PostgreSQL Database Administrator (DBA)
Experience: 3–6 Years
Role: PostgreSQL Database Administrator
Special Preference: Geospatial Database / PostGIS Experience
Job Summary
We are seeking a skilled PostgreSQL Database Administrator (DBA) with 3–6 years of experience to manage, maintain, and optimize our database systems.
The ideal candidate will have hands-on expertise in PostgreSQL administration, database performance tuning, backup and recovery strategies, and working knowledge of AWS database services such as RDS, EC2, S3, and CloudWatch.
The role involves ensuring database availability, security, reliability, and performance across on-premises and cloud environments.
Candidates with experience managing geospatial databases, particularly PostgreSQL with PostGIS extensions, will be given additional consideration. Exposure to spatial data management, spatial indexing, and geospatial query optimization would be an added advantage.
Key Responsibilities
1. Database Administration
- Install, configure, maintain, and upgrade PostgreSQL database servers and related tools.
- Manage database schemas, tables, indexes, constraints, and relationships.
- Perform routine database maintenance, including VACUUM, ANALYZE, REINDEX, and statistics updates.
- Manage database replication (streaming or logical), clustering, and failover configurations.
- Implement and manage database backup and recovery procedures using tools such as pg_dump, pg_basebackup, and WAL archiving.
- Monitor database health, query performance, storage utilization, and resource consumption.
- Troubleshoot database errors, connectivity issues, crashes, and performance bottlenecks.
2. Performance Tuning and Optimization
- Analyze slow-running queries and optimize SQL statements, indexes, and execution plans.
- Conduct database health checks, query plan analysis, and performance tuning.
- Configure and optimize PostgreSQL parameters such as shared_buffers, work_mem, and autovacuum.
- Identify and resolve database performance issues related to locking, indexing, resource utilization, and inefficient queries.
- Collaborate with development teams to improve database performance and efficiency.
3. Security and Compliance
- Implement and maintain database user access controls and role-based permissions.
- Ensure database security through encryption, SSL/TLS configurations, and audit logging.
- Perform database patching and version upgrades to maintain security and compliance.
- Follow database security best practices for production environments.
4. AWS Cloud Database Operations
- Deploy, configure, and manage PostgreSQL databases on AWS services such as Amazon RDS, Aurora PostgreSQL, or EC2.
- Configure automated backups, snapshots, and database monitoring using AWS CloudWatch.
- Manage database parameter groups, security groups, and IAM-based access configurations.
- Support disaster recovery planning, database restoration, and cross-region replication.
- Troubleshoot database-related issues involving AWS infrastructure, connectivity, storage, and performance.
5. Maintenance and Automation
- Automate repetitive DBA tasks using Python, Bash, or SQL scripts.
- Schedule and monitor maintenance activities such as backups, reindexing, and vacuuming.
- Support CI/CD pipelines for database schema deployment and configuration changes.
- Collaborate with application and development teams on schema design, data modeling, and database optimization.
- Identify opportunities to improve database administration through automation and operational best practices.
6. Monitoring and Reporting
- Configure and maintain database monitoring tools such as pgAdmin, Prometheus, Grafana, AWS CloudWatch, or Datadog.
- Monitor database availability, performance metrics, query execution, and resource utilization.
- Generate database health and performance reports.
- Proactively identify database risks and recommend corrective actions.
Required Skills and Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field.
- 3–6 years of hands-on experience as a PostgreSQL DBA, preferably supporting production environments.
- Strong understanding of PostgreSQL architecture, internals, database administration, and performance tuning.
- Proficiency in SQL query optimization, indexing strategies, and execution plan analysis.
- Hands-on experience with PostgreSQL backup, recovery, replication, and high-availability configurations.
- Experience with AWS cloud services related to database hosting and management, particularly RDS, EC2, S3, and CloudWatch.
- Working knowledge of Linux/Unix environments and shell scripting.
- Familiarity with PostgreSQL monitoring and diagnostic tools such as pg_stat_statements, pgAdmin, or CloudWatch.
- Strong troubleshooting skills with the ability to investigate and resolve production database issues.
- Understanding of database security, access management, and disaster recovery practices.
Preferred Qualifications
Geospatial Database Experience (Special Consideration)
Candidates with experience in geospatial database environments will be given additional consideration.
Relevant experience may include:
- Hands-on experience administering PostgreSQL databases with PostGIS extensions.
- Understanding of spatial data types, including geometry and geography.
- Familiarity with spatial indexing techniques, particularly GiST indexes, and their impact on query performance.
- Experience troubleshooting or optimizing spatial queries and geospatial database workloads.
- Understanding of geospatial data storage, management, and processing workflows.
- Exposure to GIS applications, spatial datasets, or geospatial data integration pipelines.
- Experience supporting geospatial databases in utilities, infrastructure, telecommunications, or other location-based applications would be an added advantage.
Note: Geospatial database experience is preferred but not mandatory. Candidates with strong PostgreSQL administration expertise will also be considered.
Additional Preferred Skills
- Experience with infrastructure automation tools such as Terraform or Ansible for database provisioning and management.
- Exposure to other database platforms such as MySQL or MongoDB.
- Understanding of DevOps practices and CI/CD integration with database environments.
- Familiarity with database migration strategies and cloud database modernization.
- Relevant AWS certifications, such as AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate.
Soft Skills
- Excellent communication and documentation skills.
- Strong analytical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
- Ability to independently investigate and resolve technical issues.
- Ability to collaborate effectively with development, DevOps, infrastructure, and application teams.
- Proactive approach toward database monitoring, reliability, and continuous improvement.
- Willingness to learn emerging PostgreSQL, AWS, and database technologies.
