Database Administrator

At Penlink, we build secure, scalable, and high-performing systems that our customers rely on every day. We are growing rapidly and are seeking a skilled Database Administrator to help ensure the reliability, performance, and security of our database environments. 

Penlink is seeking a Database Administrator (DBA) to oversee the administration, performance, security, and availability of our enterprise database systems. This role is responsible for maintaining stable and reliable database environments that support mission-critical applications and data workflows. 

The DBA will work closely with software engineers, product teams, and operations to support database changes, monitor system health, troubleshoot issues, and implement best practices. This role carries significant ownership of production and non-production environments and requires a proactive approach to risk mitigation, performance optimization, and system reliability. 

Key Responsibilities 

• Administer, configure, and maintain enterprise relational database systems (Oracle preferred) across production, staging, and development environments 
• Ensure high availability, reliability, and recoverability of database systems through proper configuration, monitoring, and maintenance 
• Perform routine database maintenance including backups, restores, patching, upgrades, and capacity planning 
• Manage database security, user access, auditing, and compliance requirements 
• Monitor database performance, health, and usage trends using appropriate tools and metrics 
• Identify, diagnose, and resolve database performance issues and bottlenecks 
• Optimize queries, indexing, partitioning, and storage strategies in collaboration with engineering teams 
• Proactively recommend and implement improvements to enhance system scalability and efficiency 
• Participate in incident response for database-related issues, including troubleshooting and root cause analysis 
• Support disaster recovery planning, testing, and execution 
• Document incidents, resolutions, and preventative measures to reduce future risk 
• Partner with software engineers to support application releases and database schema changes 
• Provide guidance on database best practices, standards, and usage 
• Document procedures, standards, and operational runbooks 
• Support internal stakeholders by responding to database-related requests and questions 

Required Competencies 

• Proven experience administering relational database systems, with Oracle database experience strongly preferred. 
• Strong knowledge of database performance monitoring, tuning, and optimization techniques in production environments. 
• Hands-on experience with backup and recovery strategies, including disaster recovery planning and execution. 
• Demonstrated skill in SQL query analysis and optimization, including the use of indexing and partitioning to improve performance and scalability. 
• Experience managing database security, user access controls, auditing, and compliance requirements. 
• Ability to diagnose and resolve complex database issues, including performance degradation and system reliability concerns. 
• Strong analytical and troubleshooting skills, with the ability to identify root causes and implement preventative solutions. 
• High attention to detail and ownership of database environments supporting mission-critical applications. 
• Ability to manage multiple priorities effectively in a fast-paced, collaborative environment. 
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to clearly explain technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders. 
• Eligibility to obtain and maintain U.S. Government Security Clearance, including meeting citizenship and background requirements.