Senior Database Design Engineer (Level V) to support cutting-edge Research and Development (R&D), Data Analysis, and Cloud Migration initiatives in a hybrid role at the
Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) in Washington, D.C.This Subject Matter Expert (SME) will lead the design, implementation, and operations of high-performance database infrastructures-spanning PostgreSQL
and future recommended technologies-to support critical, ongoing programs within the
Naval Center for Spacecraft Technology (NCST). This database architecture handles massive volumes of multi-source event data, supports data fusion, and is actively transitioning toward modern Cloud architectures.
We are seeking a seasoned
Database Design Engineer and Architect who possesses full-spectrum software development capabilities. While you must understand traditional database administration, your primary focus is engineering future-state data models, designing tracking algorithms, managing data migration strategies, and deploying resilient cloud/on-premise database ecosystems.
Core Responsibilities:- 1. Database Architecture, Administration, & Modernization
- PostgreSQL Enterprise Management: Implement, manage, and tune PostgreSQL RDBMS (including modern PostgreSQL versions, pgAdmin, psql, and enterprise monitoring consoles). Expertly install Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), PostgreSQL software, and manage workloads across bare metal servers, High Availability (HA) clusters (e.g., Patroni, repmgr), and high-performance database appliances.
- Advanced PostgreSQL Security & Optimization: Configure and utilize advanced native PostgreSQL features including Row-Level Security (RLS), native declarative partitioning, custom indexing (GIN, GiST, BRIN), and connection pooling via complex SQL and PL/pgSQL programming.
- Database Migration & Planning: Research, engineer, and establish transition paths for shifting legacy relational data stores to PostgreSQL instances within the IC and DoD Cloud data layers. Support data engineering by defining and implementing complex object models (e.g., Unified Object Model, Generalized Entity Model) within cloud environments.
- Infrastructure & OS Management: Support a hybrid suite of virtualized systems and bare metal servers running Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), Rocky Linux, Community Enterprise OS (CentOS), and limited Windows environments.
2. Algorithm Development, Data Fusion, & Tracking
- Multi-INT & Geolocation Tracking: Develop, modify, and enhance data fusion and geographic tracking algorithms utilizing PostGIS and spatial indexing for multiple situational awareness data types (GEOINT, SIGINT, OSINT). Optimize track correlation, tracker algorithm performance, and database-level alerting/alarming capabilities (e.g., LISTEN/NOTIFY, triggers).
- Algorithm Review & Long-Term Trending: Perform continuous algorithm analysis, query performance measurement, and long-term trending while data remains active. Detect, document, and report anomalies to the Government lead.
- Data Tagging & Characterization: Research and develop automated electronic emission pattern data tagging methodologies.
3. Data Ingestion, Archiving, & Cloud Integration
- Cloud & Web Architecture: Build and maintain system architectures hosting maritime data feeds, schedule information, and web extractor software across hardware suites, IC/DoD Clouds, or commercial Government clouds such as Amazon Web Services (AWS/RDS/Aurora). Lead systems engineering efforts for transitioning existing capabilities into evolving cloud ecosystems.
- Data Archiving & Query Web Services: Implement long-term online data archives capable of indexing multi-domain positions (maritime, airborne, land, space) and metadata using JSONB and spatial extensions. Integrate Open Source Schedule data and build queryable web services to retrieve historical archives.
- Operations & Maintenance: Provide Echelon 2 Operations and Maintenance (O&M) support for existing tactical and strategic data feeds.
4. UI/Widget Integration & Object Production (OBP)
- Widget Suite Prototyping: Design and engineer user interface prototypes and underlying data access web services to integrate analysis capabilities within the Ozone Widget Framework (OWF) or equivalent presentation frameworks.
- Object Management as a Service / OMAAS: Implement an Object-Based Production approach that delivers aggregated real-world object profiles (vessels, airplanes, facilities) in a collaborative regional/worldwide service framework. Develop advanced object aggregation algorithms to support R&D.
5. Systems Engineering & Lifecycle Support
- Systems Assessment: Perform technical and engineering data analyses on system functionality, survivability, and performance to solve critical design deficiencies. Run short-term engineering analyses and quick-reaction studies.
- Documentation & Training: Prepare training documentation and instruct operators on data analysis products, supporting program deliveries, demonstrations, and high-level customer presentations.
- Configuration Management: Participate in system capability reviews, modify existing application codebases, and maintain rigorous baseline control by archiving all software modifications in a CM database.
- Infrastructure Upkeep: Support and enhance network technology implementations, handle routine equipment maintenance, manage system access via account creation scripts, and connect with Local/Wide Area Networks utilizing thin-client architectures.
Required Qualifications:- Education: Minimum B.S. Degree in Mathematics, Engineering, or Computer Science.
- Certifications: Required to meet DoD 8570/8140 Information Assurance Technical (IAT) Level II requirements.
- Software Development Methodologies: 12+ years of experience applying software development methodologies and practices, including traditional structured programming as well as object-oriented programming techniques and broad utilization of current software development tools within numerous environments.
- Relational Database Engineering: 12+ years of experience with relational database planning, design, development, testing, installation, and maintenance of complex technical software systems utilizing PostgreSQL.
- Spatial Database Architecture: 4+ years of strong proficiency in spatial databases, specifically PostGIS and advanced geospatial indexing/querying within PostgreSQL.
- Engineering Breadth: Database engineers must possess the full spectrum of skills required for the development of complex software systems. This includes experience in all aspects of software development supporting complex Multi-INT processing from initial planning and design to final installation and maintenance.
- Enterprise Computing & Design: Enterprise computing and architecture design capability for ground-based analysis systems, to include system information modeling and PostgreSQL database design.
- System Integration: Ability to incorporate system architecture using enterprise design, business process modeling (BPM), workflow implementation, and web-based/semantics-based development methodologies.
- Multi-Modal Data Fusion: Proven experience designing and implementing scalable PostgreSQL databases to ingest, integrate, and synthesize highly disparate, multi-source data feeds / Multi-INT fusion products (structured data streams, high-volume ingestion, raw telemetry, and imagery) to deliver mission-critical insights to tactical field operators and end-users in low-latency environments.
- Mission Domain Knowledge: Leverage knowledge of terrestrial and space surveillance methodologies, sensor technologies and capabilities, and the ability to envision new modes of operation via an evolutionary development process.
- SDLC Consultation: Experience in producing technical and user documentation, training and system orientation, and consulting with related development teams throughout the software development life cycle.
- Security Clearance: This position requires US Citizenship and an active DoD Top Secret/SCI clearance.
Equivalent Spatial Technologies Reference- Candidates who possess 4+ years of experience in any of the following alternative spatial environments are highly encouraged to apply and will be considered equivalent:
- Cloud Data Warehouses: Google BigQuery GIS, Amazon Redshift Spatial, Snowflake Geospatial
- Relational Alternatives: Oracle Spatial & Graph, Microsoft SQL Server Spatial, MySQL Spatial
- NoSQL / Search Spatial: Elasticsearch (Geo-shape/Geo-point), MongoDB Geospatial
- Big Data Frameworks: Apache Sedona (GeoSpark), GeoMesa, Databricks Mosaic
Desired Qualifications:- Experience & Certifications: 5+ years of hands-on PostgreSQL administration, maintenance, and development experience. A PostgreSQL Professional Certification (or AWS/Azure Cloud Database Certification) is a strong plus, though equivalent production experience is highly valued.
- AI & Multi-Model Technology Strategy: Proven ability to evaluate, recommend, and architect next-generation data technologies to modernize legacy workflows. Experience assessing and integrating AI-ready extensions (such as pgvector for semantic search and RAG pipelines) and multi-model graph databases (specifically ArangoDB) alongside core relational systems.
- Team Collaboration: Proven track record collaborating within multi-disciplinary engineering environments, interfacing effectively with infrastructure, security, application development, AI/ML engineers, functional leads, and product/operational managers.
- Distributed & Hybrid Architectures: Experience designing, deploying, and maintaining multi-node PostgreSQL clusters, high-availability (HA) setups, and cloud-based configurations (e.g., AWS RDS/Aurora, Azure Database for PostgreSQL), as well as planning interoperability with distributed graph clusters like ArangoDB.
- High-Scale Data Processing: Expertise maintaining and scaling large, high-velocity datasets, specifically spatiotemporal (PostGIS) architectures, large time-series datasets, streaming event logs, and complex entity-relationship graphs.
- Massive Data Ingestion & Pipelines: Mastery of high-volume bulk loading, parallel data ingestion techniques, and ETL/ELT optimization strategies to feed both operational PostgreSQL databases and downstream AI/graph analytics engines.
- Advanced Data Security: Deep understanding of enterprise security models across relational and graph stores, including Role-Based Access Control (RBAC), Row-Level Security (RLS), multi-level secure access controls, and data security labeling/classification schemas.
- Performance Engineering & Lifecycle Maintenance: Strong skills in proactive database maintenance, routine patching, backup/recovery, performance tuning, and query profiling using tools such as pgBench, EXPLAIN ANALYZE, Dynatrace, and native PostgreSQL statistics.
$225,000 - $240,000 a year
6 weeks PTO; Immediately fully vested 401k, Company contribution equal to 10% of salary; Paid training; 100% Company paid Dental and Vision, Short and Long Term Disability and Life Insurance
