Senior Database Engineer II

Job Overview:

We are seeking a Senior Database Engineer to join our dynamic team of 100+ software engineers, designers, project managers, and specialists who are passionate about building innovative, high-quality solutions. Our work spans a wide range of impactful and forward-thinking technologies, including:

• Advanced algorithms for computer-adaptive testing
• Highly scalable, high-performance distributed systems
• Comprehensive learning management systems
• Universally accessible user interfaces
• AI-driven scoring and assessment tools

As a Senior Database Engineer, you will drive the design, development, and optimization of database systems that power mission-critical, high-transaction applications. You will ensure data integrity, performance, and scalability within modern cloud environments and microservice-based architectures. Acting as a Subject Matter Expert (SME), you will collaborate closely with engineering and DevOps teams to shape and advance our data architecture and strategy in AWS.

Job Responsibilities:

• Develop state of the art database solutions to meet the stringent performance, scalability and integrity needs of high transaction systems
• Design database schema based on data modeling of business requirements and entities
• Development work will involve writing stored procedures, functions, views, triggers, constraints, etc.
• Create deployment and rollback scripts for all database objects manually or auto generated
• Analyze access patterns and propose the best combination of indexes, constraints, foreign keys, and queries
• Troubleshoot performance problems and propose short-term fixes and long-term solutions
• Work with Architects and drive developers in the future evolution of the data layer researching options and developing prototypes before eventual introduction into the tech stack
• Stay current with evolving databases, AWS, microservices, and cloud‑native technologies; prototype new tools/features for adoption.

Job Requirements:

• B.S. in Computer Science (or related field) and 5+ years related experience or M.S. Degree and 3+yrs of experience.
• 5+ years of hands-on SQL Server development experience
• Expert knowledge of all aspects of SQL Server including the ability to write and deploy effective triggers, stored procedures and user defined functions
• Authoritative understanding of SQL Server concurrency features, transactions, and locking; Excellent data modeling and schema design skills, including normalization and de-normalization
• Thorough understanding of best practices for database maintenance, including index and file management, backups, failure recovery, database defragmentation, documentation; Ability to analyze disk space requirements and hardware utilization, automate error notification
• Basic SQL Server administration skills, such as backups, restores, taking and reverting snapshots, user/role security, access permissions, etc.
• Experience operating SQL Server in AWS: Amazon RDS for SQL Server, RDS Custom, or SQL Server on EC2.
• Familiarity with AWS microservices architecture: designing databases to support a microservice‑based application in AWS.
• Experience optimizing data access from microservices (e.g. minimizing cross‑service latency, designing efficient APIs, minimizing coupling).
• Knowledge of containerization (Docker), orchestration (Kubernetes, AWS ECS/EKS) in microservices context.

Why Work With Us?

When you work with Cambium Assessment, you’ll be helping to design and build inspiring solutions that make a real impact on the online testing industry, as well as the educators and students we support.

• Our systems are highly scaled and mission critical serving over a third of all students in grades 3-8 in the United States.

• Our web applications are highly interactive and universally accessible.

• Our machine scoring methods are driven by artificial intelligence allowing computers to perform such complex operations as grading essays with more accuracy than humans.

• Our processes use intensive algorithmic computing allowing a customized experience for each student as the exam adapts real-time based upon answers given.

In the 2024 school year, we delivered more than 126 million online tests, and successfully supported peak testing volumes exceeding 1.5 million simultaneous test takers. We have the most advanced features of any online testing system, and we continue to push boundaries to improve student performance measurement and enabling educators with actionable insights to drive better overall educational outcomes for our students. To learn more about our organization and the exciting work we do, visit www.cambiumassessment.com.

Remote First Work Environment 

Our Remote First approach gives employees the flexibility and trust they need to effectively balance work with life. It creates a culture in which all employees are valued and where success is measured in results. It allows us to work collaboratively, inclusively and for greater positive impact, regardless of our individual locations.

If you will be working remotely, either occasionally or on a permanent basis, you must have a reliable internet connection through a cable or fiber-optic broadband service with minimum speeds of 10 Mbps download and 5 Mbps upload.

The successful candidate will be expected to actively participate in video-based interviews during the recruiting process and ongoing virtual meetings with their camera on, as part of their role.

As part of our Remote-First benefits, Cambium offers reimbursement to help cover the cost of setting up your home or remote office.

An Equal Opportunity Employer

We are dedicated to fostering a culture that celebrates unique backgrounds, ideas, and experiences. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without discrimination on the basis of race, color, age, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender, gender identity/expression, or sexual orientation), national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or genetic information (including family medical history).

We will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities.  You may request an accommodation during the recruiting process with your Talent Acquisition team member.