Senior PostgreSQL Database Engineer

Description

The role blends day-to-day PostgreSQL administration with database engineering and architecture work.

You will be the team's main database expert, working alongside software developers and systems engineers to keep databases running reliably while improving their performance, design, security, and ease of upkeep.

PostgreSQL handles both transactional and analytical workloads here, and applications are deployed on OpenShift.

The team is looking for someone who enjoys practical database problems, can troubleshoot operational faults without close supervision, and can propose and carry out changes to how databases are designed, deployed, monitored, and maintained.

Responsibilities

• Run PostgreSQL day to day: configuration, accounts, roles and permissions, routine upkeep, patching, upgrades, and fixing operational faults.
• Shape schemas, data models, indexes, and data access methods so applications perform well and can grow with changing needs.
• Study SQL statements and execution plans to find slow spots, then tune queries, indexes, settings, and resource use.
• Work with platform and application teams to deploy, connect, configure, and monitor PostgreSQL inside OpenShift.
• Build and maintain backup and restore routines, test that recovery works, and support the existing high availability, replication, and disaster recovery setup.
• Set up and run monitoring, logs, alerts, capacity tracking, and reports so problems are caught early.
• Advise developers on schema design, SQL, transactions, data access, and integration so applications behave efficiently and reliably.
• Look for gains in performance, reliability, scale, and maintainability, assess tools and approaches, and deliver practical fixes.
• Plan and carry out upgrades, migrations, configuration changes, and modernization work with minimal risk and downtime.
• Write up architecture, configurations, security controls, procedures, and recommended engineering practices.
• Apply access controls, least-privilege permissions, and auditing that meet customer and system requirements.
• Serve as the go-to database technical resource for the engineering team, helping resolve issues and guiding design and operational decisions.

Requirements

• Active TS/SCI security clearance and the ability to obtain and keep a polygraph.
• Bachelor's degree in computer science, information technology, or a related technical field, or equivalent learning, certifications, and experience.
• Five or more years in database administration, engineering, architecture, or a closely related field.
• Hands-on experience administering and supporting PostgreSQL.
• Skill in relational database design, data modeling, SQL, schema development, indexing, and query optimization.
• Track record troubleshooting database issues and managing users, roles, permissions, and configurations.
• Practical experience with backups, restores, upgrades, and routine maintenance.
• Working understanding of high availability, replication, and disaster recovery concepts.
• Ability to work with developers and infrastructure engineers to resolve problems and improve system performance.
• Strong analytical, troubleshooting, documentation, and communication skills.
• Preferred: experience supporting PostgreSQL on OpenShift, Kubernetes, containers, or Linux-based platforms.
• Preferred: experience with PostgreSQL replication, failover, connection pooling, or high availability tools.
• Preferred: experience with database monitoring, logging, alerting, and performance diagnostics.
• Preferred: experience supporting both transactional and analytical workloads.
• Preferred: experience with database automation, scripting, infrastructure as code, or repeatable deployment practices.
• Preferred: experience planning and running database migrations, upgrades, and modernization projects.
• Preferred: familiarity with database security practices in regulated or classified environments.
• Preferred: experience administering Oracle databases or migrating from Oracle to PostgreSQL. Oracle experience is beneficial but not required.
• Preferred: CompTIA Security+ or an equivalent certification, as the customer environment requires.

Conditions

Active TS/SCI clearance is required, and sponsorship for the polygraph may be available.

The role is on site at the customer location.

Pay is typically $140-150k. It is not a guaranteed figure, since it depends on factors such as education, experience, certifications, and other requirements, and may fall outside that range.

Candidate information is kept confidential in line with EEO guidelines.

Benefits

• Health, dental, and vision coverage.
• 401(k) match.
• Accrued PTO.
• Short-term and long-term disability plus life insurance.
• Referral bonuses.
• Reimbursement for professional development.
• Other benefits as well.