Principal Database Engineer – SQL Server & AI Data Infrastructure
Skills
About the role
This is a hands-on principal-level database engineering role focused on modernizing large-scale SQL Server platforms, open to candidates anywhere in the US. It suits a deeply technical database engineer who wants senior-staff-level ownership without moving into people management. The work spans T-SQL performance tuning, schema modernization, event-driven data patterns, and building AI-enabled data infrastructure like embeddings and vector search. The hiring company is not named; the posting is managed by a third-party recruiting partner.
What you’ll do
- Design, optimize and modernize large-scale SQL Server databases and data platforms.
- Refactor complex T-SQL, stored procedures and legacy database logic.
- Diagnose performance issues via execution-plan analysis, indexing and query tuning.
- Lead schema modernization and migration initiatives with minimal business disruption.
- Build replication, synchronization and data movement across SQL Server, PostgreSQL, Snowflake and cloud services.
- Implement event-driven patterns such as Change Data Capture and outbox patterns.
- Apply AI coding assistants and contribute to embedding pipelines, vector databases and RAG infrastructure.
- Lead complex initiatives independently from design through production.
- Mentor engineers and set database engineering standards.
- Investigate high-impact production incidents and drive root-cause fixes.
What they’re looking for
- 15+ years in database engineering, data platform engineering or related software engineering.
- Deep hands-on Microsoft SQL Server and T-SQL expertise, including execution plans, indexing and tuning.
- Track record modernizing or transforming legacy database environments.
- Experience with large-scale, high-volume, business-critical databases.
- Strong programming skills in Python, C# or a comparable language.
- Experience with data pipelines, ETL/ELT and event-driven architectures.
- Deep knowledge of database internals, transactions, concurrency and locking.
- Experience using AI coding assistants such as GitHub Copilot, Cursor or Claude Code.
- Familiarity with embeddings, vector databases, semantic search or RAG.
Nice to have
- Experience with PostgreSQL, Snowflake, Azure SQL, Cosmos DB or comparable cloud platforms.
- Infrastructure-as-code experience (Terraform, ARM, Bicep) and CI/CD.
- Familiarity with Kafka or NoSQL/document databases.
- Experience in payments, financial services, healthcare or other regulated industries.
- Oracle PL/SQL experience, hands-on RAG or vector database work.
What’s on offer
- Base salary $165,800-$204,400 annually.
- Quarterly or annual performance bonus eligibility.
- Health, dental and vision insurance.
- Retirement savings plan.
- Paid time off, HSA/FSA options.
- Life and disability insurance.
- Tuition reimbursement.
- Fully remote within the United States.
Questions about this role
Is this role remote?
Yes, it's a fully remote role within the United States.
How much does it pay?
The base salary range is $165,800 to $204,400 annually, plus bonus eligibility.
How many years of experience do I need?
The posting asks for 15+ years of database or data platform engineering experience.
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