Database Engineer (devops)

Database Engineer (DevOps)

Apex Systems is partnering with one of our top Health Insurance clients to find a talented Database Engineer to join their growing team in Minnetonka, MN. If you’re looking for a role where you can make an impact, grow your skills, and work with a respected organization—this could be the perfect fit!

We are seeking a Database Engineer (DevOps) to join our team on a contract-to-hire basis. This role is a cornerstone of our initiative to expand database operations into the cloud, with an emphasis on automation, optimization, and performance at scale.

The successful candidate will be fluent in Snowflake and experienced in Azure cloud services, with bonus points for exposure to Cosmos DB and experience with Oracle (including Oracle Cloud Infrastructure/OCI). We need someone who thrives in a DevOps environment, relentlessly pursues optimization, and can help build out scalable, automated data infrastructure in the cloud.

Key Responsibilities

Database Engineering & Cloud Growth

• Lead the design, automation, and management of Snowflake-based data solutions.
• Develop and manage Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) templates to provision and maintain resources in Azure (required).
• Support automation efforts of our Oracle OCI databases.
• Implement and optimize Cosmos DB workloads where needed.

Automation & Optimization

• Automate database provisioning, user management, scaling, monitoring, and backup processes.
• Optimize Snowflake performance, including query tuning, warehouse sizing, and storage usage.
• Build tools and scripts to reduce manual workload and empower self-service for developers and analysts.
• Use Ansible for consistent, repeatable configuration management of Azure database environments, limiting configuration drift.
• Implement automated monitoring and alerting for database services for reliability, performance.
• Define and track SLI and SLO for cloud database services.

DevOps & CI/CD Integration

• Integrate database operations into CI/CD pipelines (Azure DevOps, GitHub Actions, or similar).
• Standardize deployments using Infrastructure-as-Code.
• Implement automated monitoring and alerting for system health, reliability, and performance.

Governance & Security

• Enforce database and data security policies in Snowflake and Azure.
• Implement access controls, auditing, and compliance monitoring.
• Partner with security teams to ensure alignment with organizational and regulatory requirements.

Innovation & Continuous Improvement

• Stay current on Azure cloud-native database offerings, Snowflake enhancements, and DevOps tooling.
• Recommend strategies for scaling, cost optimization, and performance improvements.
• Promote a culture of relentless automation and continuous optimization.

Qualifications

Required:

• Expertise with Snowflake (performance tuning, workload/cost management, and security).
• Strong direct experience with Azure cloud services (Snowflake on Azure, Cosmos DB, Snowpipe configuration on Azure).
• Familiarity with DevOps practices including Infrastructure-as-Code (Terraform), CI/CD, and monitoring.
• Proficiency with scripting/automation languages (Python, Ansible, PowerShell, and similar).
• Experience with database performance monitoring and troubleshooting.
• Strong problem-solving and optimization mindset.

Preferred / Bonus Skills:

• Expertise with Snowflake (performance tuning, workload/cost management, and security).
• 5–8 years of progressive experience in database administration (Oracle, SQL Server, Postgres, or similar RDBMS).
• 2–3 years applying automation practices (infrastructure as code, CI/CD, automation, monitoring).
• Strong knowledge of high availability, disaster recovery, performance tuning, and database security.
• Strong direct experience with Azure cloud services (Snowflake on Azure, Cosmos DB, Snowpipe configuration on Azure).
• Familiarity with DevOps practices including Infrastructure-as-Code (Terraform), CI/CD, and monitoring.
• Proficiency with scripting/automation languages (Python, Ansible, PowerShell, and similar).
• Experience with database performance monitoring and troubleshooting.
• Strong problem-solving and optimization mindset.

Position Details

• Type: Contract-to-Hire
• Location: Minneapolis, MN or Madison, WI (Hybrid, on-site 3 days per week)
• Reports to: Database Manager
• Duration: Contract with intent to convert to full-time based on performance and business needs.

EEO Employer

Apex Systems is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate or allow discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, genetic information, registered domestic partner status, marital status, disability, status as a crime victim, protected veteran status, political affiliation, union membership, or any other characteristic protected by law. Apex will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable law.