About the role
About the Role
At Sofico, we power the automotive finance, leasing, and fleet mobility industry with mission-critical software solutions running for top-tier enterprise clients worldwide.
The Database & Performance team is a specialized group within Platform Infrastructure responsible for Sofico's database ecosystem and performance engineering capabilities.
As a Senior DBA / OCI Expert, you will play a key role in ensuring the reliability, scalability, performance, and cost efficiency of Sofico Cloud's Oracle landscape.
From our Ghent office, you will join a team of senior database professionals and act as one of the key experts for Oracle technologies and Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI). Your role goes beyond traditional database administration, combining database engineering, platform infrastructure, automation, cloud operations, disaster recovery, and performance optimization.
This is a highly visible role where you will influence architectural decisions, drive operational excellence, and help scale Sofico's cloud platform for the future.
What You'll Do
- Design, operate, and optimize Oracle database environments running on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI), including Exadata Database Service on Exascale Infrastructure.
- Manage and continuously improve Oracle technologies such as Data Guard, RAC, and GoldenGate.
- Analyze and resolve complex database and platform incidents, performing deep root cause analysis and implementing preventative measures.
- Drive database performance optimization through execution plan analysis, indexing strategies, workload tuning, and capacity planning.
- Collaborate with the wider Platform Infrastructure team to manage OCI environments and Azure-OCI connectivity.
- Own database backup, restore, and disaster recovery strategies for Sofico Cloud.
- Plan and execute database patching, upgrades, and lifecycle management with minimal operational impact.
- Automate operational tasks using Infrastructure as Code and automation tools such as Terraform, Ansible, and scripting frameworks.
- Coordinate the deployment and onboarding of new customer database environments.
- Act as a technical escalation point for database-related challenges across the organization.
- Contribute to governance, documentation, standards, and operational best practices.
- Monitor and optimize Oracle licensing usage and infrastructure costs across the platform.
What You Bring
- Extensive experience as a Senior Oracle DBA supporting large-scale production environments.
- Strong hands-on expertise with Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI).
- Experience with Oracle Exadata, Exascale Infrastructure, Base Database Services, and Autonomous Databases.
- Deep understanding of Oracle database internals and performance tuning techniques.
- Expertise in AWR, ASH, SQL tuning, execution plan analysis, and capacity modelling.
- Proven experience with Oracle Data Guard, RAC, backup and recovery strategies, and disaster recovery planning.
- Experience configuring and supporting Oracle GoldenGate replication environments.
- Strong understanding of database upgrades, patching, and lifecycle management.
- Experience with Infrastructure as Code and automation technologies such as Terraform, Ansible, Python, Shell scripting, or similar tools.
- Knowledge of OCI networking, security principles, and cloud governance.
- Understanding of Oracle licensing models and their financial impact.
- Strong troubleshooting, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively within a distributed team.
- Documentation-driven and committed to operational excellence.
- Excellent communication skills in English.
Nice to Have
- Experience operating mission-critical SaaS platforms.
- Exposure to Microsoft Azure environments and hybrid cloud connectivity.
- Experience with SQL Server administration.
- Familiarity with observability, monitoring, and SRE practices.
- Experience supporting highly available and globally distributed systems.
What's In It For You…
- Competitive Compensation & Benefits: Attractive salary package complemented by meal vouchers, hospitalisation insurance, and group insurance, car or mobility budget
- Flexible Way of Working: Hybrid working model and flexible hours, giving you the autonomy to organize your workday in a way that suits you best.
- Modern Workplace: Work from a contemporary co-working space designed to foster collaboration, comfort, and productivity.
- Structured Onboarding & Coaching: 6-month onboarding track with a dedicated job coach to get you up to speed.
- Collaborative Company Culture: Regular opportunities to connect with colleagues through informal drinks, team activities, and company-wide events that strengthen relationships beyond the workplace.