Senior Data Reliability Engineer

Zeta; Basking Ridge (NJ); On-site; USD 130,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Zeta is seeking a Senior Data Reliability Engineer in Basking Ridge, NJ. In this role, you will architect, scale, and optimize data platforms such as PostgreSQL RDS. You’ll lead initiatives for monitoring and observability, drive performance tuning, and mentor junior engineers. The ideal candidate will have 10–12 years of experience in database engineering, strong expertise in PostgreSQL, and familiarity with cloud-native data platforms. Zeta prides itself on diversity and inclusivity in the workplace.

Qualifications

• 10–12 years of overall experience in database engineering or reliability engineering.
• Minimum 5+ years of hands-on experience with PostgreSQL, preferably in AWS RDS.
• Strong understanding of cloud database security and compliance frameworks.

Responsibilities

• Own the reliability and performance of PostgreSQL RDS environments.
• Lead proactive monitoring and observability initiatives for PostgreSQL instances.
• Architect and optimize database backup and disaster recovery strategies.
• Oversee Apache Airflow workflow orchestration for production DAGs.

Skills

PostgreSQL administration and performance tuning

Debezium

Kafka Connect

ETL frameworks/tools

Amazon Redshift

S3

Apache Airflow

Apache Spark

Scripting using Python

Infrastructure as Code (IaC)

Education

Bachelor’s degree in computer science or related field

Master’s degree preferred

Tools

Terraform

CloudWatch

Prometheus

Grafana

Job description

Senior Data Reliability Engineer

As a Senior Data Reliability Engineer, you will architect, scale, and optimize enterprise-grade data platforms, including large‑scale data lakes and data warehouses built from multiple disparate data sources. This role requires deep expertise in cloud databases, data infrastructure reliability, observability, and automation, with a strong focus on operational excellence, performance, and resilience.

Responsibilities

• Own the reliability, availability, scalability, and performance of PostgreSQL RDS environments across production and non‑production systems.
• Lead proactive monitoring and observability initiatives for PostgreSQL RDS instances, leveraging CloudWatch, Prometheus, Grafana, and other enterprise monitoring platforms.
• Drive advanced PostgreSQL performance tuning, including query optimization, indexing strategies, parameter tuning, and capacity planning.
• Architect and optimize database backup, disaster recovery, and failover strategies to ensure business continuity and minimal downtime.
• Own the reliability and operational excellence of Debezium and Kafka Connect ecosystems, ensuring robust real‑time data ingestion and delivery.
• Lead troubleshooting and optimization of ETL workflows and data pipelines, ensuring scalability, reliability, and fault tolerance across data platforms.
• Oversee Apache Airflow workflow orchestration, ensuring high reliability, SLA adherence, and operational efficiency of production DAGs.
• Design and implement Infrastructure as Code (IaC) solutions using Terraform, Crossplane, and automation frameworks to streamline deployments and operational tasks.
• Lead incident response, root cause analysis, and post‑incident reviews for critical production issues.
• Define and enforce database security standards, including access controls, encryption policies, compliance adherence, and periodic security audits.
• Partner closely with engineering, DevOps, and data platform teams to optimize data architecture and improve overall platform reliability.
• Mentor junior engineers and drive best practices across database reliability engineering and cloud data operations.
• Identify and lead continuous improvement initiatives focused on reliability, automation, scalability, and operational maturity.

Skills

• Deep expertise in PostgreSQL administration and performance tuning, preferably in AWS RDS environments.
• Strong experience with Debezium, Kafka Connect, ETL frameworks/tools, and enterprise‑grade data pipeline architectures.
• Strong hands‑on experience with Amazon Redshift, S3, and cloud‑native data platforms.
• Expertise in Apache Airflow workflow orchestration and operational management.
• Experience with Apache Spark and large‑scale distributed data processing.
• Strong scripting and automation experience using Python, Bash, or similar languages.
• Strong experience in Infrastructure as Code (IaC) using Terraform, Crossplane, or equivalent tools.
• Hands‑on experience with monitoring and observability tools such as CloudWatch, Prometheus, Grafana.
• Strong understanding of cloud database security, compliance, and governance frameworks (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA).
• Experience designing highly available, fault‑tolerant, and scalable cloud database systems.

Experience and Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Information Technology, or a related field (master’s preferred).
• 10–12 years of overall experience in database engineering, cloud data infrastructure, or reliability engineering.
• Minimum 5+ years of hands‑on experience with PostgreSQL, including AWS RDS administration.
• Strong experience in cloud‑native data platforms and enterprise‑scale production environments.
• AWS Certified Database – Specialty or relevant cloud certifications preferred.

Zeta is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We encourage applicants from all backgrounds, cultures, and communities to apply and believe that a diverse workforce is key to our success.