Database Architect Level 2 or 3 (AHT)

Northrop Grumman; Aurora (CO); On-site; USD 83,000 - 155,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Life insurance

Disability insurance

Savings plan

Holidays and PTO

Job summary

Northrop Grumman in Aurora, CO is seeking a Database Administrator / Software Engineer with strong PostgreSQL skills to design, implement, and maintain backend databases in an Agile CI/CD environment.

You’ll work with DevOps and product teams within the Aurora Software Department, contributing to scalable data systems and mentoring colleagues while leveraging Python and Linux expertise.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Science required; 2+ years experience for Level 2 or 5+ years for Level 3.
• Active Top Secret clearance with SCI eligibility is required.
• Significant experience as a Database Engineer with PostgreSQL and Python.
• Experience in Linux environments and modern SDLC practices (CI/CD, DevOps).
• Proficient with Jira and Confluence in a team setting.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and maintain Production and Test PostgreSQL databases.
• Architect DB instances across environments and ensure reliability.
• Support deployments using Docker Swarm and related tooling.
• Collaborate with product owners and developers in an Agile CI/CD workflow.
• Mentor junior engineers and promote engineering best practices.
• Communicate with stakeholders to align on technical direction.

Skills

Database Engineer

PostgreSQL

Python

Linux

Agile

GitLab

CI/CD

Mentoring

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Science

Master’s degree may be considered in lieu of degree

Tools

Docker Swarm

Docker

Jira

Confluence

CI/CD tooling

Job description

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available

CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: Yes

CLEARANCE TYPE: Top Secret

TRAVEL: Yes, 10% of the Time

Description

At Northrop Grumman, our employees have incredible opportunities to work on revolutionary systems that impact people's lives around the world today, and for generations to come. Our pioneering and inventive spirit has enabled us to be at the forefront of many technological advancements in our nation's history - from the first flight across the Atlantic Ocean, to stealth bombers, to landing on the moon. We look for people who have bold new ideas, courage and a pioneering spirit to join forces to invent the future, and have fun along the way. Our culture thrives on intellectual curiosity, cognitive diversity and bringing your whole self to work — and we have an insatiable drive to do what others think is impossible. Our employees are not only part of history, they're making history.

About our organization:

You’ll be joining our growing Aurora Software department which has 200+ Software Engineer, DevOps Engineer, Systems Administrator, Database Administrator, and Network Engineer peers from entry-level to the most senior chief engineers and architects. We have plenty of opportunities for career advancement into higher level technical roles or leadership positions. Our Software Department is part of a larger organization that includes Systems Engineering, Integration, and Test staff as well as a Hardware Engineering unit. This larger organization influences cross-program collaboration, professional development and training, as well as engagement and inclusion activities such as lunch-n-learns, campus events, and leadership mixers.

We are seeking a level 2 or 3 Database Administrator / Software Engineer with strong Postgres database experience to design, implement, and maintain our backend databases and multiple Stored Procedures. In this role, you will make key technical decisions and collaborate closely with the Program Product Owner and software development team in an Agile environment, using GitLab for version control and CI/CD.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, development, and maintenance of Production and Test PostgreSQL databases.
• Architect and maintain DB instances in multiple runtime environments.
• Guide and support deployments of Databases using Docker Swarm and related tooling.
• Operations support, handling incidents, investigating production issues, and carrying out follow-up actions.
• Proficient in Python, with Rust experience as a nice-to-have.
• Able to design and implement database access layers and automation tooling in close collaboration with the development team.
• Define and promote engineering best practices (coding/procedure standards, testing, code review).
• Participate in and often facilitate Agile ceremonies (planning, stand-ups, reviews, retrospectives).
• Use Jira for backlog and sprint management, and Confluence for technical documentation.
• Collaborate via GitLab for source control, code reviews, and integration with CI/CD.
• Partner with product owners, QA, and DevOps to deliver high-quality, reliable features.
• Mentor junior and mid-level engineers; provide technical guidance and constructive feedback.
• Communicate clearly with both technical and non-technical stakeholders and influence technical direction.

Basic Qualifications

• Level 2: Bachelor’s degree in Science with 2+ years of relative experience; 0+ years with a Master's; An additional 4 years of experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.
• Level 3: Bachelor’s degree in Science with 5+ years of relative experience; 3+ years with a Master's; An additional 4 years of experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.
• Candidate must have active Top Secret clearance with SCI eligibility at time of application.
• Significant professional experience as a Database Engineer.
• Experience with relational databases (schema design, SQL, indexing, performance tuning).
• Experience with PostgreSQL (advanced querying, optimization, migrations, ORMs).
• Experience with Python
• Experience working in Linux environments.
• Experience using GitLab (repositories, merge requests, code reviews, basic CI pipelines).
• Solid understanding and experience using modern software development lifecycle, including Agile practices, CI/CD pipelines, DevOps collaboration, and automated testing.
• Practical experience with Jira and Confluence in a team setting.

Nice-to-Have Skills

• Familiarity with Docker (Dockerfiles, image builds, local development, best practices).
• Familiarity with Rust for performance-critical components.
• Exposure to Docker Swarm or similar container orchestration platforms.
• Experience or certification as a Scrum Master (facilitating Agile ceremonies, coaching teams).
• Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines (tests, packaging, deployment automation).

Primary Level Salary Range: $83,400.00 - $125,200.00

Secondary Level Salary Range: $103,600.00 - $155,400.00

The above salary range represents a general guideline; however, Northrop Grumman considers a number of factors when determining base salary offers such as the scope and responsibilities of the position and the candidate's experience, education, skills and current market conditions.

Depending on the position, employees may be eligible for overtime, shift differential, and a discretionary bonus in addition to base pay. Annual bonuses are designed to reward individual contributions as well as allow employees to share in company results. Employees in Vice President or Director positions may be eligible for Long Term Incentives. In addition, Northrop Grumman provides a variety of benefits including health insurance coverage, life and disability insurance, savings plan, Company paid holidays and paid time off (PTO) for vacation and/or personal business.

Northrop Grumman is an Equal Opportunity Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class. For our complete EEO and pay transparency statement, please visit http://www.northropgrumman.com/EEO. U.S. Citizenship is required for all positions with a government clearance and certain other restricted positions.