[Remote] PostgreSQL Database Administrator (DBA)
Note: The job is a remote job and is open to candidates in USA. DrFirst, Inc. is a Healthcare IT company that has been empowering providers and patients for 25 years through intelligent medication management. They are seeking a cloud native PostgreSQL Database Administrator to manage PostgreSQL on AWS Aurora, ensuring efficient data flow and performance optimization within their system operations team.
Responsibilities
- Manage daily operations of PostgreSQL on AWS Aurora across multiple accounts and environments
- Own database setup, configuration, parameter tuning, and deployment using cloud native patterns
- Execute upgrades, patches, and version migrations with minimal downtime using blue green and rolling deployment strategies
- Monitor database health, performance, and capacity using CloudWatch, Performance Insights, AppDynamics, and Grafana
- Operate PostgreSQL as the system of record inside an event driven architecture, where data arrives from many upstream sources through message and event brokers
- Collaborate with application and platform engineering on how data flows from event streams such as Kafka and Kinesis into PostgreSQL and back out to consumers
- Partner on caching and in memory data patterns such as Redis or ElastiCache that sit in front of PostgreSQL for high read workloads
- Help shape a unified persistence layer that gives applications consistent, reliable data regardless of which upstream system originated it
- Support read replicas, logical replication, and change data capture patterns that feed downstream analytics, search, and reporting systems
- Tune PostgreSQL and Aurora configurations for OLTP, read heavy reporting, and mixed workloads
- Analyze and resolve performance bottlenecks using EXPLAIN ANALYZE, pg_stat_statements, Performance Insights, and CloudWatch metrics
- Optimize indexes, query plans, connection pooling, and parameter groups for fast response times on patient facing workflows
- Review SQL, data models, and access patterns with development teams before they reach production
- Use Aurora PostgreSQL features including read replicas, Global Database, automated backups, point in time recovery, and high availability configurations
- Use AWS services including RDS, CloudWatch, Systems Manager, Lambda, S3, IAM, and Secrets Manager for database operations
- Apply AWS best practices for security, monitoring, cost optimization, and right sizing
- Build Python and shell automation for provisioning, backup verification, refresh workflows, alerting, and compliance reporting
- Develop and maintain CI/CD pipelines for database schema changes and infrastructure deployments
- Treat manual work as a backlog item. If you did it twice, script it
- Use infrastructure as code such as Terraform or CloudFormation for repeatable, version controlled database infrastructure
- Design, test, and document backup and recovery strategies that meet aggressive RTO and RPO targets for healthcare workloads
- Run quarterly disaster recovery drills and maintain runbooks for failure scenarios
- Configure multi AZ deployments and read replicas for automatic failover and high availability
- Provide technical support and troubleshooting for database and data flow issues across the platform
- Partner with DevOps, NetOps, application engineering, and architecture on integrated cloud native solutions
- Participate in on call rotation for production support
- Document procedures, configurations, troubleshooting guides, and architectural decisions
Skills
- 4 to 7 years of hands on experience as a PostgreSQL Database Administrator in cloud environments
- Strong production experience with AWS Aurora PostgreSQL and RDS
- Proficiency in PostgreSQL performance tuning, query optimization, and root cause analysis
- Solid understanding of backup and recovery strategies, including point in time recovery and high availability configurations
- Experience with database security, user management, IAM integration, and access controls
- Programming skills in Python and shell scripting for automation
- Working knowledge of AWS services such as CloudWatch, Lambda, S3, Systems Manager, IAM, and Secrets Manager
- Conceptual familiarity with modern persistence patterns: message and event brokers such as Kafka, Kinesis, or RabbitMQ, in memory caches such as Redis or ElastiCache, and event driven data flow. Hands on experience is a plus. A candidate who speaks the language and understands how PostgreSQL fits the broader picture is what we need
- Strong SQL skills and a solid grasp of relational data modeling
- Excellent problem solving, communication, and documentation skills
- Hands on experience with PostgreSQL logical replication, streaming replication, and change data capture such as Debezium
- Production experience with Kafka, Kinesis, or other event streaming platforms
- Experience with Redis or ElastiCache as a caching layer in front of PostgreSQL
- Infrastructure as code experience such as Terraform or CloudFormation
- CI/CD tooling such as Jenkins, GitLab CI, or AWS CodePipeline
- Exposure to other data stores such as DynamoDB, Redshift, OpenSearch, or MongoDB for context on polyglot persistence
- Healthcare technology or regulated industry experience
- AWS certifications such as Solutions Architect or Database Specialty, or PostgreSQL certifications
- Active, daily use of AI tools such as Claude, Copilot, ChatGPT, or Cursor for scripting, troubleshooting, and documentation
Benefits
- Eligible for Company Performance-based Bonus Program, based on individual and company performance
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance
- 401K eligible after 3 months of employment, with 50% company match up to first 5% of salary contributed to the plan with a 3-year vesting schedule
- HSA for eligible employees enrolled in the HDHP, with a generous company contribution up to $500 for individual coverage and $1000 for family coverage per year
- 100% company paid short and long-term disability, AD&D, and group life insurance
- Accrued annual paid time off (PTO) of 18 days for the first 3 years of service, increasing thereafter and 7 paid holiday days
- Employee Assistance Program
- Continuing Education funds up to $1500 annually for eligible programs after 1 year of service
- Voluntary benefits including FSA, Hospital indemnity, Accident and Critical Illness insurances
- Remote-First company, creating a dynamic and flexible workplace where everyone can thrive, no matter where they log in from
Company Overview
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