure fast and efficient transactional operations. 

• Operate as a subject matter expert on data access and ORM integration (i.e Entity Framework), including providing guidance on best practices for database access patterns. 

• Automate database deployment and maintenance tasks using CI/CD pipelines, infrastructure-as-code, and scripting tools (e.g., PowerShell, Azure CLI). 

• Work with DevOps to manage and synchronize database changes across development, QA, staging, and production environments, ensuring consistency and reliability. 

• Oversee and manage Azure cloud-hosted databases (Azure SQL), including configuration, monitoring, performance tuning, and cost optimization. 

• Integrate and maintain monitoring and alerting solutions (e.g., Datadog, Azure Monitor) for proactive database health and performance management. 

• Explore and recommend new technologies, patterns, and methods to accomplish items on the technical and product roadmaps 

• Collaborate with Architects to define, implement, and maintain high availability and disaster recovery (HADR) solutions for Azure cloud and hybrid database environments. 

• Participate in agile ceremonies (sprint planning, code reviews, etc.) to embed database best practices in the SDLC. 

• Participate in on-call rotations and support incident response as needed. 

• Support and promote the company values through positive interactions with both internal and external stakeholders on a regular basis 

• Other strategic business initiatives or special cross-functional project involvement as required 

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or equivalent experience. 

• 7+ years of experience as a database engineer, developer-focused DBA, or similar role. 

• Proven experience redesigning and optimizing relational database models for modern applications. 

• Deep experience with Azure SQL Database, including modeling design, deployment, and management in cloud environments. 

• Experience implementing .NET code (C# and Entity Framework) including the ability to debug and identify performance issues related to ORM usage. 

• Hands-on experience with Azure DevOps pipelines, CI/CD, and agile development methodologies. 

• Proficiency in automating database tasks using PowerShell, Azure CLI, or similar scripting tools. 

• Experience with database monitoring tools (e.g., Datadog) and proactive performance management. 

• Knowledge of security best-practices for Azure SQL. 

• Excellent communication and collaboration skills in a remote, fast-paced environment. 

• Advanced SQL development and optimization skills, including query tuning and execution plan analysis. 

• Strong understanding of relational database design principles (normalization, indexing strategies, constraints). 

• Expertise in Entity Framework and ORM performance optimization techniques (LINQ query optimization, eager vs. lazy loading, query translation analysis). 

• Proficiency in Azure SQL Database management and optimization for application workloads. 

• Experience with CI/CD pipelines and database automation using scripting tools (PowerShell, Azure CLI). 

• Familiarity with monitoring and alerting tools (e.g., Datadog, Azure Monitor) for database performance and health. 

• Knowledge of high availability and disaster recovery strategies for cloud-hosted databases. 

• Strong collaboration and communication skills for working with development and DevOps teams.

Salary Range 

The base salary for this position is $130,000 - $150,000 annually. Consistent with applicable laws, compensation will be determined based on the candidate's level, relevant skills, qualifications, and experience along with requirements for the position and annual financial plans. 

Skillable is a distributed first team with employees working across the U.S., and we do not consider geography when determining compensation ranges. 

Please note that it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range. Skillable reserves the right to modify this compensation range at any time. 

Pay range and current benefit offerings are effective for 90 days from posting date.  Standard employment offerings are subject to potential change upon periodic review and analysis, at the discretion of Skillable.

What’s in it for You?  Rewards and Perks 

We believe in providing a suite of benefits that ensure our employees know we appreciate them as people first.  Skillable wants to be a company that promotes physical, emotional and all around well-being through our benefit offerings! Subject to eligibility requirements, the Company offers comprehensive benefits including: 

• Fully remote with a monthly stipend to pay for office services and supplies 
• Medical (2 plan options), dental (2 plan options), vision, health savings account with generous employer contributions, healthcare spending accounts, dependent care spending accounts, EAP, group paid life insurance, group paid STD and LTD and voluntary life/AD&D insurance, accident and critical illness options. 
• 401(k) with Company match, tuition reimbursement, healthy lifestyle reimbursements. 
• Open PTO, Paid holidays, bereavement leave, parental leave, caregiver leave and paid FMLA leave. 
• Friends and Family Friday to end our standard workweek at 2pm local time; Full company closure during the 4th of July holiday week. 
• Access to pet insurance; Access for employees and dependents to Skillable learning opportunities through our product and more!   

Working Conditions:  

The job conditions for this position are in a remote home office setting, requiring a space that supports privacy and focus to attend to regular and frequent video and voice calls. Employees in this position use PC and phone on an on-going basis throughout the day. Periodic travel may be required equaling up to approximately 10% of the time.

Skillable participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work int he U.S.  If E-Verify cannot confirm that you are authorized to work, this employer is required to give you written instructions and an opportunity to contact Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or Social Security Administration (SSA) so you can begin to resolve the issue before the employer can take any action against you, including terminating your employment.  

Skillable can only hire potential candidates with a primary residence in the following States: AZ, CA, CO, FL, GA, ID, IN, KY, MA, ME, MI, MO, NC, ND, NE, NH, NV, NY, OH, OK, SC, TN, TX, UT, WA, WI.