PostgreSQL Database Engineer / Admin - Persistence / Automation / Real time data Exchange / Event Buses

About the role

We are seeking a cloud native PostgreSQL Database Administrator for our System Operations team. This role sits at the center of how data moves through DrFirst. PostgreSQL on AWS Aurora serves as one critical layer inside a broader, event driven persistence architecture.

Responsibilities

• Manage daily operations of PostgreSQL on AWS Aurora across multiple accounts and environments.
• Own database setup, configuration, parameter tuning, and deployment using cloud native patterns.
• Execute upgrades, patches, and version migrations with minimal downtime using blue green and rolling deployment strategies.
• Maintain database health, performance, and capacity using CloudWatch, Performance Insights, AppDynamics, and Grafana.
• Operate PostgreSQL as the system of record inside an event driven architecture, where data arrives from many upstream sources through message and event brokers.
• Collaborate with application and platform engineering on how data flows from event streams such as Kafka and Kinesis into PostgreSQL and back out to consumers.
• Partner on caching and in memory data patterns such as Redis or ElastiCache that sit in front of PostgreSQL for high read workloads.
• Support read replicas, logical replication, and change data capture patterns that feed downstream analytics, search, and reporting systems.
• Tune PostgreSQL and Aurora configurations for OLTP, read heavy reporting, and mixed workloads.
• Analyze and resolve performance bottlenecks using EXPLAIN ANALYZE, pg_stat_statements, Performance Insights, and CloudWatch metrics.
• Optimize indexes, query plans, connection pooling, and parameter groups for fast response times on patient facing workflows.
• Review SQL, data models, and access patterns with development teams before they reach production.
• Use AWS services including RDS, CloudWatch, Systems Manager, Lambda, S3, IAM, and Secrets Manager for database operations.
• Build Python and shell automation for provisioning, backup verification, refresh workflows, alerting, and compliance reporting.
• Develop and maintain CI/CD pipelines for database schema changes and infrastructure deployments.
• Design, test, and document backup and recovery strategies that meet aggressive RTO and RPO targets for healthcare workloads.
• Run quarterly disaster recovery drills and maintain runbooks for failure scenarios.
• Configure multi AZ deployments and read replicas for automatic failover and high availability.
• Provide technical support and troubleshooting for database and data flow issues across the platform.
• Partners with DevOps, NetOps, application engineering, and architecture on integrated cloud native solutions.
• Participate in on call rotation for production support.
• Document procedures, configurations, troubleshooting guides, and architectural decisions.

Requirements

• 4 to 7 years of hands on experience as a PostgreSQL Database Administrator in cloud environments.
• Strong production experience with AWS Aurora PostgreSQL and RDS.
• Proficiency in PostgreSQL performance tuning, query optimization, and root cause analysis.
• Solid understanding of backup and recovery strategies, including point in time recovery and high availability configurations.
• Experience with database security, user management, IAM integration, and access controls.
• Programming skills in Python and shell scripting for automation.
• Working knowledge of AWS services such as CloudWatch, Lambda, S3, Systems Manager, IAM, and Secrets Manager.
• Conceptual familiarity with modern persistence patterns: message and event brokers such as Kafka, Kinesis, or RabbitMQ, in memory caches such as Redis or ElastiCache, and event driven data flow.
• Hands on experience is a plus. A candidate who speaks the language and understands how PostgreSQL fits the broader picture is what we need.
• Strong SQL skills and a solid grasp of relational data modeling.
• Excellent problem solving, communication, and documentation skills.

Qualifications

• Competitive compensation, with a base salary of $130,000 - $150,000 (Exact compensation may vary based on skills and experience).
• Eligible for Company Performance-based Bonus Program, based on individual and company performance.
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• 401K eligible after 3 months of employment, with 50% company match up to first 5% of salary contributed to the plan with a 3-year vesting schedule.
• HSA for eligible employees enrolled in the HDHP, with a generous company contribution up to $500 for individual coverage and $1000 for family coverage per year.
• 100% company paid short and long-term disability, AD&D, and group life insurance.
• Accrued annual paid time off (PTO) of 18 days for the first 3 years of service, increasing thereafter and 7 paid holiday days.
• Employee Assistance Program.
• Continuing Education funds up to $1500 annually for eligible programs after 1 year of service.
• Voluntary benefits including FSA, Hospital indemnity, Accident and Critical Illness insurances.