Database Engineer

Niyam is seeking an experienced Database Engineer to support one of our federal clients. As the Database Engineer, you will be the core data authority on an Agile Scrum team. You will spend your time designing, modeling, securing, and maintaining both modern document-based NoSQL database environments (primarily MongoDB) and relational database management systems (RDBMS like PostgreSQL). The ideal candidate is a blend of a highly skilled database administrator and a forward-thinking data architect who understands when to leverage NoSQL and when to utilize relational models to optimize mission-critical application performance. Roles and Responsibilities: - Database Architecture & Schema Design: Design and document logical and physical data models. Guide software development teams on database schema design, indexing strategies, and data relationships for both NoSQL (document design patterns, referencing vs. embedding) and relational (normalization, foreign keys, indexing) systems. - MongoDB Administration & Engineering: Administer, configure, upgrade, and maintain MongoDB environments. Design and manage high-availability infrastructure, including MongoDB replica sets, sharded clusters, and distributed systems. - Relational Database Support: Administer, model, and maintain relational databases (such as PostgreSQL or Oracle) that interface with modern legacy and modernized systems. - Performance Tuning: Perform continuous database tuning and query optimization. Analyze execution plans, evaluate indexes, and optimize MongoDB aggregation pipelines and SQL queries to eliminate bottlenecks. - Data Security & Compliance: Implement and maintain database security controls, including authentication, role-based access control (RBAC), auditing, encryption-at-rest, and encryption-in-transit, ensuring alignment with DHS security regulations. - Backup & Disaster Recovery: Develop, test, and implement robust backup, recovery, and disaster recovery strategies for distributed NoSQL and relational databases. - Automation & DevSecOps: Automate database deployment, configuration management, patching, and routine maintenance tasks using scripting languages (Python, Bash) and Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) tools. - Collaborative Agile Delivery: Actively participate in Agile scrum ceremonies, collaborating closely with developers, cloud engineers, and government stakeholders to support rapid, short-sprint software releases. Qualifications and Education Requirements: - US Citizenship with ability to successfully complete a federal background investigation. - Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Software Engineering, or related field (equivalent practical experience may be considered). - 5-7 years of database administration/engineering experience, with a minimum of 3 years of dedicated, hands-on experience designing and administering MongoDB environments. - Strong knowledge of MongoDB architecture, including replica sets, sharded clusters, storage engines, locking mechanisms, and transaction handling. - Experience designing scalable data models for document-oriented and relational databases, including schema versioning and optimization patterns. - Experience with SQL development, database administration, query optimization, and performance troubleshooting across NoSQL and relational database systems. - Proficiency in Python, Bash, or PowerShell for scripting and automation. - Knowledge of database security practices, including TLS/SSL, Kerberos/LDAP, auditing, and database hardening. - Experience administering Linux environments, including RHEL/CentOS, with an understanding of storage and performance monitoring. Preferred Skills: - Experience with PostgreSQL, Oracle, or Microsoft SQL Server in addition to MongoDB. - Experience implementing database STIGs and security hardening guidelines in federal or other regulated environments. - Experience automating database deployment, monitoring, or maintenance processes. - Ability to work a hybrid schedule 1-2 days/week.