Junior System Administrator - SQL & Server Migration (Contracted/Temporary)

Job Description

This is a 4-month contracted/temporary position.

About the Organization

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Executive Office of Economic Development (EOED) supports economic growth by fostering business development, infrastructure investment, industry advancement, and consumer confidence. EOED operates through nine state agencies and five quasi-public agencies (QPAs) that deliver essential public programs and services.

EOED supports economic growth across Massachusetts through its network of agencies and partnerships, promoting business innovation, infrastructure investment, and consumer protection. The office embraces a culture of equity, inclusion, and collaboration-values that inform all aspects of its work.

The Executive Office of Economic Development is committed to creating and sustaining a work culture that is welcoming, inclusive, and mutually respectful to all its employees regardless of race, color, age, creed, religion, national origin, ethnicity, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, veteran or disability status. We strive to reflect diversity in all facets and levels of our agency. The Executive Office of Economic Development values inclusiveness and diversity within their employee and management teams. Within our community we strive to create and maintain working and learning environments that are inclusive, equitable, and welcoming.

• Successfully complete six SQL Server and OS upgrades (development and production) within the contract period.
• Ensure migrations are secure, tested, documented, and support business continuity.
• Coordinate effectively across EOED IT, development teams, and EOTSS stakeholders.

• Perform SQL Server upgrades and migrations (standalone instances) from legacy versions to SQL Server 2019 or 2022.
• Support Windows Server upgrades to supported versions (2019/2022).
• Execute SQL backup, restore, validation, and cutover activities.
• Assist in evaluating high availability and disaster recovery requirements (with guidance).
• Perform post-migration testing and validation with development teams.
• Conduct and document backup restoration testing.
• Produce RTO/RPO documentation for migrated systems.

• Work with the CISO and development leads to build and manage migration plans.
• Track tasks, dependencies, risks, and timelines to ensure migrations complete on schedule.
• Coordinate with EOTSS as needed for infrastructure, access, or change activities.
• Participate in change planning and scheduled cutovers.

• Create and maintain clear documentation, including:
  • Migration steps and runbooks.
  • Testing and validation results.
  • Known issues and follow-up items.
• Provide regular status updates and escalate risks or blockers early.
• Maintain professional, collaborative relationships across technical and non-technical teams.

• Hands-on experience administering Windows Server environments.
• Practical experience with SQL Server backup and restore.
• Prior experience performing server or SQL upgrades (even at small scale).
• Familiarity with cloud-hosted servers (AWS EC2 experience preferred).
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to work independently while knowing when to ask questions.
• Clear written and verbal communication skills.

• Exposure to SQL Server 2019 or 2022.
• Basic scripting experience (PowerShell preferred).
• Familiarity with development/test/production environment coordination.
• Experience working in regulated or public-sector environments.

• Learns quickly and adapts to new requirements.
• Follows guidance but takes ownership of execution.
• Documents their work and communicates clearly.
• Is comfortable wearing multiple hats in a small, busy team.