Database Engineer

Database Engineer – K

K ’s National Security Solutions team provides high‑end engineering and advanced technology solutions to our customers in the intelligence and national security communities. In this position, your work will have a profound impact on the country’s most critical role– protecting our national security.

• Design, develop, configure, and maintain relational, non‑relational, distributed, and/or leaderless database solutions supporting GEMSTONE platform services and applications across multiple versions.
• Support deployment and sustainment of databases used by microservices in containerized Kubernetes environments.
• Assist with database schema design, data modeling, indexing strategies, and query optimization.
• Develop automated database provisioning, backup, recovery, replication, and migration capabilities using Infrastructure‑as‑Code and CI/CD pipelines.
• Support implementation of data governance, audit logging, access control, and cybersecurity requirements.
• Monitor database health, performance, storage utilization, and availability.
• Troubleshoot database performance, connectivity, and operational issues.
• Assist software engineering teams with database integration and API‑driven data access patterns.
• Support data persistence requirements for user applications, digital engineering artifacts, simulation outputs, and platform services.
• Participate in Dev Sec Ops , Agile, and CI/CD activities.
• Contribute to technical documentation, architecture products, and operational procedures.
• Support deployment of solutions across cloud, hybrid, and potentially disconnected operational environments.

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Systems, Data Engineering, or related technical discipline.
• Ability to learn complex software ecosystems and rapidly become proficient in new platforms and technologies.
• Ability to obtain a DoD Secret security clearance.
• 1–5 years of professional experience supporting database technologies.
• Experience with one or more relational database platforms:
  PostgreSQL, MySQL/MariaDB, or MSSQL.
• Experience with No
  
  SQL databases such as MongoDB, Couchbase, RavenDB, Firestore, Elasticsearch or Open Search, Redis, Valkey, Memcached, Foundation DB, Cockroach DB, TiKV, or YugabyteDB.
• Experience with Distributed Consensus and Replication.
• Experience writing and optimizing SQL queries.
• Understanding of database design principles, normalization, and data modeling.
• Familiarity with Linux operating systems.
• Basic scripting experience in Python, Bash, or Power Shell.

Desired:

• Experience with ETL processes and how databases play a role.
• Experience with Kubernetes and containerized application environments.
• Familiarity with databases hosted by AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud.
• Experience supporting distributed microservice architectures.
• Understanding of API‑driven systems and data integration patterns.
• Understanding and implementation of the Transactional Outbox pattern.
• Experience with PostgreSQL scaling and replication.
• High‑availability database architectures.
• Exposure to Dev Sec Ops  practices and CI/CD tools.
• Familiarity with digital engineering, MBSE, M&S, analytics, or AI/ML environments.
• Understanding of NIST RMF, STIGs, and DoD cybersecurity requirements.
• Experience supporting observability platforms such as Grafana, Prometheus, or Loki.

• Onsite or hybrid in Dayton, OH.
• Travel requirements:
  None.
• Working hours:
  
  Standard.

K  offers a selection of competitive lifestyle benefits including a 401(k) plan with company match, medical, dental, vision, life insurance, AD&D, flexible spending account, disability, paid time off, and a flexible work schedule. We support career advancement through professional training and development.

K  is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, veteran status, genetic information, union status, and any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.