Principal Database Architect – Data Platforms

Location: St. Louis, MO – Onsite

Job Summary

We are seeking a highly experienced Principal Database Architect / Senior Oracle Database Engineer to design, engineer, and operate enterprise database platforms while driving modernization, automation, cloud adoption, and database transformation initiatives.

The ideal candidate will serve as a technical leader and subject matter expert across Oracle database platforms, contributing to enterprise database strategy while ensuring scalability, reliability, security, performance, and cost optimization.

Key Responsibilities

Oracle Platform Engineering & Lifecycle Management

• Architect, deploy, and manage Oracle databases across OLTP, Data Warehouse, and mixed workloads.

• Work with Oracle 11g, 12c, 19c, and 23c environments.

• Lead engineering and operations of Oracle RAC, Data Guard, GoldenGate, and ASM.

• Manage the complete database lifecycle, including provisioning, cloning, patching, upgrades, and decommissioning.

• Drive standardization of database configurations, naming conventions, and deployment models.

Exadata & Engineered Systems

• Lead operations and engineering for Exadata X6, X7, X8, X9, Exadata Cloud@Customer, and Exadata Cloud platforms.

• Plan and execute platform upgrades, consolidations, and legacy system decommissioning.

• Optimize workloads using Smart Scan, storage indexes, and I/O performance tuning.

• Partner with Oracle and other technology teams on patching, performance tuning, and technical escalations.

Cloud Transformation & Migration

• Lead database migrations to OCI, AWS, and GCP.

• Execute migration strategies using GoldenGate, Data Pump, RMAN, and logical replication.

• Design hybrid and multi-cloud database architectures.

• Support cloud landing zones, network integrations, VPCs, transit networks, and private endpoints.

• Drive database cost optimization, resource right-sizing, and storage optimization.

Database Automation & DBaaS

• Design and implement Database-as-a-Service (DBaaS) frameworks.

• Develop automation using Terraform, Ansible, Python, and Shell scripting.

• Integrate database workflows with CI/CD pipelines, including Jenkins and GitHub Actions.

• Enable self-service database provisioning, automated patching, and compliance enforcement.

• Build standardized templates and reusable automation modules.

Performance Engineering & Optimization

• Conduct performance analysis using AWR, ASH, and ADDM.

• Perform SQL tuning, indexing, and execution plan analysis.

• Optimize high-throughput transactional, batch, and ETL workloads.

• Drive capacity planning, forecasting, and workload balancing.

Observability & AI/ML Integration

• Implement enterprise database monitoring using Oracle Enterprise Manager, Foglight, Datadog, Prometheus, and Grafana.

• Support predictive failure detection and performance/capacity anomaly detection.

• Leverage AI and Generative AI capabilities to improve incident triage and operational efficiency.

• Collaborate with AI/ML teams on next-generation intelligent database operations and AIOps initiatives.

Security, Risk & Compliance

• Implement enterprise database security standards, including TDE, data masking, auditing, and access controls.

• Support SOX, internal audit, risk management, and compliance requirements.

• Work with database activity monitoring and risk management platforms.

• Implement secure authentication, SSO, and role-based access controls.

Multi-Platform Database Support

• Collaborate across heterogeneous database platforms, including:

  • SQL Server

  • PostgreSQL

  • MongoDB / DocumentDB

  • Redis / NoSQL platforms

• Support database consolidation and cross-platform migration strategies.

Leadership & Governance

• Serve as a technical lead and SME for Oracle database platforms.

• Mentor database engineers and drive cross-training initiatives.

• Partner with Architecture, Cloud Engineering, Security, and Application teams.

• Contribute to database governance, standards, RACI models, and intake processes.

• Participate in production support and escalation activities.

Required Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in Oracle Database Engineering or Administration.

• Deep expertise in Oracle RAC, Data Guard, GoldenGate, and ASM.

• Strong experience with Exadata platforms, both on-premises and cloud.

• Strong performance tuning and troubleshooting experience in large-scale environments.

• Hands-on experience with OCI, AWS, and/or GCP.

• Experience with Terraform, Ansible, Python, and Shell scripting.

• Experience supporting highly available, mission-critical production environments.

• Strong enterprise database architecture and technical leadership skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Exadata Cloud@Customer (ExaCC) and/or Exadata@GCP.

• Exposure to AI/ML applications in database operations.

• Knowledge of Kubernetes, containers, and microservices.

• Experience with enterprise audit and compliance frameworks.

• Experience with database license optimization and cost modeling.

Key Competencies

• Enterprise Database Architecture

• Oracle Database Engineering

• Exadata & Engineered Systems

• Cloud & Hybrid Infrastructure

• Database Automation & DBaaS

• DevOps & Infrastructure as Code

• Performance & Scalability Engineering

• Security & Compliance

• AI/ML & Observability

• Leadership & Stakeholder Management

• Database Modernization & Cloud Migration