MSCI Inc.
Head of Database Engineering and Operations
Join to apply for the
Head of Database Engineering and Operations
role at
MSCI Inc.
Team Responsibilities MSCI’s large database infrastructure spans Tier‑IV data centers, Google Cloud, Azure, and Oracle Cloud. The Head of Database Engineering & Operations will lead a team responsible for the performance, availability, and scalability of critical database platforms — Oracle, SQL Server, Cassandra, MongoDB, and Apache Ignite — across our hybrid cloud environment. This executive level role requires deep hands‑on experience (20+ years) with multi‑vendor databases and a proven track record leading mission‑critical database infrastructure that powers a multi‑billion‑dollar business.
Your Key Responsibilities
Team Leadership & Strategy
Lead, mentor, and develop a high‑performing team of database engineers and administrators.
Define and execute a strategic roadmap for database engineering and operations.
Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
Database Engineering & Architecture
Provide technical leadership for the design, deployment, and optimization of Oracle, SQL Server, Cassandra, and other NoSQL databases on MSCI’s IaaS platform.
Guide infrastructure design and implementation decisions for on‑premises and cloud‑hosted workloads.
Drive standardization of database architecture, tooling, automation, and best practices.
Operations & Performance
Oversee 24/7 database operations, ensuring reliability, availability, performance and proactive maintenance.
Own and optimize backup, recovery, HA/DR, patching, and capacity planning processes.
Develop robust monitoring, alerting, and incident response procedures.
Design solutions to enable fast recovery of databases ranging from 50 TB to 250 TB.
Cloud & Automation
Lead the transition and integration of database services into cloud and hybrid environments.
Promote Infrastructure‑as‑Code (IaC) practices for database provisioning and deployment.
Drive automation of routine operations to reduce manual effort and increase reliability.
Security, Compliance & Governance
Ensure compliance with data security policies, regulatory requirements, and industry standards (e.g., SOX, HIPAA, GDPR).
Enforce access controls, encryption, auditing, and other data governance measures.
Partner with InfoSec and compliance teams to perform risk assessments and audits.
Cross‑Functional Collaboration
Work closely with application development, DevOps, SRE, and business intelligence teams to support data‑intensive applications.
Participate in architectural reviews, performance tuning sessions, and capacity planning initiatives.
Vendor & License Management
Manage vendor relationships for database platforms, tools, and support contracts.
Monitor and optimize database licensing usage and costs.
AI Integration
Integrate AI into all operations and management processes.
Required Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or related field.
15+ years of experience in database engineering or administration.
10+ years leading multi‑platform database environments.
Strong hands‑on experience with:
Oracle (Data Guard, RMAN)
SQL Server (Always On, SSIS, SSRS)
Cassandra (data modeling, scaling, tuning)
Proven experience managing hybrid cloud environments (on‑prem + AWS, Azure, or GCP).
Solid understanding of backup/recovery, disaster recovery strategies, and high‑availability architectures.
Experience with scripting (PowerShell, Python, Bash) and database automation tools.
Preferred Qualifications
Experience with IaC tools (Terraform, Ansible) and CI/CD pipelines for database changes.
Familiarity with Kubernetes, containerized databases, or DBaaS platforms.
Knowledge of monitoring tools (Prometheus, Grafana, SolarWinds, OEM, SQL Monitor).
Certifications such as:
Oracle Certified Professional (OCP)
Microsoft Certified: Azure Database Administrator Associate
AWS Certified Database – Specialty
Apache Cassandra Administrator Certification
About MSCI MSCI is a leading provider of critical decision‑support tools and services for the global investment community. With over 50 years of expertise in research, data, and technology, we power better investment decisions by enabling clients to understand and analyze key drivers of risk and return.
What we offer you
Salary range: $221,000 – $287,000 per year plus eligible for annual bonus.
Transparent compensation schemes and comprehensive employee benefits tailored to your location.
Flexible working arrangements, advanced technology, and collaborative workspaces.
A culture of high performance and innovation where we experiment with new ideas and take responsibility for achieving results.
A global network of talented colleagues who inspire, support, and share expertise.
Global Orientation program followed by access to our Learning@MSCI platform, LinkedIn Learning Pro and tailored learning opportunities.
Multi‑directional career paths offering professional growth through new challenges, internal mobility and expanded roles.
A nurturing environment that builds a sense of inclusion, belonging and connection, including eight Employee Resource Groups: All Abilities, Asian Support Network, Black Leadership Network, Climate Action Network, Hola! MSCI, Pride & Allies, Women in Tech, and Women’s Leadership Forum.
MSCI EEO Statement MSCI Inc. is an equal‑opportunity employer. The firm ensures equal employment opportunity without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, age, sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, citizenship, disability, marital and civil partnership/union status, pregnancy (including unlawful discrimination on the basis of a legally protected parental leave), veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. MSCI is also committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If you are an individual with a disability and would like to request a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process, please email Disability.Assistance@msci.com and indicate the specifics of the assistance needed.
Recruitment Agency Notice MSCI does not accept unsolicited CVs/Resumes. Please do not forward CVs/Resumes to any MSCI employee, location, or website. MSCI is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited CVs/Resumes.
Note on Recruitment Scams We are aware of recruitment scams where fraudsters impersonating MSCI personnel may try and elicit personal information from job seekers. Read our full note on careers.msci.com.
#J-18808-Ljbffr
Head of Database Engineering and Operations
role at
MSCI Inc.
Team Responsibilities MSCI’s large database infrastructure spans Tier‑IV data centers, Google Cloud, Azure, and Oracle Cloud. The Head of Database Engineering & Operations will lead a team responsible for the performance, availability, and scalability of critical database platforms — Oracle, SQL Server, Cassandra, MongoDB, and Apache Ignite — across our hybrid cloud environment. This executive level role requires deep hands‑on experience (20+ years) with multi‑vendor databases and a proven track record leading mission‑critical database infrastructure that powers a multi‑billion‑dollar business.
Your Key Responsibilities
Team Leadership & Strategy
Lead, mentor, and develop a high‑performing team of database engineers and administrators.
Define and execute a strategic roadmap for database engineering and operations.
Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
Database Engineering & Architecture
Provide technical leadership for the design, deployment, and optimization of Oracle, SQL Server, Cassandra, and other NoSQL databases on MSCI’s IaaS platform.
Guide infrastructure design and implementation decisions for on‑premises and cloud‑hosted workloads.
Drive standardization of database architecture, tooling, automation, and best practices.
Operations & Performance
Oversee 24/7 database operations, ensuring reliability, availability, performance and proactive maintenance.
Own and optimize backup, recovery, HA/DR, patching, and capacity planning processes.
Develop robust monitoring, alerting, and incident response procedures.
Design solutions to enable fast recovery of databases ranging from 50 TB to 250 TB.
Cloud & Automation
Lead the transition and integration of database services into cloud and hybrid environments.
Promote Infrastructure‑as‑Code (IaC) practices for database provisioning and deployment.
Drive automation of routine operations to reduce manual effort and increase reliability.
Security, Compliance & Governance
Ensure compliance with data security policies, regulatory requirements, and industry standards (e.g., SOX, HIPAA, GDPR).
Enforce access controls, encryption, auditing, and other data governance measures.
Partner with InfoSec and compliance teams to perform risk assessments and audits.
Cross‑Functional Collaboration
Work closely with application development, DevOps, SRE, and business intelligence teams to support data‑intensive applications.
Participate in architectural reviews, performance tuning sessions, and capacity planning initiatives.
Vendor & License Management
Manage vendor relationships for database platforms, tools, and support contracts.
Monitor and optimize database licensing usage and costs.
AI Integration
Integrate AI into all operations and management processes.
Required Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or related field.
15+ years of experience in database engineering or administration.
10+ years leading multi‑platform database environments.
Strong hands‑on experience with:
Oracle (Data Guard, RMAN)
SQL Server (Always On, SSIS, SSRS)
Cassandra (data modeling, scaling, tuning)
Proven experience managing hybrid cloud environments (on‑prem + AWS, Azure, or GCP).
Solid understanding of backup/recovery, disaster recovery strategies, and high‑availability architectures.
Experience with scripting (PowerShell, Python, Bash) and database automation tools.
Preferred Qualifications
Experience with IaC tools (Terraform, Ansible) and CI/CD pipelines for database changes.
Familiarity with Kubernetes, containerized databases, or DBaaS platforms.
Knowledge of monitoring tools (Prometheus, Grafana, SolarWinds, OEM, SQL Monitor).
Certifications such as:
Oracle Certified Professional (OCP)
Microsoft Certified: Azure Database Administrator Associate
AWS Certified Database – Specialty
Apache Cassandra Administrator Certification
About MSCI MSCI is a leading provider of critical decision‑support tools and services for the global investment community. With over 50 years of expertise in research, data, and technology, we power better investment decisions by enabling clients to understand and analyze key drivers of risk and return.
What we offer you
Salary range: $221,000 – $287,000 per year plus eligible for annual bonus.
Transparent compensation schemes and comprehensive employee benefits tailored to your location.
Flexible working arrangements, advanced technology, and collaborative workspaces.
A culture of high performance and innovation where we experiment with new ideas and take responsibility for achieving results.
A global network of talented colleagues who inspire, support, and share expertise.
Global Orientation program followed by access to our Learning@MSCI platform, LinkedIn Learning Pro and tailored learning opportunities.
Multi‑directional career paths offering professional growth through new challenges, internal mobility and expanded roles.
A nurturing environment that builds a sense of inclusion, belonging and connection, including eight Employee Resource Groups: All Abilities, Asian Support Network, Black Leadership Network, Climate Action Network, Hola! MSCI, Pride & Allies, Women in Tech, and Women’s Leadership Forum.
MSCI EEO Statement MSCI Inc. is an equal‑opportunity employer. The firm ensures equal employment opportunity without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, age, sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, citizenship, disability, marital and civil partnership/union status, pregnancy (including unlawful discrimination on the basis of a legally protected parental leave), veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. MSCI is also committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If you are an individual with a disability and would like to request a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process, please email Disability.Assistance@msci.com and indicate the specifics of the assistance needed.
Recruitment Agency Notice MSCI does not accept unsolicited CVs/Resumes. Please do not forward CVs/Resumes to any MSCI employee, location, or website. MSCI is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited CVs/Resumes.
Note on Recruitment Scams We are aware of recruitment scams where fraudsters impersonating MSCI personnel may try and elicit personal information from job seekers. Read our full note on careers.msci.com.
#J-18808-Ljbffr