Senior Database Administrator

About the Opportunity

SteerBridge is seeking a Senior Database Administrator to support USMC aviation maintenance data systems within DoD and GovCloud environments. In this role, you will administer production Oracle and Sybase Adaptive Server Enterprise (ASE) databases and support the AWS data pipelines that power aviation maintenance analytics and reporting.

You will also lead three Mid-Level Database Administrators supporting a 24/7 operations rotation. Your responsibilities will include coordinating coverage, serving as the escalation point for complex incidents, reviewing operational procedures, and mentoring the team. This is a hands-on technical leadership role working alongside data engineers, data architects, and data scientists.

Key Responsibilities

• Administer production Oracle and Sybase ASE databases, including installation, configuration, patching, upgrades, replication, performance tuning, and backup and recovery.
• Operate and troubleshoot AWS data and database services, including AWS Glue, Amazon RDS, Amazon Redshift, and containerized workloads running on Amazon ECS and AWS Fargate.
• Diagnose and resolve complex database, data ingestion, transformation, application availability, authentication, and reporting issues, including Keycloak and basic NGINX troubleshooting.
• Lead the DBA support rotation, coordinate on-call schedules, and manage escalated or high-severity incidents while improving incident handling, shift handoffs, and operational runbooks.
• Support the migration and modernization of legacy Oracle and Sybase workloads to AWS-managed database and cloud services.
• Implement and maintain database security controls and support DoD/GovCloud compliance requirements, including STIGs, access controls, and Authorization to Operate (ATO) documentation.
• Develop and maintain database architecture documentation, standard operating procedures, runbooks, and disaster recovery plans.
• Partner with engineering and analytics teams to support aviation maintenance systems while mentoring mid-level staff and providing technical guidance on database operations and production support.

Eligibility requirements

• U.S. citizenship is required for this position under applicable federal contract requirements. Candidates must also be able to obtain and maintain a DoD Secret security clearance or higher as required for the role.
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, or a related field; equivalent experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.
• 6+ years of hands-on database administration experience, including production support of both Oracle and Sybase ASE.
• Working experience with AWS Glue, Amazon RDS, Amazon Redshift, Amazon ECS, and AWS Fargate.
• Strong database performance tuning, replication, backup, and disaster recovery skills, with experience using Linux/Unix, SQL, and shell scripting.
• Experience operating in DoD, federal, or other GovCloud environments.

Experience troubleshooting complex production application issues, including incidents identified through user reports, monitoring tools, or system alerts, as well as authentication and login issues involving Keycloak, AWS access services, and basic NGINX troubleshooting.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working in a network operations center (NOC), help desk, or 24/7 production support environment, with familiarity using ServiceNow, Jira Service Management, or similar ticketing platforms and ITIL-based incident management practices.
• Experience supporting USMC or other DoD aviation maintenance, logistics, or readiness systems.
• Experience with AWS Database Migration Service (AWS DMS) for database migration and modernization initiatives.
• Familiarity with Terraform, AWS CloudFormation, CI/CD practices for data infrastructure, and Docker.
• Experience administering Keycloak for identity and access management.

Work Environment and Schedule

• This position supports a Vienna, VA-based program, with onsite or hybrid attendance determined by program requirements.
• The Senior DBA oversees the 24/7 support rotation and serves as the escalation point for complex production incidents.
• Specific coverage and after-hours expectations will be discussed during the interview process.