Database Administrator

Position Overview

The Database Administrator (DBA) at Zenni Optical is responsible for maintaining, securing, monitoring, and optimizing the company's databases across on-premises and cloud environments. This role ensures the availability, performance, integrity, and security of production databases that support critical business applications, reporting, and operational workflows.

The ideal candidate has hands-on experience with database administration, troubleshooting, performance tuning, backup and recovery, replication, and Linux system administration. The DBA will work closely with IT infrastructure, application development, DevOps, and data analytics teams to maintain reliable database operations, improve operational efficiency through automation, and support business continuity.

This position requires a proactive, detail-oriented professional who can independently manage routine database operations, troubleshoot production issues, document technical procedures, and contribute to continuous improvements in database reliability, security, and scalability.

Onsite Schedule

• Hybrid (Novato, CA): 2 days in office (Monday and Wednesday), 3 days remote

On-Call Responsibilities

• On-call rotation every other week, supporting onsite servers
• Ad-hoc support for the team as needed

Key Responsibilities

1. Database Administration and Performance Optimization

• Database Installation and Maintenance: Install, configure, upgrade, and patch database software across on-premises and cloud environments while minimizing service interruptions.
• Performance Monitoring and Tuning: Monitor database health, analyze slow queries and execution plans, identify resource bottlenecks, and implement performance improvements.
• Replication and High Availability: Configure, monitor, and troubleshoot database replication to maintain data consistency and support business continuity.
• Backup and Recovery: Maintain scheduled backups, validate backup integrity, and perform periodic recovery tests to ensure databases can be restored when needed.
• Production Support: Investigate and resolve database incidents, connectivity issues, performance degradation, and replication failures in a timely manner.
• Capacity Planning: Monitor database growth, storage utilization, CPU, memory, and other resource metrics to identify potential capacity issues before they affect production services.

2. Database and Linux System Administration

• Linux Administration: Perform routine Linux server administration, including system monitoring, patching, log analysis, disk management, and basic troubleshooting.
• Database Access Management: Create and manage database accounts, roles, and permissions in accordance with least-privilege principles.
• Security Hardening: Apply database and operating system security best practices, maintain secure configurations, and address identified vulnerabilities.
• Routine Maintenance: Perform database maintenance tasks, including index optimization, statistics updates, log management, and storage cleanup, as appropriate for each database platform.

3. Automation and Operational Monitoring

• Task Automation: Develop and maintain scripts using Bash, Python, or similar tools to automate repetitive database administration and maintenance tasks.
• Monitoring and Alerting: Configure and maintain monitoring for database availability, performance, replication status, backup completion, storage capacity, and critical service health using tools such as Zabbix.
• Incident Prevention: Analyze monitoring data and recurring incidents to identify root causes and recommend corrective or preventive actions.
• Operational Efficiency: Identify opportunities to reduce manual work, improve consistency, and streamline routine database operations through automation.

4. Cloud Database and DevOps Support

• Cloud Database Operations: Support the deployment, migration, monitoring, and maintenance of databases in cloud environments, particularly AWS and GCP.
• Cloud Database Services: Assist with managing cloud-native database services and database instances hosted on cloud virtual machines.
• Data Pipeline Support: Collaborate with data engineering and analytics teams to troubleshoot database connectivity, access, performance, and data availability issues affecting Fivetran, Databricks, and related data workflows.
• Development and Deployment Support: Work with application development and DevOps teams to support database schema changes, deployment activities, and version-controlled database updates.

5. Database Security and Change Management

• Data Protection: Implement and maintain appropriate encryption, authentication, access controls, and secure database configurations.
• Access Reviews: Conduct periodic reviews of database accounts and privileges, remove unnecessary access, and investigate suspicious or unauthorized activity.
• Patch and Vulnerability Management: Track database and operating system vulnerabilities and coordinate timely remediation in accordance with company security requirements.
• Change Control: Follow established change-management procedures for database upgrades, configuration changes, maintenance, and production deployments.
• Risk Mitigation: Prepare and validate implementation steps, rollback procedures, and recovery plans before performing changes that could affect production systems.

6. Documentation and Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Technical Documentation: Create and maintain database inventories, architecture diagrams, configuration records, standard operating procedures (SOPs), troubleshooting guides, and recovery procedures.
• Knowledge Sharing: Document recurring issues and resolutions to improve team knowledge and operational consistency.
• Cross-Functional Support: Collaborate with infrastructure, security, application, development, and business teams to resolve database-related issues and support business requirements.
• Project Participation: Contribute to database migrations, platform upgrades, infrastructure improvements, monitoring initiatives, and other IT projects.
• Status Reporting: Provide timely updates on incidents, maintenance activities, project progress, and identified risks.

Qualifications and Requirements

Required Qualifications

• 3–5 years of experience in database administration, database operations, or a related IT role.
• Hands-on experience administering at least one major relational database platform, such as Microsoft SQL Server, MySQL, or MariaDB.
• Working knowledge of SQL, query analysis, indexing, execution plans, and database performance troubleshooting.
• Experience with database backups, recovery procedures, replication, and production database maintenance.
• Practical experience with Linux server administration and command-line troubleshooting on CentOS, Ubuntu, or other related Linux distributions.
• Understanding of database security, user and permission management, encryption, and vulnerability remediation.
• Experience using monitoring tools to track database availability, performance, and resource utilization.
• Basic scripting experience with Bash, Python, PowerShell, PHP, or a similar language.
  
  
• Strong troubleshooting, analytical, documentation, and communication skills.
• Ability to manage assigned tasks independently, prioritize production issues, and collaborate effectively across technical teams.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience managing and supporting databases in on-prem and cloud environments, particularly AWS or GCP.
• Hands-on experience with database monitoring and alerting tools, such as Zabbix.
• Familiarity with Pervasive PSQL, MySQL, or MariaDB database administration and maintenance.
• Familiarity with CI/CD workflows, Git-based version control, and database schema migration practices.
• Experience supporting data integration and analytics platforms, including Fivetran and Databricks.
• Understanding of high availability, disaster recovery planning, backup strategies, and recovery time objectives (RTO) and recovery point objectives (RPO).
• Relevant certifications in database administration, cloud platforms, Linux system administration, or related technologies are a plus.

 

Bonus Qualifications

• Java

U.S. Perks & Benefits:

• Annual Bonus Program
• Healthcare: 100% premiums covered for medical, dental, and vision for employees (50% for dependents)
• Basic Life and AD&D with option for additional voluntary coverage
• Short and long term disability coverage
• 401k with up to 4% match
• EAP and Spring Health that gives you and dependents access to free therapy and coaching
• Free access for you and your family to our digital wellness platform - Wellness Coach
• FTO (Flex Time Off) in addition to our Week of Zen - the time between Christmas and New Year’s to relax and recuperate
• Fully Paid Parental Leave - 16 weeks for birthing and non-birthing parents
• Family forming & fertility support and services through Maven
• Annual Zenni Gift Card - to use towards our products!

 

Compensation

In addition to other forms of compensation like perks and benefits, the estimated range for this role is $77,000 - $121,000 USD. The final offer will be determined based on permissible, non-discriminatory factors such as skill set, experience, geographical location, market conditions, and other organizational needs. The Company reserves the right to change, modify, or revisit the salary range for various reasons including business needs.