BetterHelp

Senior Database Engineer

BetterHelp$130K — $180K *
Information Technology
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 5+ years of DBA/DBE experience with production-grade relational databases at large scale.
  • Deep knowledge of MySQL/Aurora internals, including slow queries and replication lag.
  • Strong experience with AWS-native database solutions and data tooling.
  • Familiarity with Laravel or PHP-based ORM query behaviors.
  • Experience managing databases with tens or hundreds of billions of rows.
  • Effective communicator who can make technical decisions with diverse teams.
  • Strong Bash scripting and automation skills.
  • Bonus: Experience with Redis at scale.

Responsibilities

  • Own the architecture, availability, and performance of Aurora MySQL clusters.
  • Design and maintain strategies for obfuscating and replicating production databases.
  • Troubleshoot slow queries, lock contention, and performance issues.
  • Collaborate with engineers to improve or rewrite inefficient queries.
  • Design schema and modeling strategies that ensure high uptime.
  • Implement sensible foreign key usage policies.
  • Monitor and optimize backup, restore, and disaster recovery processes.
  • Provide insights on Redis data patterns as necessary.
  • Influence the engineering roadmap and workflow adaptations.
  • Participate in on-call rotations for major database incidents.

Benefits

  • Remote work with regular in-person bonding experiences.
  • Holistic perks including free therapy and employee wellness programs.
  • Excellent health, dental, and vision coverage.
  • 401k benefits with employer matching.
  • The opportunity to build impactful projects that change lives.
  • Access to any hardware or software that boosts productivity.
  • A supportive and enjoyable community of co-workers.
Full Job Description
What are we looking for?

We're looking for a Senior DBE to join our team, our first hire focused solely on database architecture and performance. This person will own the health, performance, and scalability of our databases, and play a critical role in shaping how we manage data across all environments.

You'll be working alongside DevOps engineers, developers, and leadership to ensure our Aurora MySQL environments are highly available, performant, and ready to scale. If you live and breathe query tuning, love designing resilient schema for massive scale, and want to help teams ship fast without causing chaos, you'll love it here.

We're looking for someone who cares and wants to be involved in our product, mission, and success, way beyond just running queries. And of course, at BetterHelp you will enjoy true teamwork and lots of fun!
What will you do?
  • Own the architecture, availability, and performance of our Aurora MySQL clusters.
  • Design and maintain strategies for obfuscating and replicating production databases to pre-production environments at scale.
  • Troubleshoot slow queries, hot tables, lock contention, and other complex performance issues.
  • Work with engineers to review, improve, or rewrite inefficient queries generated by Eloquent/Laravel.
  • Design schema and data modeling strategies that can evolve without risking downtime.
  • Weigh in on foreign key usage and implement sane policies that balance safety with maintainability.
  • Monitor and tune backup, restore, and disaster recovery processes.
  • Provide guidance on Redis usage and data patterns where applicable.
  • Help influence the engineering roadmap, even when it means others need to adapt workflows.
  • Participate in on-call rotation for major database incidents.
What technologies will you work with?
  • Aurora MySQL
  • AWS (RDS, EC2, S3, DMS, etc.)
  • Redis (Elasticache)
  • Laravel / Eloquent (PHP)
  • Percona / CloudWatch / Coralogix for monitoring
  • Terraform (infrastructure as code)
  • Bash + automation tooling
What will you NOT do?
  • You will NOT worry about "runway", "cash left", or "how much time we have until the next round". We have the startup DNA but we're fully backed and funded, all the way to success.
  • You will NOT be confined to your "job". You will get involved in product, marketing, business strategy, and almost everything we do.
  • You will NOT be bogged down by office politics, ego, or bad attitude. Only positive, pleasure-to-work-with people are allowed here!
  • You will NOT get yourself burned out. We work hard but we believe in maintaining a sustainable work/life balance. Really.
Can I work remotely?

Yes. We operate on PST and candidates in any time zone are welcome to apply. We ask employees to travel to our San Jose, CA office up to three times per year plus one company-wide offsite to collaborate in person and strengthen working relationships. Travel expenses are covered and reasonable accommodations are made for those under unique circumstances who cannot travel.
Requirements
  • 5+ years of DBA/DBE experience managing production-grade relational databases at large scale.
  • Deep MySQL/Aurora internals knowledge, from slow queries to replication lag and everything in between.
  • Strong experience with AWS-native database solutions and data tooling.
  • Familiarity with Laravel or PHP-based ORM query behavior.
  • Experience managing and monitoring databases with tens or hundreds of billions of rows.
  • Pragmatic and persuasive communicator who can align teams on technical decisions.
  • Strong Bash scripting and automation mindset.
  • Bonus: Experience with Redis at scale.
Benefits
  • Remote work with regular in-person bonding experiences sponsored by the company
  • Competitive compensation
  • Holistic perks program (including free therapy, employee wellness, and more)
  • Excellent health, dental, and vision coverage
  • 401k benefits with employer matching contribution
  • The chance to build something that changes lives - and that people love
  • Any piece of hardware or software that will make you happy and productive
  • An awesome community of co-workers

The base salary range for this position is $130,000 - $180,000. In addition to the base salary, this position is eligible for a performance bonus and the extensive benefits listed here (subject to eligibility requirements): Teladoc Health Benefits 2025. Total compensation is based on several factors - including, but not limited to, type of position, location, education level, work experience, and certifications. This information is applicable to all full-time positions.

About BetterHelp

BetterHelp is an online counseling platform that provides access to licensed therapists through video, phone, and messaging. The company was founded in 2013 by Alon Matas and Danny Bragonier. BetterHelp offers a range of services including individual counseling, couples counseling, and teen counseling. The platform is available 24/7 and offers affordable pricing options. BetterHelp has been featured in various media outlets including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and CNN.
Learn more about BetterHelp
Size
1,000 employees
Industry
Founded
2013

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