Senior PostgreSQL Database Engineer - Active TS/SCI required

Riptide Technology is seeking a 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 Oracle Enterprise RDBMS—to support critical, ongoing programs within the Naval Center for Spacecraft Technology (NCST). This dual-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:

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  Database Architecture, Administration, & Modernization
  
  
  
  
  • Oracle Enterprise Management: Implement, manage, and tune Oracle Enterprise Edition RDBMS (including Oracle 12c, SQL Developer, and 12c Cloud Console). Expertly install Oracle Enterprise Linux, Oracle software, and manage workloads across bare metal servers, Real Application Clusters (RAC), and Exadata servers.
  
  
  • Advanced Oracle Security & Optimization: Configure and utilize advanced native Oracle features including Oracle Label Security, Real Application Clusters (RAC), and Oracle Partitioning options via complex SQL programming.
  
  
  • Database Migration & Planning: Research, engineer, and establish transition paths for shifting legacy Oracle RDBMS data stores to 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 Linux, Oracle Enterprise Linux (OEL), 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 for multiple situational awareness data types (GEOINT, SIGINT, OSINT). Optimize track correlation, tracker algorithm performance, and database-level alerting/alarming capabilities.
  
  
  • Algorithm Review & Long-Term Trending: Perform continuous algorithm analysis, 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). 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. 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.


• 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 (PostgreSQL, Oracle, SQL Server, Sybase).


• Spatial Database Architecture: 4+ years of strong proficiency in spatial databases, specifically PostGIS, or equivalent relational spatial extensions (e.g., Oracle Spatial, MS SQL Spatial, SpatiaLite).


• 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 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 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 and active DoD Top Secret/SCI clearance

Equivalent Spatial Technologies Reference

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  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 or development experience. A PostgreSQL Professional Certification (or AWS/Azure Cloud Database Certification) is a strong plus, but equivalent production experience is highly valued.


• Team Collaboration: Proven track record collaborating within multi-disciplinary engineering environments, interfacing effectively with infrastructure, security, application development, functional leads, and product/operational managers.


• Distributed Architectures: Experience designing, deploying, and managing multi-node PostgreSQL clusters, high-availability (HA) setups, and cloud-based PostgreSQL configurations (e.g., AWS RDS/Aurora, Azure Cosmos DB for PostgreSQL).


• High-Scale Data Processing: Expertise handling large-scale, high-velocity datasets, specifically spatiotemporal (geo-spatial) architectures, large time-series datasets, and streaming event logs.


• Massive Data Ingestion: Mastery of high-volume bulk loading, parallel data ingestion techniques, and ETL/ELT optimization strategies.


• Advanced Data Security: Deep understanding of enterprise security models, including Role-Based Access Control (RBAC), Row-Level Security (RLS), multi-level secure access controls, and data security labeling/classification schemas.


• Performance Engineering: Strong skills in database performance tuning, query optimization, and profiling using tools such as pgBench, EXPLAIN ANALYZE, Dynatrace, or native PostgreSQL statistics.
  
  

$200,000 - $225,000 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

Riptide Technology, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer ensuring no employee or prospective employee will be discriminated against based on race, color, national origin, age, religion, disability status, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or marital status with regards to recruitment, hiring, upgrading, promotion or rehiring.

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