📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Database Reliability Engineer (m/f/d)
Company: Ratepay GmbH
Location: Berlin, Germany
Job Type: Full-time
Category: DevOps, Infrastructure
Date Posted: 2025-04-10
Experience Level: 5-10 years
Remote Status: Hybrid (Berlin-based)

🚀 Role Summary

Lead the reliability, scalability, and performance of Ratepay's data infrastructure as platform usage grows
Manage and enhance cloud-based database systems, including PostgreSQL, DocumentDB, and ElastiCache in AWS
Automate database provisioning and configuration using Terraform and Python
Collaborate with product teams on schema design, queries, and data migrations
Monitor, troubleshoot, and improve database performance
Own backup and recovery strategies and manage production upgrades
Learn and support Microsoft SQL Server to widen internal capability

📝 Enhancement Note: This role requires a strong background in cloud-based database systems and a willingness to learn new technologies. Familiarity with Microsoft SQL Server is a plus but not required.

💻 Primary Responsibilities

Database Management: Operate, maintain, and enhance PostgreSQL, DocumentDB, and ElastiCache in AWS, ensuring high availability and fault tolerance
Automation & Infrastructure as Code: Support automation of database provisioning and configuration using Terraform and Python, ensuring reproducibility and version control
Monitoring & Performance Tuning: Monitor, troubleshoot, and improve database performance using tools like CloudWatch and Datadog, proactively addressing performance issues and optimizing workloads
Backup & Recovery: Own backup and recovery strategies, ensuring data integrity and minimizing downtime during production upgrades
Collaboration & Knowledge Sharing: Collaborate with product teams on schema design, queries, and data migrations, documenting operational procedures and training internal stakeholders
Incident Response & On-Call: Participate in on-call rotations and incident response, ensuring quick resolution of critical issues and minimizing their impact on the business
Learning & Skill Development: Learn and support Microsoft SQL Server to widen internal capability and stay up-to-date with emerging technologies in the database landscape

📝 Enhancement Note: This role requires a strong focus on reliability engineering principles, with a commitment to ensuring high availability, fault tolerance, and performance optimization for Ratepay's data infrastructure.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field. Relevant work experience may substitute for formal education.

Experience: 5-10 years of experience in database administration, with a strong focus on cloud-based database systems and infrastructure as code.

Required Skills:

Deep technical ownership and performance tuning of critical database workloads in PostgreSQL
Experience operating, maintaining, and enhancing cloud-native databases with security, HA, and observability in AWS
Proficiency in automating infrastructure deployment and ensuring reproducibility using Terraform
Strong scripting skills in Python for automation, monitoring, and dev tooling
Experience working with Apache Airflow for orchestrating and monitoring data pipelines
Familiarity with on-call rotations and incident response in a 24/7 support model with a reliability focus

Preferred Skills:

Experience with Microsoft SQL Server and a willingness to grow support capabilities for Windows-based workloads
Familiarity with CI/CD for database changes, improving deployment velocity and safety
Experience with Snowflake and monitoring tools like CloudWatch and Datadog for proactive performance tuning and incident alerting
Familiarity with on-call rotations and incident response in a 24/7 support model with a reliability focus

📝 Enhancement Note: This role requires a strong background in cloud-based database systems and a willingness to learn new technologies. Familiarity with Microsoft SQL Server is a plus but not required.

📊 Web Portfolio & Project Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

Demonstrate deep technical ownership and performance tuning of critical database workloads in PostgreSQL, with case studies showcasing your ability to optimize and scale databases
Showcase your experience operating, maintaining, and enhancing cloud-native databases in AWS, with examples of ensuring security, HA, and observability
Highlight your proficiency in automating infrastructure deployment and ensuring reproducibility using Terraform, with examples of version-controlled and automated infrastructure components
Display your experience working with Apache Airflow, with examples of orchestrating and monitoring data pipelines

Technical Documentation:

Provide detailed documentation of your database administration processes, including backup and recovery strategies, schema design, and performance optimization techniques
Include examples of your scripting work in Python, demonstrating your ability to automate tasks and build tools for monitoring and dev tooling
Showcase your experience with incident response and on-call rotations, with examples of quick resolution of critical issues and minimizing their impact on the business

📝 Enhancement Note: This role requires a strong focus on reliability engineering principles, with a commitment to ensuring high availability, fault tolerance, and performance optimization for Ratepay's data infrastructure. Your portfolio should demonstrate your ability to deliver on these principles in real-world scenarios.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: €70,000 - €90,000 per year (gross), depending on experience and qualifications. This estimate is based on market research for senior database administrator roles in Berlin, Germany.

Benefits:

Flexible working hours
Work remotely (EU for up to 4 weeks a year)
28 vacation days per annum
Financial security including Pension plan
Medical extras (Eye examination etc.)
Monthly lunches as well as Beets & Roots discounts
Learning and development (Access to various self-development platforms such as language learning and skills enhancement)
Health & wellbeing
Gym memberships and fitness
Ratepaw community: Our office has a floor which is dog-friendly. So, bring your pawsome pet to work when needed

Working Hours: Full-time position with flexible working hours, typically 40 hours per week. The role may require participation in on-call rotations and incident response, with a commitment to ensuring quick resolution of critical issues and minimizing their impact on the business.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is an estimate based on market research for senior database administrator roles in Berlin, Germany. The actual salary may vary depending on experience and qualifications.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Fintech

Company Size: Medium (200+ employees)

Founded: 2009

Team Structure:

Database & Infrastructure team: Responsible for the reliability, scalability, and performance of Ratepay's data infrastructure, consisting of database administrators, DevOps engineers, and SREs
Product teams: Collaborate with the Database & Infrastructure team on schema design, queries, and data migrations, ensuring the delivery of high-quality products and services to Ratepay's customers
Cross-functional teams: Work closely with designers, marketers, and other stakeholders to ensure the successful delivery of Ratepay's products and services

Development Methodology:

Agile/Scrum methodologies for sprint planning and product development
Code review, testing, and quality assurance practices for ensuring high-quality code and reliable infrastructure
Deployment strategies, CI/CD pipelines, and server management for ensuring quick and safe delivery of new features and updates

Company Website: Ratepay GmbH

📝 Enhancement Note: Ratepay is a leading white-label Buy Now Pay Later payment provider, processing over 2.5 million transactions per month. The company's diverse team of 200+ professionals collaborates to create customized, state-of-the-art payment solutions for major online retailers and marketplaces. The Database & Infrastructure team plays a critical role in ensuring the reliability, scalability, and performance of Ratepay's data infrastructure, supporting the company's growth and success.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Database Administrator Career Level: Senior

Reporting Structure: The Senior Database Reliability Engineer will report directly to the Head of Database & Infrastructure and work closely with the product teams, designers, marketers, and other stakeholders.

Technical Impact: The Senior Database Reliability Engineer will have a significant impact on the reliability, scalability, and performance of Ratepay's data infrastructure, ensuring high availability, fault tolerance, and performance optimization for the company's products and services.

Growth Opportunities:

Technical Growth: Deepen your expertise in cloud-based database systems and infrastructure as code, with opportunities to learn and support new technologies like Microsoft SQL Server and Snowflake
Leadership Growth: Develop your leadership skills by mentoring junior team members, driving technical decision-making, and contributing to the overall success of the Database & Infrastructure team
Career Progression: Advance your career by taking on more responsibilities, such as managing a team of database administrators or transitioning into a technical leadership role within the organization

📝 Enhancement Note: The Senior Database Reliability Engineer role offers significant opportunities for technical and career growth, with a focus on developing expertise in cloud-based database systems and infrastructure as code. The role also provides opportunities for leadership development and career progression within the organization.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid (Berlin-based)

Office Location(s): Ratepay's headquarters is located in Berlin, Germany, with additional offices in other major European cities. The company offers flexible working hours and the opportunity to work remotely from anywhere in the EU for up to 4 weeks a year.

Workspace Context:

Collaborative Workspace: The Ratepay office is designed to foster collaboration and innovation, with open-plan workspaces, meeting rooms, and breakout areas for team members to connect and share ideas
Technical Workspace: The Database & Infrastructure team has access to state-of-the-art hardware, software, and tools for managing and optimizing Ratepay's data infrastructure, including cloud-based database systems, infrastructure as code, and monitoring tools
Pet-Friendly Workspace: Ratepay's office has a floor which is dog-friendly, allowing team members to bring their pets to work when needed

Work Schedule: Full-time position with flexible working hours, typically 40 hours per week. The role may require participation in on-call rotations and incident response, with a commitment to ensuring quick resolution of critical issues and minimizing their impact on the business.

📝 Enhancement Note: Ratepay offers a flexible and collaborative work environment, with a focus on fostering innovation and supporting the growth and success of its team members. The company's hybrid work model allows team members to balance their work and personal lives, with the opportunity to work remotely from anywhere in the EU for up to 4 weeks a year.

📄 Application & Technical Interview Process

Interview Process:

Phone Screen: A brief phone call to discuss your background, experience, and motivation for the role
Technical Deep Dive: A comprehensive technical interview focused on your database administration skills, including your experience with cloud-based database systems, infrastructure as code, and monitoring tools
Behavioral & Cultural Fit: An interview focused on your problem-solving skills, communication, and cultural fit within the Ratepay team
Final Decision: A final decision will be made based on your technical skills, cultural fit, and alignment with Ratepay's values and mission

Portfolio Review Tips:

Highlight your deep technical ownership and performance tuning of critical database workloads in PostgreSQL, with case studies showcasing your ability to optimize and scale databases
Showcase your experience operating, maintaining, and enhancing cloud-native databases in AWS, with examples of ensuring security, HA, and observability
Highlight your proficiency in automating infrastructure deployment and ensuring reproducibility using Terraform, with examples of version-controlled and automated infrastructure components
Display your experience working with Apache Airflow, with examples of orchestrating and monitoring data pipelines

Technical Challenge Preparation:

Brush up on your database administration skills, with a focus on cloud-based database systems, infrastructure as code, and monitoring tools
Prepare for technical questions related to database performance optimization, schema design, and data migrations
Familiarize yourself with Ratepay's products, services, and industry, demonstrating your understanding of the company's mission and values

ATS Keywords: [Provide a comprehensive list of web development and server administration-relevant keywords for resume optimization, organized by category: programming languages, web frameworks, server technologies, databases, tools, methodologies, soft skills, industry terms]

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process for the Senior Database Reliability Engineer role is designed to assess your technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and cultural fit within the Ratepay team. The technical deep dive focuses on your database administration skills, with a focus on cloud-based database systems, infrastructure as code, and monitoring tools. The behavioral and cultural fit interview focuses on your problem-solving skills, communication, and alignment with Ratepay's values and mission.

🛠 Technology Stack & Web Infrastructure

Database Technologies:

PostgreSQL (Deep technical ownership and performance tuning of critical database workloads)
DocumentDB (Operate, maintain, and enhance in AWS)
ElastiCache (Operate, maintain, and enhance in AWS)
Microsoft SQL Server (Learn and support to widen internal capability)

Cloud Platforms:

AWS (Operate cloud-native databases with security, HA, and observability)

Infrastructure as Code:

Terraform (Automate infrastructure deployment and ensure reproducibility)

Scripting Languages:

Python (Scripting for automation, monitoring, and dev tooling)

Monitoring Tools:

CloudWatch (Proactive performance tuning and incident alerting)
Datadog (Proactive performance tuning and incident alerting)

📝 Enhancement Note: The Senior Database Reliability Engineer role requires a strong background in cloud-based database systems and infrastructure as code. The role also provides opportunities to learn and support new technologies like Microsoft SQL Server and monitoring tools like CloudWatch and Datadog.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Database Administrator Values:

Reliability: Ensure high availability, fault tolerance, and performance optimization for Ratepay's data infrastructure
Collaboration: Work closely with product teams, designers, marketers, and other stakeholders to ensure the successful delivery of Ratepay's products and services
Innovation: Stay up-to-date with emerging technologies in the database landscape and drive technical decision-making within the Database & Infrastructure team
Customer Centricity: Focus on the needs of Ratepay's customers and ensure the delivery of high-quality products and services that meet their expectations

Collaboration Style:

Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with product teams, designers, marketers, and other stakeholders to ensure the successful delivery of Ratepay's products and services
Code Review Culture: Participate in code reviews and pair programming to ensure high-quality code and reliable infrastructure
Knowledge Sharing: Share your expertise and learn from your colleagues to foster a culture of continuous learning and improvement within the Database & Infrastructure team

📝 Enhancement Note: Ratepay's Database & Infrastructure team values reliability, collaboration, innovation, and customer centricity. The team fosters a culture of continuous learning and improvement, with a focus on staying up-to-date with emerging technologies in the database landscape and driving technical decision-making within the organization.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Technical Challenges:

Database Performance Optimization: Optimize the performance of Ratepay's cloud-based database systems, ensuring high availability, fault tolerance, and scalability as platform usage grows
Schema Design & Data Migrations: Collaborate with product teams on schema design, queries, and data migrations, ensuring the delivery of high-quality products and services that meet Ratepay's customers' expectations
Infrastructure as Code: Automate infrastructure deployment and ensure reproducibility using Terraform, with a focus on version control, automation, and scalability
Emerging Technologies: Stay up-to-date with emerging technologies in the database landscape, including new cloud-based database systems, infrastructure as code tools, and monitoring tools

Learning & Development Opportunities:

Technical Skill Development: Deepen your expertise in cloud-based database systems and infrastructure as code, with opportunities to learn and support new technologies like Microsoft SQL Server and Snowflake
Leadership Development: Develop your leadership skills by mentoring junior team members, driving technical decision-making, and contributing to the overall success of the Database & Infrastructure team
Career Progression: Advance your career by taking on more responsibilities, such as managing a team of database administrators or transitioning into a technical leadership role within the organization

📝 Enhancement Note: The Senior Database Reliability Engineer role offers significant opportunities for technical and career growth, with a focus on developing expertise in cloud-based database systems and infrastructure as code. The role also provides opportunities for leadership development and career progression within the organization.

💡 Interview Preparation

Technical Questions:

Database Performance Optimization: Describe your approach to optimizing the performance of cloud-based database systems, with a focus on high availability, fault tolerance, and scalability
Schema Design & Data Migrations: Walk us through your process for collaborating with product teams on schema design, queries, and data migrations, ensuring the delivery of high-quality products and services that meet Ratepay's customers' expectations
Infrastructure as Code: Explain your experience with automating infrastructure deployment and ensuring reproducibility using Terraform, with a focus on version control, automation, and scalability

Behavioral & Cultural Fit Questions:

Problem-Solving: Describe a challenging database administration issue you've faced and how you approached solving it, demonstrating your ability to think critically and make data-driven decisions
Communication: Explain how you would communicate complex database administration concepts to non-technical stakeholders, ensuring their understanding and buy-in
Cultural Fit: Describe what you value most in a team and how you would contribute to Ratepay's culture of collaboration, innovation, and customer centricity

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

Technical Deep Dive: Focus on your deep technical ownership and performance tuning of critical database workloads in PostgreSQL, with case studies showcasing your ability to optimize and scale databases
Collaboration: Highlight your experience working with product teams, designers, marketers, and other stakeholders to ensure the successful delivery of Ratepay's products and services
Emerging Technologies: Showcase your willingness to learn and support new technologies like Microsoft SQL Server and monitoring tools like CloudWatch and Datadog

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process for the Senior Database Reliability Engineer role is designed to assess your technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and cultural fit within the Ratepay team. The technical deep dive focuses on your database administration skills, with a focus on cloud-based database systems, infrastructure as code, and monitoring tools. The behavioral and cultural fit interview focuses on your problem-solving skills, communication, and alignment with Ratepay's values and mission.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Database Reliability Engineer (m/f/d) position at Ratepay GmbH:

Submit Your Application: Click on the application link provided and submit your resume, portfolio, and any other relevant documents
Prepare Your Portfolio: Highlight your deep technical ownership and performance tuning of critical database workloads in PostgreSQL, with case studies showcasing your ability to optimize and scale databases
Optimize Your Resume: Tailor your resume to the Senior Database Reliability Engineer role, emphasizing your experience with cloud-based database systems, infrastructure as code, and monitoring tools
Research Ratepay: Familiarize yourself with Ratepay's products, services, industry, and mission, demonstrating your understanding of the company's values and culture
Prepare for Technical Interview: Brush up on your database administration skills, with a focus on cloud-based database systems, infrastructure as code, and monitoring tools, and prepare for technical questions related to database performance optimization, schema design, and data migrations

📝 Enhancement Note: The application process for the Senior Database Reliability Engineer role is designed to assess your technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and cultural fit within the Ratepay team. By following these application steps, you will be well-prepared to succeed in the interview process and secure your next opportunity in database administration.

Senior Database Reliability Engineer (m/f/d)