Description
As a DATABASE SERVICE LEAD supporting the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in Austin, Texas, you will provide senior technical leadership across VA's Oracle, SQL Server, and cloud database platforms spanning on-premises, AWS, and Azure environments.
You will oversee database operations for mission-critical healthcare, pharmacy, benefits, identity, print/mail, and enterprise application services.
This role drives modernization, resilience, security compliance, observability, and unified processes across database administration, operations, and application services.
You will ensure high availability, strong recoverability, and alignment with federal cybersecurity mandates, VA Handbook 6500, and Zero Trust principles.
You will integrate database services with cross-functional engineering teams, lead governance and reporting, manage modernization initiatives, and maintain operational excellence across VA's enterprise database ecosystem.
What You'll Need to Succeed
- Bachelor's degree and 15+ years of experience in enterprise IT operations, database administration, or technical leadership.
- Experience leading federal or enterprise-scale database programs across Oracle, SQL Server, and cloud database platforms.
- Strong understanding of federal cybersecurity frameworks (NIST 800-53, RMF, Zero Trust, TIC 3.0) and database compliance requirements.
- Proven ability to lead cross-functional engineering teams in multi-vendor, multi-platform environments.
- Experience modernizing database architectures, cloud transitions, virtualization migrations, and enterprise DR strategies.
- Strong skills in stakeholder communication, project management, incident response, DR/COOP alignment, and performance reporting.
- Demonstrated leadership in enterprise database operations, availability management, tuning, DR, and audit readiness.
Desired Qualifications
- Certifications such as PMP, PgMP, SAFe, ITIL v4, Oracle DBA, SQL Server MCSE, or cloud database certifications.
- Experience with VA or other federal agency systems.
- Experience with RMF, ATO documentation, database modernization, enterprise integrations, or high-volume workflow systems.
- Technical depth in AWS/Azure cloud databases, Oracle Enterprise Manager, SQL tuning, automation, monitoring, or IaC tooling.
- Experience supporting performance-based contracts with KPIs and AQLs.
Benefits
- AI-enabled professional growth tools.
- Leadership development and internal mobility programs.
- Competitive pay, benefits, and 401(k) match.
- Mission-focused culture supporting Veterans.
- Opportunities to modernize VA's cloud financial ecosystem and strengthen cost efficiency, accountability, and business value across nationwide operations.