Platform Database Engineer
Job description
About the role
The role designs and operates MongoDB deployments while applying SRE practices. You will architect resilient and scalable database solutions that ensure high availability and performance for critical applications. A core part of your ownership involves implementing infrastructure as code to provision and manage database environments consistently and reliably. You will utilize SRE methodologies to automate operations, monitor system health, and drive continuous improvement of database platforms. This position requires a proactive approach to identifying potential issues before they impact users and stakeholders. You will collaborate closely with application development teams to optimize database interactions and remove technical bottlenecks. Your ability to translate complex technical concepts into clear explanations will be vital for aligning technical work with business objectives.
Key facts
What you'll do
Optimize query execution plans and database performance to support application development teams across the entire software development lifecycle.
Implement and maintain database provisioning processes using infrastructure-as-code tools such as Terraform integrated with GitOps workflows.
Design high availability and disaster recovery strategies for MongoDB Atlas and non-Atlas deployments to meet strict uptime requirements.
Deploy and tune observability solutions using Dynatrace, CloudWatch, and MongoDB native telemetry to monitor database health and performance metrics.
Manage enterprise access control, auditing, and encryption configurations to ensure compliance with security policies and regulatory standards.
Lead incident response efforts for database-related events, performing root cause analysis and documenting corrective actions.
Automate routine database administration tasks through custom scripts and infrastructure definitions to reduce manual effort and human error.
Collaborate with software engineers to refine data models and ensure that database schemas support evolving application requirements efficiently.
Evaluate and integrate new database tools and cloud services to improve scalability, reliability, and operational efficiency.
Serve as a technical authority for MongoDB best practices, guiding the team on configuration, scaling, and maintenance strategies.
Contribute to the development and maintenance of runbooks and operational documentation for database procedures and troubleshooting.
Promote platform reliability by conducting post-incident reviews and implementing preventative measures to avoid future disruptions.
Support the adoption of containerized workloads on EKS and Kubernetes, ensuring that database sidecars and operators function correctly.
Engage in on-call rotations to provide timely responses to production alerts and maintain system stability around the clock.
Requirements
A minimum of 4 years of experience as a MongoDB DBA is required, including 4 years of administering MongoDB Atlas.
Experience with the AWS ecosystem, including EC2, EKS, CloudWatch, IAM, KMS, and VPC, is required.
Proficiency in Terraform, GitOps, CI/CD automation, and containerized workloads on EKS/Kubernetes is required.
Experience with Dynatrace, Prometheus, or equivalent observability platforms is required.
Strong Linux administration expertise and scripting skills in Python and Bash are required.
Availability for on-call rotation and incident response is required.
A solid understanding of database security, compliance frameworks, and encryption mechanisms is required.
The ability to work effectively in a fully remote environment with strong written communication skills is required.
Experience working in agile software development cycles, including sprints, code reviews, and planning sessions, is required.
Practical notes
The role may require occasional travel. The position is based in a remote location in Colombia. Typical interview steps
Hiring for engineering roles usually starts with a recruiter screen, followed by one or two technical rounds. Candidates often solve a coding problem, discuss past projects, and answer system design questions. Some loops include a take-home task. Final rounds typically cover team fit and give candidates a chance to ask questions. Interviewers look for how you break down an unfamiliar problem, not just whether you reach the answer. Practicing a few problems aloud and reviewing your own past projects are the best preparation.
Good to know
Database engineers work with MongoDB and related data platforms in cloud and on premise environments. Infrastructure as code tools such as Terraform and GitOps are commonly used for database provisioning. Observability platforms help monitor database health and performance. Security, compliance, and access controls are integral parts of database administration in enterprise contexts.
Questions to ask
Useful questions for the interview: what a typical week looks like, how work is assigned, what tools the team uses, and how feedback works. Asking how the role has changed recently and what the team wishes it had known when joining is also reasonable. Questions about the manager's priorities are especially valued.
Career growth
Engineering careers usually progress from individual contributor to senior, staff, and principal levels. Some engineers move into management and lead teams of five to twenty people. Others stay on the technical track. Growth follows demonstrated impact, not tenure alone. A typical engineering ladder has clear levels with defined expectations for scope, quality, and mentorship. Moving up usually requires owning outcomes end to end rather than completing assigned tickets.