MySQL/MariaDB Performance DBA

Job Summary: This is a highly specialized role requiring deep expertise in database performance engineering, scalability testing, workload analysis, and bottleneck identification within mission-critical transactional systems. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience with MariaDB and MySQL, performance tuning under load, replication optimization, database observability, and database scalability strategies.

Request ID: 111797-1
Title: MySQL/MariaDB Performance DBA
Locations: Onsite: New York, NY
Duration: 6 Months with Possible Extension.
Pay Range: $30-$37/Hour on W2 (All inclusive)

Description:

• Lead database performance and load testing efforts across large-scale transactional platforms.
• Design, execute, and analyze database-focused performance, load, stress, endurance, and scalability tests.
• Analyze and tune database behavior under heavy workload conditions. · Optimize SQL queries, indexes, schema design, and database configurations to improve performance.
• Investigate lock contention, deadlocks, slow queries, replication delays, and resource bottlenecks.
• Monitor database saturation metrics including: o Active connections o Query throughput o Disk IOPS
• o CPU utilization o Memory utilization o Buffer pool efficiency o Replication health
• Identify database bottlenecks impacting application performance and overall platform scalability. ·
• Partner with Software, QA, and Infrastructure Engineers to diagnose end-to-end performance issues. 
•  Provide recommendations for database scaling strategies, including: o Instance sizing upgrades o Read replicas o Schema separation o Database partitioning o Sharding approaches ·
• Configure proactive monitoring, alerting, and observability solutions to ensure database health and performance. ·
• Support distributed load generation exercises and validate database behavior under production-scale workloads. ·
• Produce detailed performance analysis reports and actionable remediation recommendations. ·
• Establish performance baselines, capacity plans, and scalability benchmarks. ·
• Drive best practices for database reliability, scalability, and operational excellence

Job Summary: 

• This is a highly specialized role requiring deep expertise in database performance engineering, scalability testing, workload analysis, and bottleneck identification within mission-critical transactional systems.
• Hands-on Performance and Load Testing experience is essential.
• We are seeking top-tier, senior candidates, not generalists. Familiarity with tools such as k6 (preferred), Locust, Gatling, distributed load generation, and modern observability stacks is expected.
• The ideal candidate will have extensive experience with MariaDB and MySQL, performance tuning under load, replication optimization, database observability, and database scalability strategies.
• Mandatory Expectations ·
• Hands-on Performance & Load Testing experience is mandatory. ·
• Strong experience with MariaDB and MySQL performance engineering. ·
• Experience working on high-scale, event-driven transactional platforms. ·
• Expertise with k6 (preferred), Locust, Gatling, or comparable load-testing frameworks.
• Experience supporting distributed load generation and large-scale performance testing programs. ·
• Strong familiarity with modern observability stacks including Grafana, Prometheus, Datadog, and OpenTelemetry. ·
• Proven ability to identify, analyze, and remediate complex database performance bottlenecks. ·
• Experience working in cloud-native environments and collaborating within Performance Engineering teams. ·
• Must be a senior specialist, not a generalist DBA.
• Technical Skills ·
• 7+ years of experience as a Database Administrator with strong focus on database performance engineering. ·
• Extensive hands-on experience administering and optimizing MariaDB and MySQL environments. ·
• Proven experience supporting Performance & Load Testing initiatives for high-volume transactional systems. ·
• Strong expertise with performance testing tools such as k6, Locust, Gatling, or equivalent load testing frameworks. ·
• Experience supporting distributed load generation and large-scale workload simulations. ·
• Deep understanding of:
• o Query optimization
• o Index optimization
• o Execution plan analysis
• o Database tuning
• o Lock contention analysis
• o Deadlock troubleshooting
• o Replication performance tuning
• o Replication-lag analysis ·
• Experience monitoring and tuning:
• o Connection saturation
• o IOPS
• o CPU utilization
• o Memory utilization
• o Buffer pool efficiency
• o Query latency
• o Transaction throughput ·
• Strong understanding of database scalability strategies including: o Read replicas
• o Schema separation
• o Partitioning
• o Sharding
• o Vertical scaling
• o Horizontal scaling ·
• Experience supporting cloud-native and Kubernetes-based environments. ·
• Expertise with modern observability platforms including:
• o Grafana
• o Prometheus
• o Datadog
• o OpenTelemetry
• o Database performance monitoring tools ·
• Strong Linux administration and automation experience.
• Functional Skills ·
• Database Performance Engineering. ·
• Performance testing and benchmarking. ·
• Capacity planning and scalability analysis. ·
• Root cause analysis and bottleneck identification. ·
• Production workload analysis. ·
• Reliability and resiliency assessment. ·
• Cross-functional collaboration with Software Engineering, Infrastructure, and Performance Engineering teams. ·
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills. ·
• Technical leadership and mentoring

Database Administrator (DBA) – Performance & Load Testing
Experience :
7-8 Years

Company Benefits & Culture
•    Inclusive and diverse work environment
•    Opportunities for professional growth and development
•    Comprehensive health and wellness benefits