Overview

Software Development Engineer II Database Engineering & Automation

Responsibilities

• This is a hands-on engineering role focused on SQL databases (MySQL preferred), performance tuning, and operational automation for healthcare systems. You'll build and optimize database objects, troubleshoot performance and data issues, and develop tooling that reduces repetitive manual work. This is a development-oriented role, not a pure DBA position, though production reliability and secure operational practice matter throughout.
• You'll work independently on well-scoped tasks, escalate architectural or high-risk changes appropriately, and collaborate closely with Database, Application Engineering, Data Engineering, DevOps, and QA teams.
• Develop, review, and maintain SQL queries, schemas, indexes, and database objects.
• Analyze execution plans to improve query performance through indexing, SQL rewrites, and schema improvements.
• Apply relational fundamentals keys, constraints, transactions, locking/concurrency to implement and review changes safely.
• Support migrations, backfills, and controlled data transformations with clear validation and rollback plans.
• Identify repetitive database and data-processing tasks that can be automated safely.
• Build maintainable automation in Python or Bash, with input validation, dry-run capability, logging, and idempotency where needed.
• Use OpenAI Codex or equivalent approved AI coding assistants as regular development tools you remain fully accountable for understanding, testing, and securing everything you submit. Unreviewed \"vibe coding\" is not acceptable.
• Participate in design and code reviews, focusing on correctness, performance, and operational safety.
• Support incident investigation and root-cause analysis for database issues; convert recurring manual fixes into documented or automated procedures.
• Maintain clear documentation, and handle PHI, credentials, and confidential data per approved privacy and security practices.
• 2+ years in software, database, or data engineering, or a comparable SQL-intensive role.
• Strong hands-on SQL skills and solid relational database fundamentals (data modeling, indexing, query optimization).
• Ability to diagnose performance issues using execution plans, metrics, and logs.
• Working knowledge of transactions, isolation levels, and safe data-modification practices.
• Scripting/automation ability in at least one language (Python preferred); comfort with Linux and Git.
• Interest in using AI coding assistants responsibly, with disciplined human ownership of design and review.
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, IT, Engineering, or equivalent practical experience.

Nice to have

• Hands-on MySQL experience query optimization, indexing, schema design, production troubleshooting.
• Experience with large tables, transactional or reporting workloads, or database lifecycle work (migrations, stored routines).
• Experience building operational tooling or scheduled jobs with Python or shell scripting.
• Familiarity with AWS or another cloud platform.
• Exposure to ETL pipelines, backend APIs, CI/CD, containers, or observability.
• Experience in healthcare or another regulated, privacy-sensitive data environment.