Staff Backend Engineer, Database Automation (Go)

This position is listed on behalf of a partner company, who manages all applications and next steps. Our partner is looking for a Staff Backend Engineer, Database Automation (Go) based in Canada .

This is a senior technical role focused on building and evolving database automation and PostgreSQL-as-a-service capabilities at internet scale. You will use Go to automate the full PostgreSQL lifecycle, from provisioning and configuration through upgrades, failover, scaling, and decommissioning. Your work will make database operations safer, more consistent, resilient, and easier to scale across high-throughput, always-on services. You will help replace bespoke database configurations with standardized platforms and repeatable automation. The role combines hands-on engineering, technical leadership, architecture, and close collaboration with infrastructure and product engineering teams. You will also operate the systems you build in production and use real-world feedback to continuously improve them. The environment is fully remote, asynchronous, and highly collaborative, with a strong emphasis on ownership, automation, and AI-enabled productivity.

• Design, build, test, review, and maintain Go-based automation covering the full PostgreSQL lifecycle, including provisioning, configuration, upgrades, failover, scaling, and decommissioning.
• Develop automation across infrastructure-as-code tooling and cloud infrastructure while evaluating operator-based approaches for managing stateful services.
• Build reliable services and automation capable of supporting high-throughput, always-on production workloads where correctness, latency, and availability are critical.
• Integrate compute, storage, networking, identity and access management, and managed data services across cloud providers into a coherent PostgreSQL platform.
• Develop a standardized PostgreSQL-as-a-service platform that reduces bespoke database configurations and enables database operations to scale without requiring equivalent growth in the operations team.
• Build safe and repeatable PostgreSQL major-version upgrade automation and validate changes against real production traffic before deployment.
• Research and implement improvements to PostgreSQL performance, scalability, reliability, and data health while proactively addressing critical database saturation points.
• Use AI agents and productivity tools throughout implementation, code review, service operations, and repetitive engineering workflows while maintaining the repository context required for effective team collaboration.
• Collaborate with product management, infrastructure, software delivery, database, and platform engineering teams to design and deliver high-performing solutions.
• Provide technical direction for major initiatives, turning ambiguous problems into clear architectures and sequenced execution plans that enable multiple engineers to work in parallel.
• Review database automation and Go contributions with a focus on safety, maintainability, performance, and long-term operational reliability.
• Document automation practices, PostgreSQL operational patterns, and platform guidance that enable other engineers to effectively use and contribute to the systems.
• Operate the solutions you build in production end to end and use operational feedback to guide subsequent iterations and improvements.
• Influence engineering practices beyond the immediate team through design reviews, mentorship, cross-team collaboration, and reusable technical patterns.

Requirements:

• You bring professional software engineering experience working with PostgreSQL in large, complex production environments, including experience building or operating database-as-a-service capabilities.
• You have strong proficiency in Go, including experience designing, implementing, testing, and reviewing backend services.
• You have experience developing Kubernetes operators, controllers, or comparable automation for the lifecycle management of stateful services, particularly databases.
• You are comfortable with infrastructure as code and understand core database operations concepts such as high availability, replication, backups, and system-level performance trade-offs.
• You have demonstrated ownership of the technical direction for significant initiatives and can translate ambiguous technical challenges into scalable architectures and executable plans.
• You have experience working with high-throughput, always-on production systems where reliability, performance, and operational safety are essential.
• Familiarity with Ruby is a plus, particularly for working within environments that use Ruby on Rails, but it is not required at the start of the role.
• You have strong written communication skills and are comfortable collaborating asynchronously within a distributed, all-remote team.
• You are self-directed, well organized, and capable of managing priorities independently while maintaining strong ownership of outcomes.
• You demonstrate strong alignment with principles of transparency, collaboration, inclusion, and open-source contribution.
• You can influence engineering practices beyond your immediate team and are comfortable partnering with database, infrastructure, and platform teams.
• You have experience mentoring engineers and contributing to technical growth through design reviews, code reviews, and knowledge sharing.

Benefits:

• The position is fully remote and supports an asynchronous, distributed working environment.
• The U.S. base salary range is $152,800–$259,200 USD, depending on level, experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, market data, equity considerations, and geographic location.
• The listed base salary does not include potential bonuses, equity compensation, or benefits.
• Benefits are designed to support employees’ health, finances, and overall well-being.
• Flexible paid time off is provided.
• Equity compensation and an Employee Stock Purchase Plan are available.
• A Growth and Development Fund supports ongoing professional learning and development.
• Parental leave is provided.
• Team Member Resource Groups support an inclusive and collaborative workplace.
• Employees have opportunities to work with modern AI tools and incorporate AI into their daily workflows to improve efficiency, innovation, and impact.
• Location-based eligibility requirements may apply depending on the employee’s country and role.