Lead Database Engineer

ZipRecruiter; London; On-site; GBP 100,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading digital transformation consultancy in London seeks a PostgreSQL Database Specialist for a 6-month contract. This high-impact role involves migrating databases, optimizing performance, and mentoring teams on best practices. Ideal candidates will have extensive PostgreSQL experience and strong communication skills.

Qualifications

• Strong, hands-on experience with PostgreSQL, especially in performance tuning and optimisation.
• Experience with database migrations from Oracle or other legacy systems.
• Deep understanding of schema design and indexing strategies.

Responsibilities

• Support and guide internal teams through a complex PostgreSQL migration.
• Optimise PostgreSQL performance at scale, including schema design and query tuning.
• Provide technical leadership on best practices for scalability and reliability.

Skills

Performance tuning

Database migrations

Schema design

Query optimisation

Cloud familiarity

Communication

Tools

Terraform

AWS

GCP

Monitoring tools

Job description

Job Description

Crosstide are a London-based digital transformation consultancy with a proven track record of delivering high value and complex software development for enterprise businesses. Engineering quality and speed to value are the DNA of the business, true to the founding values of quality, simplicity and collaboration.

We’re looking for an experienced PostgreSQL Database Specialist to join the team on a contract basis. This is a high-impact role where you'll play a key part in shaping the migration approach, optimising database performance, and promoting best practices across engineering teams.

Key Responsibilities

• Support and guide internal teams through a complex PostgreSQL migration
• Optimise PostgreSQL performance at scale — including schema design, indexing, and query tuning
• Provide technical leadership on database best practices for scalability, reliability, and maintainability
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams (platform, architecture, and delivery)
• Mentor teams on PostgreSQL usage and performance techniques

What We’re Looking For

• Strong, hands-on experience with PostgreSQL, especially in performance tuning and optimisation
• Experience with database migrations (e.g. from Oracle or other legacy systems to PostgreSQL)
• Deep understanding of schema design, query optimisation, and indexing strategies
• Familiarity with cloud and modern tooling (e.g., Terraform, AWS/GCP, monitoring tools)
• Great communication skills — able to clearly explain database concepts to varied audiences

Contract Length: 6 months initially

IR35 Status: Outside IR35

Location: Travel to London (once per week)