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Senior Database Engineer - Postgres

DRW · Chicago, IL · $150,000–$225,000 a year · IO - Database

Posted Sep 17, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

Tell me about the worst database outage you've been part of. What did you learn?

What they are checking: Composure in incidents and lessons that changed how they run databases afterward.

Tell me about a time you automated a routine DBA task. What did it save?

What they are checking: An automation mindset that reduces manual work and the errors that come with it.

What would you do

A developer wants to run a large schema change on a busy production table during the day. What do you do?

What they are checking: Protecting production availability while still helping teams ship their changes safely.

About the work

You'd support mission-critical PostgreSQL and Oracle environments. Walk me through how you'd set up high availability for a Postgres cluster.

What they are checking: Hands-on knowledge of replication, failover tooling and the tradeoffs between them in production.

A query that used to take 50 milliseconds now takes 10 seconds. How do you find out why?

What they are checking: A methodical tuning approach using query plans, statistics and indexes instead of guesswork.

How do you design backups and disaster recovery, and how do you prove they actually work?

What they are checking: Whether they test restores regularly, since untested backups often fail when they are needed most.

What's different about administering Oracle compared with Postgres, in your experience?

What they are checking: Real experience with both platforms the posting names, not just familiarity with one.

How do you secure database environments, from access control to encryption?

What they are checking: Security practices for sensitive financial data, which the posting lists as part of administration.

What do you monitor on a Postgres server, and what early warnings do you watch for?

What they are checking: Proactive monitoring of things like replication lag, bloat and connection limits before they cause outages.

How do you think about storage performance and planning for growing databases?

What they are checking: Understanding of the storage side, which the posting includes in this role's scope.

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The full job description

As published by DRW.

DRW is a diversified trading firm with over 3 decades of experience bringing sophisticated technology and exceptional people together to operate in markets around the world. We value autonomy and the ability to quickly pivot to capture opportunities, so we operate using our own capital and trading at our own risk. Headquartered in Chicago with offices throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Asia, we trade a variety of asset classes including Fixed Income, ETFs, Equities, FX, Commodities and Energy across all major global markets. We have also leveraged our expertise and technology to expand into three non-traditional strategies: real estate, venture capital and cryptoassets. We operate with respect, curiosity and open minds. The people who thrive here share our belief that it’s not just what we do that matters–it's how we do it. DRW is a place of high expectations, integrity, innovation and a willingness to challenge consensus. DRW is seeking a Senior Database Engineer with focus in PostgreSQL and Oracle who will be responsible for implementation, support and maintenance of mission critical database environments.  The administration of these environments includes clustering, storage, securing, monitoring, performance tuning, troubleshooting, and disaster recovery.  This person will help manage and support current and future database and storage environments and initiatives, and proactively evaluate physical and logical design and architecture of the systems to keep up with the dynamic and growing business needs of DRW.   Responsibilities: • Proactively manage and optimize various database platforms and related OS environments • Perform database performance and query tuning • Implement and maintain production and non-production databases • Perform database backups, restores, log shipping, mirroring and replication, etc. • Work with system engineering team on database server installations, configurations, system performance tuning and capacity planning • Collaborate with development teams on database design, implementation and usage optimization • Respond to production and business-critical issues and needs   Position Requirements: • 5+ years of production PostgreSQL database engineering experience • 5+ years of production Oracle database engineering experience desired • Strong UNIX/Linux skills • Experience with clustering, replication and mirroring a plus • Strong knowledge of database performance tuning and configuration tools • Strong technical problem-solving skills essential • SAN knowledge a plus • Proven ability to work in an agile, fast-paced environment, prioritize multiple tasks and projects, and efficiently handle pressure and stress • Must be self-motivated, possess strong initiative, and be willing to take on new challenges • Must demonstrate strong teamwork and collaboration skills • Ability to learn new technologies quickly and adapt to different work environments • Strong understanding of and the proven ability to comply with SDLC, source control and change management protocols • Excellent verbal and written communication skills The annual base salary range for this position is $150,000 to $225,000 depending on the candidate’s experience, qualifications, and relevant skill set. The position is also eligible for an annual discretionary bonus. In addition, DRW offers a comprehensive suite of employee benefits including group medical, pharmacy, dental and vision insurance, 401k (with discretionary employer match), short and long-term disability, life and AD&D insurance, health savings accounts, and flexible spending accounts. For more information about DRW's processing activities and our use of job applicants' data, please view our Privacy Notice at https://drw.com/privacy-notice . California residents, please review the California Privacy Notice for information about certain legal rights at https://drw.com/california-privacy-notice . [#LI-SK1]  

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