Principal Cloud Database Engineer

Ford • , MI,US

2d • $115,000 - $192,900 • Remote

About The Position

We are seeking a Principal Cloud Database Engineer (GCP & AI) to drive architecture, engineering, and innovation across enterprise-scale database platforms. This role will lead modernization efforts using Google Cloud Platform (GCP) services such as Cloud SQL, AlloyDB, and Spanner while integrating AI-driven capabilities into database operations and data platforms. The ideal candidate combines deep expertise in relational database systems and cloud architecture with hands-on exposure to AI/ML technologies to enable intelligent, automated, and scalable data solutions.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Data Engineering, or related field.
• 10+ years of experience in relational database engineering (PostgreSQL, SQL Server, MySQL, AlloyDB or Spanner).
• 5+ years of hands-on experience with GCP, especially: Cloud SQL for PostgreSQL and/or Cloud SQL for SQL Server, AlloyDB, Cloud Spanner
• Strong expertise in: Database platform automation, design, indexing, and performance tuning
• Strong expertise in: Backup/recovery and high availability architectures
• Strong expertise in: Migration strategies and tools (e.g., DMS, Striim, replication tools)
• Experience with DevOps practices, CI/CD pipelines, and IaC.
• Programming experience (Terraform, Python, Java, or Go).

Responsibilities

• Lead architecture design and engineering for GCP relational database platforms (Cloud SQL for PostgreSQL, Cloud SQL for SQL Server, AlloyDB, Spanner).
• Define and implement enterprise database standards aligned with security, scalability, and performance best practices.
• Drive modernization initiatives including database migrations to GCP using tools such as DMS, Striim and migration frameworks.
• Design highly available, resilient, and cost-optimized database solutions on GCP.
• Implement infrastructure-as-code (IaC) using tools such as Terraform.
• Enable secure connectivity patterns (IAM, VPC, Private Service Access, Private Service Connect, serverless integrations).
• Lead Cloud Databases financial accounting, performance tuning, capacity planning, and database reliability engineering.
• Integrate AI/ML capabilities into database platforms (e.g., MCP, data agents, context engineering, anomaly detection, query optimization).
• Consult with application teams to enable data pipelines for AI/ML workloads.
• Evaluate and adopt AI-assisted database operations and automation solutions.
• Drive initiatives on AI-enabled observability and self-healing systems.
• Establish best practices for backup, recovery, disaster recovery, and compliance.
• Define monitoring, logging, and alerting strategies for database services.
• Lead database governance and continuous cost optimization initiatives.
• Provide CUD evaluation and recommendations.
• Mentor Summer Interns, Ford College Graduates, Cloud engineers and Database Specialists; act as Subject Matter Expert for GCP relational databases.
• Partner with application, DevOps, and architecture teams to deliver scalable solutions.
• Influence platform strategy and roadmap for database and AI adoption.
• Advocate with GCP product and engineering teams to enhance/mature GCP database services.

Benefits

• Immediate medical, dental, and prescription drug coverage
• Flexible family care, parental leave, new parent ramp-up programs, subsidized back-up child care and more
• Vehicle discount program for employees and family members, and management leases
• Tuition assistance
• Established and active employee resource groups
• Paid time off for individual and team community service
• A generous schedule of paid holidays, including the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day
• Paid time off and the option to purchase additional vacation time.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Principal