PostgreSQL DBA

DRFIRST COM INC • US,

10d • $130,000 - $150,000 • Remote

About The Position

DrFirst is seeking a cloud-native PostgreSQL Database Administrator for its System Operations team. The role manages PostgreSQL on AWS Aurora as part of a broader, event-driven persistence architecture, helping ensure data moves reliably from prescribers, pharmacies, EHRs, and patient channels through message and event brokers into databases and other stores, and back to applications and consumers. This is a hands-on, automation-first position focused on treating the database as part of a connected data ecosystem.

The DBA will operate PostgreSQL and Aurora across AWS accounts and environments; configure, tune, deploy, upgrade, and patch databases; monitor health and capacity; optimize performance; and support modern data flows, replication, caching, and downstream analytics. The role also builds automation and CI/CD processes, applies infrastructure as code, and designs and tests backup, recovery, high-availability, and disaster-recovery capabilities. Collaboration with DevOps, NetOps, application engineering, and architecture is essential, as is participation in production on-call support.

DrFirst is a remote-first company. The role involves approximately 90% desk work and 10% remote travel to client sites, conferences, or internal team meetings.

Requirements

• 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 message and event brokers such as Kafka, Kinesis, or RabbitMQ; in-memory caches such as Redis or ElastiCache; and event-driven data flow.
• Strong SQL skills and a solid grasp of relational data modeling.
• Excellent problem-solving, communication, and documentation skills.

Nice To Haves

• 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.
• Experience with CI/CD tooling such as Jenkins, GitLab CI, or AWS CodePipeline.
• Exposure to other data stores such as DynamoDB, Redshift, OpenSearch, or MongoDB.
• 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.

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 within an event-driven architecture, and collaborate on data flows between Kafka, Kinesis, PostgreSQL, and consumers.
• Partner on caching and in-memory data patterns such as Redis or ElastiCache for high-read workloads.
• Help shape a unified persistence layer and support read replicas, logical replication, and change data capture for downstream analytics, search, and reporting.
• Tune PostgreSQL and Aurora 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; review SQL, data models, and access patterns with development teams before 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 security, monitoring, cost-optimization, and right-sizing best practices.
• 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; use infrastructure as code such as Terraform or CloudFormation.
• Design, test, and document backup and recovery strategies that meet RTO and RPO targets; run quarterly disaster-recovery drills and maintain failure-scenario runbooks.
• 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 the production on-call rotation.
• Document procedures, configurations, troubleshooting guides, and architectural decisions.

Benefits

• Competitive base salary of $130,000–$150,000; exact compensation may vary based on skills and experience.
• Eligible for a company performance-based bonus program based on individual and company performance.
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• 401(k) eligibility after 3 months, with a 50% company match on the first 5% of salary contributed and a 3-year vesting schedule.
• HSA for eligible employees enrolled in the HDHP, with company contributions up to $500 annually for individual coverage and $1,000 for family coverage.
• 100% company-paid short- and long-term disability, AD&D, and group life insurance.
• Accrued annual PTO of 18 days for the first 3 years of service, increasing thereafter, plus 7 paid holidays.
• Employee Assistance Program.
• Continuing education funds up to $1,500 annually for eligible programs after 1 year of service.
• Voluntary benefits including FSA, hospital indemnity, accident, and critical illness insurance.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed