Senior Database Architect

Key Responsibilities:

Database Architecture & Design:

• Design enterprise AWS database architectures across relational, NoSQL, in-memory, graph and time-series workloads.
• Develop architecture blueprints, data models, capacity plans, HA/DR strategies and migration approaches aligned to business objectives.
• Select and optimise appropriate AWS database services including RDS, Aurora, DynamoDB, ElastiCache, Redshift, Document DB, Keyspaces, Timestream and Neptune.
• Ensure designs address security, compliance, resilience, performance and cost optimization.

Database Migration & Modernization:

• Lead end-to-end database migrations covering assessment, schema conversion, data migration, validation, cutover and handover using AWS DMS and SCT.
• Deliver heterogeneous migrations such as Oracle, SQL Server and MySQL to AWS-managed and cloud-native database services, including Oracle-to-Aurora PostgreSQL modernization.
• Perform health checks, schema complexity analysis, migration-wave planning, data integrity validation, performance benchmarking and application compatibility testing.
• Create migration runbooks, cutover/rollback plans and production-readiness documentation.

Performance, Security & Automation:

• Perform query tuning, indexing, execution-plan analysis, NoSQL data modelling and resolution of database, connection, locking and storage I/O bottlenecks.
• Implement AWS database security including KMS encryption, TLS, IAM authentication, VPC isolation, Secrets Manager and audit/compliance controls.
• Build database automation and DevOps capabilities using CI/CD, Terraform, CloudFormation and/or CDK for repeatable database provisioning and deployments.
• Implement monitoring and observability using CloudWatch, Performance Insights, CloudTrail and appropriate third-party tools.

Delivery & Collaboration:

• Collaborate with Solutions Architects, Data Engineers, Project Managers and customer teams within Agile/ProServ engagements.
• Produce architecture diagrams, data flows, design decisions, runbooks and operational handover documentation.
• Develop reusable migration playbooks, IaC modules and delivery accelerators; mentor junior database engineers.

Required Qualifications:

Education & Experience:

Technical Skills:

• Deep hands-on knowledge of Amazon RDS and Aurora for PostgreSQL/MySQL, plus experience with Oracle, SQL Server, MySQL and MariaDB workloads.
• Strong knowledge of AWS NoSQL and specialized database services including DynamoDB, Document DB, ElastiCache, Keyspaces, Timestream, Redshift and Neptune.
• Proficiency with AWS DMS and SCT for homogeneous and heterogeneous migrations.
• Advanced SQL, stored procedures, indexing, execution plans and performance tuning across relational database engines.
• Experience with Terraform, AWS CloudFormation and/or AWS CDK; scripting skills in Python, Bash and/or SQL.
• Working knowledge of database security, IAM, encryption, networking, Secrets Manager, compliance and Database DevOps practices.
• Familiarity with CI/CD and schema migration tools such as AWS CodePipeline, GitLab CI, Jenkins, Flyway and Liquibase.

Certifications:

• AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate or Professional (required or in progress).
• Additional AWS Specialty certifications in Data Analytics, Security or Machine Learning preferred.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Hands-on Oracle-to-Aurora PostgreSQL/postgreSQL modernization, including PL/SQL refactoring, Oracle feature mitigation and application compatibility validation.
• Experience with commercial database license-elimination and cloud-modernization programmes.
• Familiarity with Aurora Serverless v2, RDS Proxy and Aurora Global Database for advanced HA/scalability.
• Advanced DynamoDB modelling, GSI strategies and event-driven patterns; familiarity with Neptune, Cassandra/Amazon Keyspaces and graph/wide-column workloads.
• Experience implementing Database DevOps pipelines, automated database testing and AWS ProServ delivery standards; ITIL/change-management familiarity preferred.