Database Developer/Platform Owner

Abacus Technology Corporation; Silver Spring (MD); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Abacus Technology Corporation seeks a Database Developer/Platform Owner to lead database platforms for NOAA/OMAO initiatives. You will own the platform lifecycle, implement data interfaces, and collaborate with stakeholders on data and reporting needs.

The role requires hands-on experience with MS SQL Server, MySQL, Oracle, and related SQL tools, plus a strong focus on security, governance, and performance tuning across complex data environments.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of database development, data engineering, or ownership of enterprise data platforms.
• Bachelor's degree in a technical field is required.
• Experience designing, deploying, and supporting relational databases and data-driven applications.
• Hands-on with SQL, T-SQL, and/or PL/SQL across MS SQL Server, MySQL, Oracle, or equivalent.
• Ability to coordinate with developers, cybersecurity, vendors, and end users.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the technical owner for assigned database and data platforms, managing strategy, roadmap, backlog, and operations.
• Partner with stakeholders to gather and prioritize data, reporting, and performance requirements.
• Evaluate database configurations, licensing, upgrades, and deployment approaches.
• Design, develop, install, and maintain database platforms and their applications.
• Develop data interfaces, integrations, dashboards, analytics, and reporting capabilities for NOAA platforms.
• Ensure security, governance, data quality, and compliance with federal guidance.

Skills

Database development

Data engineering

SQL proficiency

Data modeling

Performance tuning

Security compliance

Requirements analysis

Agile / CM

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/IT/SE

Tools

Microsoft SQL Server

MySQL

Oracle

PL/SQL

T-SQL

Job description

Overview

Abacus Technology is seeking a Database Developer/Platform Owner to provide database development, data-platform ownership, requirements analysis, testing, integration, and operational support for the NOAA Office of Marine and Aviation Operations (OMAO). This is a full‑time position.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the technical owner for assigned database and data platforms, managing platform strategy, lifecycle, roadmap, backlog, priorities, standards, service health, upgrades, and operational support requirements.
• Partner with OMAO stakeholders to identify, gather, analyze, document, validate, and prioritize data, reporting, integration, performance, and availability requirements.
• Evaluate database and data‑platform alternatives through reliability assessments, return‑on‑investment and cost‑benefit analyses, make‑versus‑buy reviews, and COTS‑versus‑GOTS evaluations.
• Recommend database configurations, licensing models, upgrades, capacity requirements, support approaches, acquisition strategies, customizations, implementation plans, and operations and maintenance solutions.
• Support demand‑management planning and forecast future requirements for data volume, storage, processing capacity, licensing, availability, performance, and platform growth.
• Design, develop, install, configure, upgrade, test, deploy, maintain, and support Microsoft SQL Server, MySQL, Oracle, and other approved relational database platforms and their associated applications.
• Create and maintain logical and physical data models, schemas, tables, views, indexes, stored procedures, functions, triggers, queries, and other database objects using T‑SQL, PL/SQL, SQL, and related technologies.
• Develop and support data interfaces, application integrations, data exchanges, extracts, transformations, loads, dashboards, analytics, and reporting capabilities for NOAA observation platforms, offices, and programs.
• Perform data and database requirements analysis, preliminary and detailed design, coding, unit testing, integration testing, deployment, maintenance, and associated technical documentation.
• Establish and maintain database performance, availability, scalability, backup, recovery, continuity, patching, configuration, and monitoring practices in coordination with infrastructure and cybersecurity teams.
• Monitor platform health and database performance; analyze and resolve query, indexing, capacity, connectivity, configuration, data‑integrity, and application‑integration issues.
• Apply access‑control, auditing, security, and configuration requirements to database platforms and evaluate COTS/GOTS data products for compliance with OMAO cybersecurity requirements and applicable NIST, FIPS, NIAP, Common Criteria, and federal guidance.
• Define and support data‑quality controls, validation rules, metadata, retention practices, documentation standards, and governance processes that improve the accuracy, consistency, traceability, and appropriate use of OMAO data.
• Develop database test plans that map requirements to functionality, reflect typical operating conditions, incorporate stress and performance testing, and document mitigations for errors, defects, and data‑quality issues.
• Perform unit, system, functional, interface, regression, performance, integration, and interoperability testing; coordinate testing with end users and technical teams and resolve anomalous results.
• Provide technical support for databases and data‑driven applications, troubleshoot incidents, resolve defects, deploy approved fixes, and maintain system‑support documentation.
• Support complex Scientific Computing System tasks across Windows, web, application, and database environments, including data architecture, development, testing, integration, analytics, and subsystem enhancements.
• Conduct technical reviews, database design reviews, code walkthroughs, test‑plan evaluations, and documentation reviews; prepare and deliver platform, system, support, and user documentation.
• Apply source‑code control, code review, change management, configuration management, release management, and quality‑assurance practices throughout the database and data‑platform lifecycle.
• Maintain accurate database, application, hardware, software, configuration, interface, and deployment documentation and adhere to OMAO change‑management and configuration‑management procedures.
• Follow Agile practices, Capability Maturity Model Integration Level 3 processes, and applicable federal, Department of Commerce, NOAA, and OMAO IT policies, mandates, and guidelines.

Qualifications

5+ years experience in database development, data engineering, database administration, or ownership of enterprise database or data platforms. Bachelor's degree in computer science, information technology, software engineering, data science, information systems, or a related technical field is required. Experience designing, developing, testing, deploying, maintaining, and supporting relational databases and data‑driven applications. Hands‑on experience with Microsoft SQL Server, MySQL, Oracle, or comparable database platforms and strong proficiency with SQL, T‑SQL, and/or PL/SQL. Experience with data modeling, schema design, stored procedures, functions, indexing, query optimization, integrations, data migration, backup and recovery, performance monitoring, security, and troubleshooting. Knowledge of source‑code control, code review, change management, configuration management, release management, quality assurance, and database testing practices. Able to translate business and technical requirements into sustainable data‑platform solutions and to coordinate effectively with application developers, infrastructure teams, cybersecurity personnel, vendors, and end users. Strong analytical, communication, collaboration, and documentation skills. Experience supporting federal government, NOAA, scientific computing, COTS/GOTS acquisition, data governance, CMMI Level 3 processes, or Agile delivery is preferred. Must be a US citizen.

Applicants selected will be subject to a U.S. government security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information.

EOE/M/F/Vet/Disabled