Senior Database Engineer

VTG Defense; Tysons (VA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

VTG Defense seeks an experienced Database Engineer to lead the design, deployment, and optimization of relational database platforms across hybrid environments in support of modernization and operational excellence. This role requires collaboration across infrastructure, software, security, and data teams to deliver scalable, secure, and compliant database solutions.

The ideal candidate has deep hands-on expertise, strong documentation and leadership skills, and a track record of optimizing

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, IT, or a related technical discipline, or equivalent
• Minimum ten (10) years of related database technologies experience

Responsibilities

• Serve as SME for relational database technologies
• Document and analyze current-state database environments
• Develop engineering design documents for modernization and transformation
• Lead implementation of enhanced and future-state database architectures
• Design, deploy, configure, optimize, secure, and maintain database platforms across hybrid environments
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including IS/Security and DevOps
• Partner with Software/Data Engineers and Analysts
• Ensure high availability, performance, security, and compliance across databases
• Provide governance and best practices across the enterprise

Skills

Database architecture

HA/DR design

Performance tuning

Backup/recovery

Security/compliance

Cloud migrations

Linux/Windows servers

Scripting (PowerShell/Bash/Python)

CI/CD for databases

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science/IT or related

10+ years database tech experience

Tools

Terraform

Azure ARM Templates

CloudFormation

Ansible

Job description

Overview

Byte Systems, a subsidiary of VTG, is seeking a highly experienced Database Engineer with demonstrated expertise in relational database technologies across both on-premises and cloud environments. The ideal candidate will possess deep hands-on technical knowledge, strong engineering design, and the ability to collaborate effectively across infrastructure, application, security, and data teams. This role requires advanced engineering expertise, documentation proficiency, design leadership, and cross-functional communication skills to support modernization, transformation, and operational excellence initiatives.

What will you do?

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS

Relational Database Platforms

• Microsoft SQL Server
• Oracle Database
• PostgreSQL (on-prem and cloud variants)
• MySQL
• Amazon RDS / Azure SQL Database / Google Cloud SQL

Cloud Platforms

• Amazon Web Services (AWS)
• Microsoft Azure
• Google Cloud Platform (GCP)

Core Technical Competencies

• Database architecture and engineering design
• High Availability (HA) and Disaster Recovery (DR)
• Performance tuning and query optimization
• Backup and recovery strategies
• Database security, encryption, and compliance
• Migration from on-prem to cloud and hybrid environments
• Linux and Windows server environments
• Scripting and automation (PowerShell, Bash, Python)
• CI/CD integration for database deployments

DESIRED SKILLS

• Database containerization (Docker, Kubernetes)
• Database monitoring tools (SolarWinds, Redgate, OEM, Cloud-native monitoring)
• Data replication and distributed systems
• Data warehouse platforms (Snowflake, Redshift, Azure Synapse)
• ETL frameworks and tools
• Infrastructure as Code (Terraform, ARM, CloudFormation)
• Massively Parallel Processing database administration experience (MPP DBA)
• Ansible (or similar IT automation tools like Puppet or Chef)
• Supporting federal government compliance frameworks
• Knowledge of Zero Trust architectures
• Supporting mission-critical or high-transaction environments

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Serve as the Subject Matter Expert (SME) for relational database technologies
• Document and analyze current-state (as-is) database environments while promptly coming up to speed
• Develop comprehensive engineering design documents for modernization, optimization, and transformation initiatives for the database to align with the organization technical vision
• Lead implementation of enhanced and future-state database architectures
• Design, deploy, configure, optimize, secure, and maintain database platforms across hybrid environments
• Collaborate closely with the department engineering teams, including Network, Storage, Windows and Linux Systems Operating, Cloud, Web Services, Software Development, Information Systems Security Officer (ISSO), and DevOps
• Partner with Software Engineers, Data Engineers (ETL), Data Modelers, Data Scientists, and Data Analysts
• Ensure high availability, performance tuning, security hardening, and compliance adherence
• Provide database governance, standards, and best practices across the enterprise

Do you have what it takes?

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, IT, or a related technical discipline, or the equivalent combination of education, technical training, or work/military experience
• Minimum ten (10) years of related database technologies experience

PayRange: VTG's estimated starting pay range is $180,000-$240,000 annually, which is a general guideline for the geographic location. When extending an offer, VTG also considers work experience, education, skill level, market considerations and may possibly include contractual requirements which may cause an offer to fall outside of this range.