PostgreSQL Database Administrator

Saic; Ashburn (VA); On-site; USD 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

SAIC is seeking a Database Subject Matter Expert with strong DBA capabilities focused on PostgreSQL (RDS) in Ashburn, VA. The role involves deployment, tuning, monitoring, and automation to support application teams.

The candidate should have hands-on experience with AWS RDS, query optimization, and security best practices, along with scripting skills to automate recurring tasks and CI/CD integration.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and 5+ years of relevant experience.
• AWS Certified Database - Specialty or PostgreSQL DBA certification a plus.
• Extensive experience with RDS PostgreSQL deployment, maintenance, and optimization.
• Strong knowledge of tuning, query optimization, and indexing strategies.
• Experience with Postgres GIS queries using the PostGIS addon.
• Proficiency in scripting languages (Python, Bash) for automation.

Responsibilities

• Configure and administer managed PostgreSQL instances in AWS.
• Maintain RBAC and data encryption for database security.
• Analyze and optimize SQL queries for large tables.
• Review and optimize database-related code with dev teams.
• Set up and monitor Dynatrace alerts for reliability.
• Develop automation scripts for deployment, scaling, and maintenance.
• Support CI/CD processes for database updates.
• Monitor health, diagnose incidents, and implement preventive measures.
• Contribute to data modeling and schema design with developers.

Skills

PostgreSQL

RDS PostgreSQL

Query optimization

Dynatrace

Python scripting

Bash scripting

CI/CD pipelines

AWS RDS

Data security RBAC

Indexing strategies

Education

Bachelor's degree

5+ years of relevant experience

Tools

Dynatrace

PostGIS

CI/CD tooling

Job description

Description

SAIC is seeking a highly skilled and experienced Database Subject Matter Expert (SME) with strong Database Administrator (DBA) capabilities to join our team. The ideal candidate will specialize in PostgreSQL (RDS), bringing expertise in deployment, administration, query tuning, and database monitoring.

This role requires a proactive professional capable of managing database operations, optimizing performance, and supporting application development teams.

Responsibilities

• Database Administration:
  • Configure and administer managed PostgreSQL instances in the AWS environment.
  • Maintain database security policies, including role-based access control and data encryption.
• Query Tuning and Optimization:
  • Analyze and optimize SQL queries for performance improvement, particularly on large tables.
  • Work with development teams to review and enhance database-related code.
• Monitoring and Alerts:
  • Set up and monitor Dynatrace alerts to ensure database reliability and availability.
  • Investigate and resolve performance issues identified through monitoring tools or reported by users.
• Automation and Deployment:
  • Develop and implement database automation scripts for routine tasks such as deployments, scaling, and maintenance.
  • Assist in Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) processes for database updates.
• System Health and Troubleshooting:
  • Proactively monitor database health and resolve capacity or connectivity issues.
  • Conduct root-cause analysis for database incidents and implement preventive measures.
• Database Design and Support:
  • Provide input on data modeling and schema design for new and existing applications.
  • Collaborate with developers and data engineers to ensure efficient data access patterns.
• Documentation and Best Practices:
  • Create and maintain detailed documentation of database environments, procedures, and standards.
  • Enforce database best practices and policies.
• Training and Guidance:
  • Act as a technical mentor to junior team members.
  • Provide training to application developers and other stakeholders on database-related topics.

Qualifications

Required Skills

• Bachelors and 5+ years of relevant experience.
• Certifications such asAWS Certified Database - Specialty,PostgreSQL DBA Certification, or similar are a plus.
• Extensive experience withRDS PostgreSQL, including deployment, maintenance, and optimization.
• Strong knowledge of database tuning, query optimization, and indexing strategies.
• Experience with Postgres GIS queries using the PostGIS addon.
• Experience with database monitoring tools, particularlyDynatraceor similar platforms.
• Proficiency in scripting languages (e.g., Python, Bash) for database automation.
• Understanding of cloud database architectures and services, such as AWS RDS.
• Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines and database version control.
• Excellent troubleshooting and problem-solving skills.
• Design tables.
• Writing functions, stored procedures.
• Performance tuning and optimization.
• Checking indexes.
• Partitioning.
• AWS environment.

Preferred Skills

• Knowledge of ETL pipelines and data warehouse architecture.
• Familiarity with analytics/modeling tools.
• Exposure to data replication and sharding strategies.
• Knowledge of government regulatory compliance standards.

Soft Skills

• Strong communication and collaboration skills for working with cross-functional teams.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Attention to detail and a commitment to delivering high-quality results.

BI Requirement

• Must be a U.S. Citizen.
• Current holder of a DHS Public Trust clearance or the ability to obtain one.
• Note: Employment will be contingent upon having/obtaining a DHS Public Trust clearance prior to starting.

Target salary range: $80,001 - $120,000. The estimate displayed represents the typical salary range for this position based on experience and other factors.