Database Platform Distinguished Engineer

Role Description

We are redefining the data foundation that powers Dayforce. As a Distinguished Database Platform Engineer, you will set the technical direction for how we design, scale, and operate our data platforms—spanning transactional systems and modern lakehouse architectures. This is a hands-on architectural role for a technical leader who thrives on solving complex data challenges, influencing engineering at scale, and modernizing data platform engineering through cloud, automation, and AI.

• Define and drive the architecture of highly scalable, resilient data platforms across OLTP and analytical systems
• Lead the evolution of Lakehouse architecture, supporting unified data and analytics
• Own performance, reliability, and scalability across critical database platforms through deep, hands-on expertise
• Guide adoption of modern platforms and tooling (e.g., Databricks, cloud-native services, automation frameworks)
• Partner with engineering and data teams to shape data models, access patterns, and platform capabilities
• Influence technical strategy and raise engineering standards across the organization
• Lead hands-on investigation and resolution of complex customer database and data lake performance, reliability, and data consistency issues, including direct analysis of production systems when needed

Qualifications

• Expert-level experience with large-scale database platforms (e.g., SQL Server, PostgreSQL) in production environments
• Strong background in modern data architecture and distributed data systems
• Experience with Databricks and cloud data platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP)
• Familiarity with both relational and NoSQL systems (e.g., MongoDB)
• Deep expertise in performance tuning, scalability, and high-availability design
• Proven ability to operate as a technical leader—setting direction while remaining hands-on
• Comfort leveraging AI and automation to improve database platform operations and engineering productivity
• 10+ years of experience designing, operating, and optimizing large-scale production database platforms
• Deep hands-on expertise with enterprise relational database technologies such as Microsoft SQL Server and PostgreSQL
• Strong experience with distributed data systems and modern data architectures, including Data Lake, Delta Lake, or Lakehouse platforms
• Experience troubleshooting complex database performance, scalability, reliability, and data consistency issues in production environments
• Experience with cloud platforms and cloud-native data services (AWS, Azure, or GCP)
• Strong understanding of high availability, disaster recovery, backup/recovery, indexing, query optimization, performance tuning, Change Data Capture, and Event Driven systems.
• Experience working with automation, observability, and infrastructure-as-code approaches for platform operations
• Proven ability to influence technical direction and collaborate effectively across engineering, infrastructure, and data teams
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical field, or equivalent practical experience

Requirements

• Experience with Databricks and modern Lakehouse implementations supporting unified analytics and operational workloads
• Experience with NoSQL technologies such as MongoDB or other distributed document/key-value databases
• Experience designing and operating platforms that support both transactional and analytical workloads at enterprise scale
• Experience modernizing legacy database environments into cloud-native or hybrid architectures
• Demonstrated technical leadership in architecting shared platform capabilities, standards, and engineering best practices
• Experience leveraging AI-assisted tooling or automation to improve operational efficiency, troubleshooting, and engineering productivity
• Experience mentoring senior engineers and leading cross-functional technical initiatives
• Experience designing secure data platforms with strong governance and access-control models
• Familiarity with compliance frameworks and data residency requirements (SOC2, GDPR, HIPAA, etc.)
• Expertise with encryption, secrets management, auditing, and zero-trust approaches
• Advanced cloud, database, or data engineering certifications are considered an asset
• Experience in large-scale SaaS, HCM, fintech, or other highly regulated enterprise software environments is an asset

Benefits

• Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance
• 401k plan (plus match)
• Global Employee Stock Purchase Plan
• Unlimited Time Away From Work (in lieu of accrued vacation time)
• 10 paid US holidays
• Up to 80 hours of paid sick time
• 17 weeks of paid parental leave, subject to the terms of the applicable policy or program
• Opportunities for community impact, including volunteer days and charity initiatives