Principal Database Architect Jobs (NOW HIRING)

About the Team

The Database Platform Engineering team is responsible for developing and maintaining enterprise-grade database platforms that drive the firm's modernization initiatives. By delivering secure, scalable, and standardized database solutions, the team enables the adoption of modern technologies across the organization.

Role Summary

The Principal Database Platform Engineer is the highest-level individual contributor, providing technical leadership in database platform architecture, automation, and modernization. This role focuses on advancing cloud database capabilities, especially within AWS, and supports the firm's transition to cloud-native environments. The position influences enterprise architecture, senior technologists, and engineering leaders, prioritizing platform modernization, automation, reusable services, and enablement.

Responsibilities

• Lead the architecture and continuous advancement of enterprise database platforms in cloud and hybrid environments, with an emphasis on AWS-managed services.
• Act as the technical authority for AWS database platforms (Aurora PostgreSQL, Aurora MySQL, DynamoDB, Snowflake) and related services.
• Develop and enforce database platform standards, reusable reference architectures, and patterns to streamline adoption and minimize fragmentation.
• Design and execute migration strategies for traditional databases (Oracle, SQL Server) to cloud-native AWS solutions.
• Perform hands-on engineering to build automation, tooling, and performance enhancements using Infrastructure as Code and database-native features.
• Automate provisioning, configuration, scaling, backup, recovery, and lifecycle management of databases via Terraform, CloudFormation, and CI/CD pipelines.
• Implement performance optimization techniques, including query tuning, indexing, capacity planning, and cost management for large-scale workloads.
• Integrate security, resiliency, compliance, and operational best practices into database platforms.
• Collaborate with Application, Platform, Cloud Engineering, Security, and Enterprise Architecture teams to align strategy and execution.
• Serve as a technical escalation point for complex database issues involving performance, scalability, availability, and migration.
• Mentor senior engineers and database professionals, guiding technical direction across the organization.
• Support Agile delivery by contributing to epics, stories, and iterative platform improvements tracked in Jira.
• Produce high-quality documentation (platform guides, design standards, runbooks) to enable self-service adoption.
• Communicate complex technical concepts clearly to engineers, leadership, and non-technical stakeholders.

Business Knowledge & Impact:

• Deep understanding of how modern database platforms drive business agility, scalability, and performance.
• Demonstrated expertise in modernizing legacy database estates and leading cloud database transformations.
• Strong systems thinking, balancing standardization, governance, risk management, and developer productivity.
• Experience in regulated, risk-sensitive environments with high standards for data protection and availability.
• Operates at a principal engineering level, influencing enterprise architecture and long-term technology strategy.

Qualifications

Required:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in a technical field (or equivalent experience) and 10+ years designing, building, and operating enterprise database platforms.
• Advanced expertise with cloud databases: Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL, Aurora MySQL, DynamoDB, Snowflake.
• Strong experience with traditional databases: Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server.
• Proven experience migrating legacy/on-premises databases to AWS, including re-platforming and modernization.
• Proficiency with database automation, Infrastructure as Code, performance tuning, high availability, disaster recovery, and backup strategies.
• Solid knowledge of cloud networking, IAM, and database security fundamentals.
• Experience integrating database platforms with CI/CD and DevSecOps pipelines.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with a track record of producing clear documentation and explaining technical concepts to diverse audiences.

Preferred:

• Cloud or database certifications.
• Experience in large, global financial institutions.

FINRA Requirements

FINRA licenses are not required and will not be supported for this role.

Work Flexibility

This role is eligible for hybrid work, with up to three days per week from home.

Base Salary Ranges

Please review the job posting for the location of this specific opportunity.

$159,000.00 - $272,000.00 for the location of: Maryland, Colorado, Washington and remote workers
$175,000.00 - $299,000.00 for the location of: Washington, D.C.
$199,000.00 - $339,000.00 for the location of: New York, California

Placement within the range provided above is based on the individual's relevant experience and skills for the role. Base salary is only one component of our total compensation package. Employees may be eligible for a discretionary bonus, which is determined upon company and individual performance.

Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

At T. Rowe Price, our associates are our greatest asset. We thrive because our company culture is built on inclusion and because we sustain a work environment where associates can bring their best selves to work every day. The backgrounds, talents, and experiences of our global associates allow us to embrace new ideas and perspectives that move our business priorities forward and enable us to deliver strong client outcomes. Here, you can expect equal opportunity and fair and consistent treatment for all.

Benefits

T. Rowe Price is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity of thought, gender, and race. We believe our continued success depends upon the equal treatment of all associates and applicants for employment without discrimination on the basis of race, religion, creed, color, national origin, sex, gender, age, mental or physical disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, citizenship status, military or veteran status, pregnancy, or any other classification protected by country, federal, state, or local law.