Senior Database Engineer

Discovery Machine, Inc.; United States; Remote; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Discovery Machine, Inc. is seeking a senior database engineer focused exclusively on core database development, query optimization, and infrastructure performance tuning. This role is not about application development or frontend/backend software features.

You will optimize complex views, design efficient index architectures, and ensure cluster stability across our production cloud footprint, primarily on Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL. A Secret clearance is required.

Qualifications

• Active Secret clearance is required.
• 7+ years of PostgreSQL-focused database engineering/DBA experience.
• Experience with AWS database services (RDS/Aurora) and performance tuning.
• Experience with Git/GitLab pipelines to manage DB scripts and DDL changes.

Responsibilities

• Design and optimize complex PostgreSQL views and indexes to minimize latency.
• Maintain production Aurora PostgreSQL clusters and tune performance.
• Validate schema updates and promote changes through GitLab pipelines.
• Troubleshoot database-level issues and monitor engine health.

Skills

PostgreSQL optimization

Query optimization

Database views

AWS (RDS/Aurora)

Git/GitLab pipelines

Tools

Git

GitLab pipelines

Amazon Aurora

CloudWatch

Job description

Location: Remote
Position Type: Full-Time / Contract
Clearance Requirement: Active Secret (S) Clearance Required

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Position Overview

We are seeking a heavy-hitting, hands-on Senior Database Engineer focused strictly on core database development, query optimization, and infrastructure performance tuning. Please note: This is not an application development or a software engineering position. You will not be building application features, writing front-end/back-end application code, or designing software architecture.

Instead, your entire focus will be on the engineering side of data services - maximizing database performance, designing high-efficiency views, optimizing index architecture, and ensuring cluster stability across our production cloud footprint.

Core Responsibilities

Performance Engineering: Design, build, and optimize complex database views, performance indexes, and advanced query logic to minimize latency.

Data Tier Operations: Maintain day-to-day data integrity and tune performance across production database clusters (specifically Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL).

Staging & Promotion: Validate database schema updates, custom views, and structural optimizations in lower environments before executing clean promotions to Production using Git pipelines.

Database Troubleshooting: Conduct deep-dive forensics into data-level errors, isolate performance bottlenecks, and monitor engine-level health indicators.

Kanban Workflow: Maintain tight board discipline within GitLab, documenting technical modifications and tracking Change Requests cleanly from open to closed.

Required Qualifications

Security Clearance: Must hold an active Secret clearance

Database Engineering Focus: 7+ years of deep, dedicated experience as a Database Engineer or DBA focused on PostgreSQL query optimization, custom index tuning, and view creation.

AWS Infrastructure: Direct, hands-on experience developing and optimizing database layers natively within Amazon Web Services (AWS) (RDS, Aurora, CloudWatch).

Version Control: Strong experience using Git/GitLab pipelines to manage, version, and track database-level scripts and DDL changes.

Preferred Qualifications (A Major Plus)

Learning Management Systems: Technical experience optimizing database schemas or underlying tables for Moodle LMS/DLS architectures.

COTS Application Support: Experience tuning database performance for highly rigid, write-heavy Commercial Off-The-Shelf application clusters.

Candidates meeting the above criteria will be contacted to discuss the opportunity and your experience. Discovery Machine, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer offering a competitive salary, benefits, and a flexible work schedule with core hours. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.