Database Reliability Engineer

Company Description

Join us and make YOUR mark on the World!

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) has turned bold ideas into world-changing impact advancing science and technology to strengthen U.S. security and promote global stability.

Our mission spans four critical national security areas nuclear deterrence, threat preparedness, energy security, and multi-domain defense empowering teams to take on the toughest challenges of today and tomorrow. With a culture built on innovation and operational excellence, LLNL is a place where your expertise can make a real impact.

Job Description

We have an opening for a Database Reliability Engineer . You will support the database administration activities required to manage the database infrastructure and to keep systems available, fast, resilient, and secure. This position is in the Enterprise Infrastructure Services (EIS) Division within the Computing Directorate, in support of the Strategic Deterrence Applications Program and Nuclear Security Enterprise-wide (NSE) PRIDE Program.

Business Needs dictate that this position requires an on-site presence multiple days a week. Therefore, telecommuting options will be limited.

This position will be filled at either the SES.2 or SES.3 level based on knowledge and related experience, as assessed by the responsibilities outlined below.

You will

• Build and operate reliable database platforms using practices such as monitoring, alerting, and continuous improvement.
• Automate repetitive work, including provisioning, patching, upgrades, backups, and compliance, to improve system consistency and reduce outages.
• Provide database administration support for Oracle, MySQL, MS SQL Server, MongoDB, Cassandra, PostgreSQL, and DynamoDB databases.
• Support database management system design, architecture, and migration activities involving cloud-based services, containerization, and cross-platform database transitions.
• Create and maintain non-production database environments for development and quality assurance activities.
• Tune queries, review database data models, and help improve application performance and database cybersecurity posture.
• Build dashboards, alerts, and runbooks from logs and metrics, and participate in incident response and post-incident reviews.
• Support enterprise COTS application implementation, configuration, triage, and customization efforts.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Additional job responsibilities, at the SES.3 level

• Lead complex database reliability, automation, and modernization efforts.
• Provide technical direction for database architecture, observability, resilience, and recovery practices.
• Serve as a technical resource for advanced troubleshooting, performance tuning, and incident resolution.
• Influence standards and long-term improvements for database operations and cybersecurity posture.

Qualifications

• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. DOE Q-level security clearance, which requires U.S. Citizenship.
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Management Information Systems, or a related field, or the equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Broad experience leveraging automation and orchestration to build, provision, patch, and/or secure database services within a production environment.
• Demonstrated ability to implement and follow Database Reliability Engineering practices to ensure database availability, performance, scalability, resilience, monitoring, backup and recovery, and operational excellence.
• Broad experience administering application servers such as WebLogic and Tomcat, including installation, configuration, patching, deployment, performance tuning, and troubleshooting.
• Broad experience administering Oracle, MS SQL Server, PostgreSQL, and/or MySQL databases in a production environment, and experience with one or more development tools and languages such as SQL, Oracle Forms/Reports, PL/SQL, Java, or Python.
• Broad experience in Windows and/or Linux operating system administration, security, performance tuning, enterprise-class storage array usage and integration within a database environment, and database backup and recovery procedures, software, strategies, and verification methodologies.
• Broad experience utilizing observability and infrastructure monitoring tools such as Oracle Enterprise Manager, Datadog, Grafana, SQL Server Management Studio, and/or Icinga for proactive system monitoring, alert management, and database administration.
• Proficient verbal and written communication skills necessary to effectively collaborate in a team environment and present and explain technical information.
• Ability to work outside normal business hours to provide support for production infrastructure patching, upgrades, testing, and the ability to work on-premises to support job duties.

Additional qualifications at the SES.3 level

• Advanced experience administering complex database environments in production with responsibility for technical leadership and operational decision-making.
• Advanced experience leading automation, reliability, observability, and modernization efforts across multiple database platforms.
• Advanced troubleshooting and performance tuning experience across database, application server, OS, and storage layers.

Qualifications We Desire

• Experience developing and using Ansible, SCCM, Python, and Unix/PowerShell shell scripting to automate and orchestrate database and application infrastructures.
• Experience leveraging containerization to deliver database and mid-tier services to meet customer needs and managing database and application infrastructures within a highly secure and compliance-driven environment.

Pay Range

$146,340 - $185,544 Annually for the SES.2 level

$175,530 - $222,564 Annually for the SES.3 level

This is the lowest to highest salary we in good faith believe we would pay for this role at the time of this posting. An employee’s position within the salary range will be based on several factors including, but not limited to, specific competencies, relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, seniority, geographic location, performance, and business or organizational needs.

Additional Information

#LI-Hybrid

Position Information

This is a Flexible Term appointment, which is for a definite period not to exceed six years. If final candidate is a Career Indefinite employee, Career Indefinite status may be maintained (should funding allow).

Why Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory?

• Included in 2026 Best Places to Work by Glassdoor!
• Flexible Benefits Package
• 401(k)
• Relocation Assistance
• Education Reimbursement Program
• Flexible schedules (*depending on project needs)
• Our values - visit

Security Clearance

This position requires a Department of Energy (DOE) Q-level clearance. If you are selected, we will initiate a Federal background investigation to determine if you meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information or matter. Also, all L or Q cleared employees are subject to random drug testing. Q-level clearance requires U.S. citizenship.

Pre-Employment Drug Test

External applicant(s) selected for this position must pass a post-offer, pre-employment drug test. This includes testing for use of marijuana as Federal Law applies to us as a Federal Contractor.

Wireless and Medical Devices

Per the Department of Energy (DOE), Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory must meet certain restrictions with the use and/or possession of mobile devices in Limited Areas. Depending on your job duties, you may be required to work in a Limited Area where you are not permitted to have a personal and/or laboratory mobile device in your possession. This includes, but not limited to cell phones, tablets, fitness devices, wireless headphones, and other Bluetooth/wireless enabled devices.

If you use a medical device, which pairs with a mobile device, you must still follow the rules concerning the mobile device in individual sections within Limited Areas. Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities require separate approval. Hearing aids without wireless capabilities or wireless that has been disabled are allowed in Limited Areas, Secure Space and Transit/Buffer Space within buildings.

How to identify fake job advertisements

Please be aware of recruitment scams where people or entities are misusing the name of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) to post fake job advertisements. LLNL never extends an offer without a personal interview and will never charge a fee for joining our company. All current job openings are displayed on the Career Page under “Find Your Job” of our website. If you have encountered a job posting or have been approached with a job offer that you suspect may be fraudulent, we strongly recommend you do not respond.

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Equal Employment Opportunity

We are an equal opportunity employer that is committed to providing all with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, marital status, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, medical condition, pregnancy, protected veteran status, age, citizenship, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws.

Reasonable Accommodation

Our goal is to create an accessible and inclusive experience for all candidates applying and interviewing at the Laboratory. If you need a reasonable accommodation during the application or the recruiting process, please use our online form to submit a request.

California Privacy Notice

The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) grants privacy rights to all California residents. The law also entitles job applicants, employees, and non-employee workers to be notified of what personal information LLNL collects and for what purpose. The Employee Privacy Notice can be accessed here.

Organization: ComputingCategory: Information Technology/ComputingJob Code 2: SES.3 Science & Engineering MTS 3Employee Referral Bonus: $1500Job Code 1: SES.2 Science & Engineering MTS 2Pre-Employment Drug Test: Required for external applicant(s) selected for this position (includes testing for use of marijuana)Pre-Placement Medical Exam: Not applicableSecurity Clearance: Anticipated DOE Q clearance (requires U.S. citizenship and a federal background investigation)Position Type: Flexible Term