📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Database Engineer, PostgreSQL
Company: Talon.One
Location: Berlin, Germany
Job Type: Hybrid
Category: Database Administrator, DevOps Engineer
Date Posted: June 20, 2025
Experience Level: 5-10 years
Remote Status: On-site/Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

📝 Enhancement Note: This role involves managing and optimizing PostgreSQL databases to support a fast-scaling, real-time platform, ensuring high performance, reliability, and security for millions of users worldwide.
Collaborate cross-functionally with backend engineers, DevOps, and product teams to maintain and enhance database infrastructure.
Design, optimize, and review database schemas, queries, and indexing strategies for optimal performance and integrity.
Proactively identify and address database bottlenecks or inefficiencies to ensure smooth platform operation.
Contribute to documentation, standards, and best practices around database management and data architecture.

💻 Primary Responsibilities

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary responsibilities of this role revolve around database administration, performance optimization, and ensuring high availability and security for the platform's data layer.
Collaborate with various teams to ensure the PostgreSQL infrastructure supports the platform's needs.
Monitor, maintain, and improve the performance, reliability, and security of production databases.
Develop strategies to fine-tune auto-vacuum at scale and optimize database schemas, queries, and indexing strategies.
Work closely with backend engineers to help them arrive at optimal data modeling for performance-sensitive features.
Maintain and enhance observability and monitoring tools for the data layer.
Contribute to documentation, standards, and best practices around database management and data architecture.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field. Relevant experience may substitute for a degree.

Experience: 4+ years of hands-on experience in database administration, ideally with PostgreSQL in a production environment.

Required Skills:

Solid understanding of relational database internals, query planning, indexing, auto-vacuum, and performance optimization.
Familiarity with PostgreSQL clustering, replication, partitioning, and backup strategies.
Experience working with monitoring tools and techniques (e.g., pg_stat_statements, pg_stat_monitor, Prometheus, Grafana, or similar).
Proficiency in writing and optimizing SQL; familiarity with procedural languages (e.g., PL/pgSQL) is a plus.
Comfortable working with containerized infrastructure (e.g., Kubernetes) and cloud platforms (e.g., Google Cloud).
Background in backend engineering is a plus, especially experience working closely with developers to design performant, scalable data models.

Preferred Skills:

Familiarity with version-controlled schema migrations and IaC tools like Terraform.
Experience with high-availability and high-traffic environments.
Understanding of database security best practices.

📊 Web Portfolio & Project Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

Demonstrate a strong understanding of PostgreSQL database administration, performance optimization, and high availability.
Showcase projects that highlight your ability to work with monitoring tools, optimize queries, and design efficient database schemas.
Include examples of your problem-solving skills and how you've addressed database bottlenecks or inefficiencies in previous roles.

Technical Documentation:

Provide documentation showcasing your understanding of database internals, query planning, and indexing strategies.
Include examples of your ability to contribute to documentation, standards, and best practices around database management and data architecture.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: €70,000 - €90,000 per year (based on experience and market research for senior database engineer roles in Berlin)

Benefits:

90+ team of engineers, product managers, and product designers in Berlin.
Leaders with 8+ years of experience building the promotions engine.
€1,000 annual learning budget, full LinkedIn Learning access, and free German language courses to boost your skills.
30 days of annual leave, plus extra paid days for your birthday and moving day.
Home office setup budget and a monthly home office allowance.
Freedom to work from abroad for up to 90 days worldwide.
Mental health support with nilo.health and a discounted Urban Sports Club membership.
20% company subsidy on your pension contributions.
BVG public transport ticket and a dog-friendly Berlin office.

Working Hours: 40 hours per week, with flexibility for deployment windows, maintenance, and project deadlines.

🎯 Team & Company Context

Company Culture:

Industry: Software as a Service (SaaS), Loyalty & Promotions
Company Size: 90+ employees
Founded: 2013
Team Structure: Small, cross-functional teams, each empowered and autonomous, responsible for owning specific areas of the platform.
Development Methodology: Agile, with a focus on collaboration, transparency, and growth-oriented mentorship.

Company Website: talon.one

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Web Technology Career Level: Senior Database Engineer, responsible for managing and optimizing the platform's PostgreSQL databases, ensuring high performance, reliability, and security for millions of users worldwide.

Reporting Structure: Collaborate with backend engineers, DevOps, and product teams to maintain and enhance database infrastructure.

Technical Impact: Directly impact the platform's performance, scalability, and user experience by ensuring optimal database management and performance.

Growth Opportunities:

Growth Opportunity 1: Contribute to the development of new database features and improvements, expanding your technical expertise and influence within the team.
Growth Opportunity 2: Mentor junior team members and share your knowledge to help them grow professionally.
Growth Opportunity 3: Lead the development and implementation of database strategies that support the platform's continued growth and success.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Modern, collaborative workspace with an open and international culture, located in Berlin.

Office Location(s): Berlin, Germany

Workspace Context:

Collaborative work environment with small, cross-functional teams.
Access to modern software and hardware for database management and performance optimization tasks.
Opportunities for professional growth and development within the team and across the organization.

Work Schedule: Flexible work schedule with a focus on results and motivated employees. Prefer to work early or late at night? Do you have to pick up your children from kindergarten? Talon.One offers high flexibility and supports work-life balance.

📄 Application & Technical Interview Process

Interview Process:

Process Step 1: Technical assessment focusing on PostgreSQL database administration, performance optimization, and problem-solving skills.
Process Step 2: Collaborative discussion with backend engineers, DevOps, and product teams to assess your ability to work effectively within a cross-functional team.
Process Step 3: Final evaluation based on your technical skills, cultural fit, and alignment with Talon.One's values and mission.

Portfolio Review Tips:

Portfolio Tip 1: Highlight your experience with PostgreSQL database administration, performance optimization, and high availability.
Portfolio Tip 2: Include examples of your ability to work with monitoring tools, optimize queries, and design efficient database schemas.
Portfolio Tip 3: Showcase your problem-solving skills and how you've addressed database bottlenecks or inefficiencies in previous roles.

Technical Challenge Preparation:

Challenge Preparation 1: Brush up on your PostgreSQL database administration, performance optimization, and problem-solving skills.
Challenge Preparation 2: Familiarize yourself with Talon.One's platform and understand the unique challenges of managing databases for a fast-scaling, real-time application.
Challenge Preparation 3: Prepare for collaborative discussions with backend engineers, DevOps, and product teams by researching Talon.One's technology stack and development methodologies.

ATS Keywords:

PostgreSQL
Database Administration
Performance Optimization
Database Security
SQL
Monitoring Tools
Cloud Platforms
Containerized Infrastructure
Data Modeling
Collaboration
Documentation
Database Schemas
Indexing Strategies
High Availability
Backup Strategies
Teamwork

🛠 Technology Stack & Web Infrastructure

Database Technologies:

PostgreSQL (Primary Database Management System)
Kubernetes (Container Orchestration)
Google Cloud Platform (Cloud Services)

Development & DevOps Tools:

Terraform (Infrastructure as Code)
Prometheus & Grafana (Monitoring and Visualization)
Git (Version Control)
JIRA (Project Management)

👥 Team Culture & Values

Web Development Values:

Web Development Value 1: Collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams to ensure optimal database management and performance for the platform.
Web Development Value 2: Embrace a growth-oriented mindset, continuously learning and improving your database administration and performance optimization skills.
Web Development Value 3: Contribute to documentation, standards, and best practices around database management and data architecture to help the team grow and succeed.
Web Development Value 4: Foster a team-first mindset, mentoring others and learning from peers to create a positive and productive work environment.

Collaboration Style:

Collaboration Approach 1: Work closely with backend engineers, DevOps, and product teams to ensure optimal database management and performance for the platform.
Collaboration Approach 2: Participate in regular team meetings and code reviews to share knowledge and best practices with the team.
Collaboration Approach 3: Contribute to a culture of continuous learning and improvement by actively seeking feedback and opportunities for professional growth.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Technical Challenges:

Web Development Challenge 1: Optimize database performance for a fast-scaling, real-time application with millions of users worldwide.
Web Development Challenge 2: Ensure high availability and fault tolerance for the platform's data layer, minimizing downtime and maintaining optimal performance.
Web Development Challenge 3: Develop and implement strategies to fine-tune auto-vacuum at scale, optimizing database performance and reducing manual intervention.
Web Development Challenge 4: Collaborate with backend engineers to design and implement efficient database schemas and indexing strategies, supporting the platform's continued growth and success.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

Learning Opportunity 1: Expand your technical expertise in PostgreSQL database administration, performance optimization, and high availability.
Learning Opportunity 2: Contribute to the development and implementation of new database features and improvements, staying up-to-date with the latest industry trends and best practices.
Learning Opportunity 3: Mentor junior team members and share your knowledge to help them grow professionally, fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement within the team.

💡 Interview Preparation

Technical Questions:

Technical Question 1: Describe your experience with PostgreSQL database administration, performance optimization, and high availability. Provide specific examples of your problem-solving skills and how you've addressed database bottlenecks or inefficiencies in previous roles.
Technical Question 2: Walk us through your process for optimizing database schemas, queries, and indexing strategies. How do you ensure optimal performance and integrity for the platform's data layer?
Technical Question 3: How do you approach monitoring and maintaining the performance, reliability, and security of production databases? What tools and techniques do you use to identify and address potential issues proactively?

Company & Culture Questions:

Technical Question 4: How do you collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams, including backend engineers, DevOps, and product teams, to ensure optimal database management and performance for the platform?
Technical Question 5: Describe your experience with containerized infrastructure (e.g., Kubernetes) and cloud platforms (e.g., Google Cloud). How have you leveraged these technologies to support the scalability and performance of the platforms you've worked on?
Technical Question 6: How do you stay up-to-date with the latest industry trends and best practices in database administration, performance optimization, and high availability? What resources or communities do you rely on for continuous learning and professional growth?

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

Presentation Strategy 1: Highlight your experience with PostgreSQL database administration, performance optimization, and high availability through live demonstrations and case studies.
Presentation Strategy 2: Showcase your ability to work with monitoring tools, optimize queries, and design efficient database schemas through interactive walkthroughs and technical deep dives.
Presentation Strategy 3: Emphasize your problem-solving skills and how you've addressed database bottlenecks or inefficiencies in previous roles, demonstrating your ability to think critically and adapt to new challenges.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Database Engineer, PostgreSQL position at Talon.One:

Submit your application through the application link provided on the job listing.
Tailor your resume to highlight your experience with PostgreSQL database administration, performance optimization, and high availability, as well as your ability to work effectively within a cross-functional team.
Prepare for the technical assessment by brushing up on your PostgreSQL database administration, performance optimization, and problem-solving skills, and researching Talon.One's technology stack and development methodologies.
Research Talon.One's company culture, values, and mission to ensure a strong cultural fit and alignment with your personal and professional goals.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and web technology industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.

Senior Database Engineer, PostgreSQL