Database Administrator

Aurora PostgreSQL Database Administrator (DBA)

Position Overview

Experienced Aurora PostgreSQL Database Administrator (DBA) to design, administer, optimize, and support highly available PostgreSQL databases running on Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL. The DBA will be responsible for database reliability, performance, security, backup/recovery, monitoring, and production support across development, test, and production environments.

The ideal candidate has strong hands-on PostgreSQL expertise, extensive AWS/Amazon Aurora experience, and a solid understanding of database performance, high availability, automation, and troubleshooting.

Key Responsibilities
• Administer and support Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL database environments.
• Install, configure, upgrade, patch, and maintain PostgreSQL/Aurora database systems.
• Manage Aurora clusters, read replicas, failover, parameter groups, subnet groups, and endpoints.
• Perform database performance tuning, including:

o Query optimization

o Execution plan analysis

o Index optimization

o Connection and memory tuning

o Lock and wait-event analysis

o Vacuum and autovacuum optimization
• Monitor database health, capacity, performance, and availability using AWS and PostgreSQL monitoring tools.
• Implement and maintain backup, restore disaster recovery, and business continuity strategies.
• Perform point-in-time recovery and support database recovery exercises.
• Troubleshoot production database incidents, performance issues, connectivity problems, replication issues, and failures.
• Manage database security, including users, roles, permissions, encryption, auditing, and access controls.
• Work with application and development teams to review SQL queries, schema designs, indexes, and database-related application issues.

Support database migrations to Aurora PostgreSQL from on-premises DB2 or other database platforms.
• Develop automation and operational scripts using tools such as Python, Lambda, or AWS CLI.
• Establish and maintain database standards, operational procedures, documentation, and runbooks.
• Participate in on-call rotations with customers and provide production support for critical database environments.
• Assist with capacity planning, cloud cost optimization, and database modernization initiatives.

Required Qualifications
• 5+ years of experience in database administration with PostgreSQL.
• 2+ years of hands-on experience with Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL.
• Strong understanding of PostgreSQL architecture, administration, and internals.
• Strong experience with SQL, PL/pgSQL, indexes, transactions, locking, and query execution plans.
• Experience with PostgreSQL backup, recovery, replication, and high-availability strategies.
• Strong AWS knowledge, particularly:

o Amazon Aurora

o Amazon RDS

o EC2

o IAM

o CloudWatch

o S3

o Airflow

o Lambda
• Experience troubleshooting database performance using tools such as EXPLAIN, EXPLAIN ANALYZE, PostgreSQL statistics views, Performance Insights, and CloudWatch.
• Experience with database monitoring and alerting.
• Strong scripting/automation skills using Python, or similar languages.
• Experience working with production-critical databases and incident management processes.

Preferred Qualifications
• AWS Certified Database - Specialty or comparable AWS certification.
• PostgreSQL certification or equivalent professional experience.
• Experience migrating databases to Aurora PostgreSQL using AWS Database Migration Service (DMS).
• Experience with CI/CD pipelines.
• Experience with database observability and tools such as Datadog, Grafana or similar platforms.
• Experience with PostgreSQL version upgrades and Aurora major-version upgrades.

Technical Skills

Databases: PostgreSQL, Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL, Amazon RDS

AWS: Aurora, RDS, EC2, VPC, IAM, CloudWatch, S3, KMS, DMS, Lambda, Airflow

Performance: EXPLAIN/EXPLAIN ANALYZE, query tuning, indexing, wait events, locks, vacuum/autovacuum, connection management

High Availability & DR: Aurora replication, read replicas, failover, backup/restore, Point-in-Time Recovery, disaster recovery

Automation: Python, AWS CLI, Lambda, Airflow

Monitoring: AWS Performance Insights, CloudWatch, PostgreSQL monitoring, Grafana/Prometheus, Datadog

Soft Skills
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent troubleshooting and incident-management abilities.
• Ability to work effectively with developers, architects, and infrastructure teams.
• Strong communication and documentation skills.
• Ability to work independently in a fast-paced production environment.
• Strong ownership and attention to reliability, security, and operational excellence.

Typical Experience Level

Senior-level / 5-10+ years of database administration experience

Success in This Role

Success in this position means maintaining highly available and secure Aurora PostgreSQL environments, proactively improving database performance and reliability, automating routine DBA activities, minimizing production downtime, and partnering effectively with engineering teams to deliver scalable database solutions

Role Descriptions: 5+ years of experience in database administration with PostgreSQL. 2+ years of hands-on experience with Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL. Strong understanding of PostgreSQL architecture| administration| and internals. Strong experience with SQL| PL/pgSQL| indexes| transactions| locking| and query execution plans. Experience with PostgreSQL backup| recovery| replication| and high-availability strategies. Strong AWS knowledge| particularly:o Amazon Aurorao Amazon RDSo EC2o IAMo CloudWatcho S3o Airflowo LambdaKey responsibilitiesAdminister and support Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL database environments.Install| configure| upgrade| patch| and maintain PostgreSQL/Aurora database systems.Manage Aurora clusters| read replicas| failover| parameter groups| subnet groups| and endpoints.Perform database performance tuning| including:Query optimizationExecution plan analysisIndex optimizationConnection and memory tuningLock and wait-event analysisVacuum and autovacuum optimizationMonitor database health| capacity| performance| and availability using AWS and PostgreSQL monitoring tools.Implement and maintain backup| restore disaster recovery| and business continuity strategies.Perform point-in-time recovery and support database recovery exercises.Troubleshoot production database incidents| performance issues| connectivity problems| replication issues| and failures.Manage database security| including users| roles| permissions| encryption| auditing| and access controls.Work with application and development teams to review SQL queries| schema designs| indexes| and database-related application issues.Support database migrations to Aurora PostgreSQL from on-premises DB2 or other database platforms.Develop automation and operational scripts using tools such as Python| Lambda| or AWS CLI.Establish and maintain database standards| operational procedures| documentation| and runbooks.Participate in on-call rotations with customers and provide production support for critical database environments.Assist with capacity planning| cloud cost optimization| and database modernization initiatives.
Essential Skills: 5+ years of experience in database administration with PostgreSQL. 2+ years of hands-on experience with Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL. Strong understanding of PostgreSQL architecture| administration| and internals. Strong experience with SQL| PL/pgSQL| indexes| transactions| locking| and query execution plans. Experience with PostgreSQL backup| recovery| replication| and high-availability strategies. Strong AWS knowledge| particularly:o Amazon Aurorao Amazon RDSo EC2o IAMo CloudWatcho S3o Airflowo LambdaKey responsibilitiesAdminister and support Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL database environments.Install| configure| upgrade| patch| and maintain PostgreSQL/Aurora database systems.Manage Aurora clusters| read replicas| failover| parameter groups| subnet groups| and endpoints.Perform database performance tuning| including:Query optimizationExecution plan analysisIndex optimizationConnection and memory tuningLock and wait-event analysisVacuum and autovacuum optimizationMonitor database health| capacity| performance| and availability using AWS and PostgreSQL monitoring tools.Implement and maintain backup| restore disaster recovery| and business continuity strategies.Perform point-in-time recovery and support database recovery exercises.Troubleshoot production database incidents| performance issues| connectivity problems| replication issues| and failures.Manage database security| including users| roles| permissions| encryption| auditing| and access controls.Work with application and development teams to review SQL queries| schema designs| indexes| and database-related application issues.Support database migrations to Aurora PostgreSQL from on-premises DB2 or other database platforms.Develop automation and operational scripts using tools such as Python| Lambda| or AWS CLI.Establish and maintain database standards| operational procedures| documentation| an