The Office of Information Technology (OIT) at the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is seeking skilled professionals to support a wide range of program and technical services across the institute. This is a remote position with occasional onsite visits required for key personnel to support collaboration, planning, and program delivery.

The NICHD OIT team provides full lifecycle IT support, helping the institute maintain a secure, efficient, and modern technology environment. Team members will work alongside NIH scientists, administrators, and stakeholders to deliver innovative, compliant, and user-centered digital solutions that advance NICHD’s strategic goals. The Database Administrator (DBA) is responsible for the administration, maintenance, performance tuning, and modernization of mission-critical database systems that power NICHD’s research, grant, and administrative applications. This role supports a complex database environment across SQL Server, Oracle, and MySQL, ensuring secure, scalable, and high-performing data platforms that support cross-system integration and advanced reporting.

• Administer and maintain NICHD’s database platforms:

  • SQL Server 2016 SP3 and 2022

  • Oracle 19c

  • MySQL 8.0.33 (on-prem and in Azure)

• Monitor database health using tools like SQL Profiler, Oracle OEM, and custom scripts.

• Perform routine database operations: patching, backup/restore, access provisioning, encryption management, and audit readiness in line with NIH/HHS policies.

• Analyze and optimize slow-running queries, indexing strategies, and resource usage across platforms.
• Automate database monitoring, alerting, and maintenance tasks to reduce manual workload and support DevSecOps practices.
• Collaborate with application teams to support integrations with workflow tools

• Maintain schema documentation, SOPs, data dictionaries, and training guides in support of NIH lifecycle and compliance requirements.

• Collaborate with Product Managers, application developers, and business analysts to align database tasks with NICHD priorities and product roadmaps.

• Support Agile planning by contributing to backlog grooming, sprint planning, and retrospectives as a technical SME.

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• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, or related technical field.

• 4+ years of experience administering SQL Server, Oracle, and/or MySQL in production environments.

• Experience with:

  • Query optimization, performance tuning, indexing strategies

  • Managing backups, replication, upgrades, and migrations

• Familiarity with ETL processes, data marts, and cross-system data integration.

• Detail-Oriented Execution – Demonstrates discipline in maintaining data integrity, access control, and availability across platforms.

• Problem Solving & Optimization – Quickly identifies bottlenecks and proactively tunes system performance.

• Collaboration & Communication – Works effectively with developers, analysts, and infrastructure teams to meet mission goals.

• Modernization Focus – Understands the value of continuous improvement and automation in database lifecycle management.

• Compliance-Driven – Maintains a strong understanding of NIH/HHS standards and implements secure database practices accordingly.

Experience supporting federal or health-sector IT environments, preferably NIH or HHS.

Familiarity with Agile practices and backlog-based task planning.

The salary range is $115,000-130,000/year. The salary range for this position reflects a variety of factors that influence compensation decisions, including skills, experience, training, certifications, and organizational needs.