Sr. Database Administrator – NPS

Nelnet, Inc.; Lincoln (NE); On-site; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

401K

Tuition reimbursement

Stock purchase program

Wellness program

Job summary

Nelnet, Inc. is seeking a Senior Database Administrator to own and operate enterprise databases on AWS, including Aurora PostgreSQL and SQL Server 2019. You will design highly available architectures, manage security, backups, and DR, and guide engineering teams through complex changes.

You will partner with architects to modernize data platforms, oversee the CDC pipeline, and drive automation for reliability and performance across mission-critical systems.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, or related discipline, or equivalent experience with certifications.
• 7+ years of database administration and architecture experience.
• Experience with Aurora PostgreSQL and Microsoft SQL Server 2019 platforms.
• Hands-on experience managing databases in cloud environments (AWS).
• Knowledge of high availability, disaster recovery, and security hardening.

Responsibilities

• Owns end-to-end accountability for SQL Server, Aurora PostgreSQL, and related databases.
• Lead migrations, upgrades, and transformation initiatives.
• Design, operate, and secure highly available database ecosystems on AWS.
• Monitor performance, optimize scalability, and ensure data security.
• Govern data changes and access provisioning with least privilege.
• Support on-call production duties and partner with architects for risk mitigation.

Skills

Database architecture

Performance tuning

Security

AWS RDS

Aurora PostgreSQL

Microsoft SQL Server

High availability

Disaster recovery

SQL scripting

Automation

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science / Information Systems

Tools

Liquibase

Job description

Nelnet Business Services (NBS), a division of Nelnet, Inc., provides payment technology and education services to more than 1,200 higher education institutions, nearly 12,000 K-12 schools, and millions of individual students, families, and supporters across the globe. Our culture of service enables us to form long-lasting and trusted partnerships, while our focus on creativity and innovative solutions empowers our customer communities to thrive.The Senior Database Administrator serves as the technical owner and operational lead for NPS database platforms, supporting mission critical business systems on AWS environments. This role designs, operates, secures, and continuously improves highly available database ecosystems while providing strategic leadership for modernization, automation, and risk reduction initiatives.The Senior DBA owns end to end accountability for database availability, performance, security, backup/recovery, patching, and disaster recovery for enterprise SQL Server, Aurora Postgres, and supporting database technologies. This position operates with minimal supervision, sets technical direction, and is trusted to make production decisions that directly impact customer facing systems and regulatory commitments.This role provides significant technical ownership of the NPS database platform. The Senior DBA partners closely with Enterprise and Infrastructure Architects to provide technical leadership for complex or high-risk database changes and help engineering teams identify and mitigate database risks before deployment. The role owns the enterprise Reporting Database, the CDC pipeline, data retention strategy, and the governance of database changes and access provisioning.JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:Researches, designs, implements, and manages enterprise database systems based on business and applicationrequirements.Leads complex database migrations, upgrades, and transformation initiatives.Designs and supports high availability and disaster recovery solutions.Monitors, analyzes, and improves database performance, scalability, and reliability.Ensures database security, compliance, backup, and recovery strategies are properly implemented and maintained.Recommends improvements to database architecture, standards, and operational processes.Owns the architecture, health, performance, and operational reliability of the enterprise Reporting Database.Manages the CDC pipeline's health, reliability, and daily operations.Manages data truncation processes to meet retention requirements.Establishes database change governance across PostgreSQL and SQL Server.Defines and audits database access governance and least privilege.Reviews complex, high-risk, or performance-sensitive schema and query changes.Guides engineering teams on database solution design and best practices.Supports production systems, including participation in on-call support as required.Continues to update technical knowledge and stay current on emerging database technologies and AI-enabled operationaltools.EDUCATION:Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, or a related discipline, or equivalent experience supported by relevant technical certifications and demonstrated expertise in enterprise database platforms.EXPERIENCE7+ years of experience in database administration and architecture.Experience with Aurora Postgres, Microsoft SQL Server 2019 platforms.Hands-on experience managing databases in cloud environments.Experience designing high availability and disaster recovery solutions.Exposure to data streaming or CDC concepts is a plus.Familiarity with database schema migration tools such as Liquibase is a plus.COMPETENCIES – SKILLS / KNOWLEDGE / ABILITIESStrong technical competency in database architecture, performance tuning, and security.Logical, analytical, and solution-oriented approach to problem solving.Ability to work independently and collaboratively across cross-functional teams, including engineering, architecture, and infrastructure.Experience with AWS RDS and Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL.Knowledge of database security hardening practices.Experience with database monitoring, alerting, and incident response.Ability to automate operations via SQL scripting and related tooling.Ability to design new database clusters and high availability configurations.Focus on continuous improvement and delivering reliable, scalable database solutions.**Pay Range for this role is - $120,000 DOEOur benefits package includes medical, dental, vision, HSA and FSA, generous earned time off, 401K/student loan repayment, life insurance & AD&D insurance, employee assistance program, employee stock purchase program, tuition reimbursement, performance-based incentive pay, short- and long-term disability, and a robust wellness program. Click here to learn more about our benefits: Benefits & Perks - Nelnet IncNelnet is committed to providing a welcoming and respectful workplace where all associates have the opportunity to succeed. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we ensure that all qualified applicants are considered for employment. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion/creed, national origin, gender, sex, marital status, age, disability, use of a guide dog or service animal, sexual orientation, military/veteran status, or any other status protected by federal, state, or local law. We value the unique contributions of every team member and believe that a positive work environment benefits everyone.Qualified individuals with disabilities who require reasonable accommodations in order to apply or compete for positions at Nelnet may request such accommodations by contacting Corporate Recruiting at 402-486-5725 or [e-mail] is a Drug Free and Tobacco Free Workplace.Use of Artificial Intelligence in HiringWe may use automated or artificial intelligence enabled tools to assist with the initial review of applications, such as identifying relevant skills or experience. These tools are used to support human review and do not make hiring decisions. A recruiter reviews applications and determines which candidates move forward in the hiring process. For more information, see our Privacy Policy and Pre-Use Notice: Automated Tools in Hiring