Position Status: Contingent upon contract award and customer approval
Position Overview
BPA Services, LLC is seeking an experienced AWS Data Operations Specialist / Database Administrator to support the operation, maintenance, security, and reliability of a federal customer’s enterprise data environment.
The successful candidate will administer cloud-hosted databases, maintain AWS-based data workflows, monitor platform health, support incident response, and ensure the availability and integrity of mission-critical data services. The environment includes AWS-native data services, PostgreSQL and SQL Server workloads, data pipelines, analytical platforms, and public-facing data products.
This position is ideal for a hands-on database and cloud operations professional who has supported production data environments and can balance database administration, platform monitoring, troubleshooting, documentation, and end-user support.
Key Responsibilities
- Operate and maintain established AWS-based data workflows using services such as:
- AWS Lambda
- AWS Glue
- AWS Step Functions
- Amazon Redshift
- Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL
- Amazon S3
- SQL Server and related data services
- Perform routine database administration, including:
- Database monitoring and health checks
- Performance tuning and optimization
- Index and partition management
- Patching and upgrades
- Backup and restoration
- Capacity and storage management
- User, credential, and access administration
- Monitor platform health, infrastructure metrics, database performance, pipeline execution, logs, alerts, and data-quality indicators.
- Conduct initial incident triage, troubleshoot production issues, and coordinate incident resolution.
- Ensure database backups and recovery processes support established recovery time and recovery point objectives.
- Support Amazon Redshift, RDS PostgreSQL, SQL Server, and comparable managed data stores.
- Manage and support open-data platforms and data catalogs, including Huwise and CKAN.
- Ensure datasets are published accurately and on schedule.
- Support database structures used for dashboards, analytical reporting, financial reporting, and public-facing datasets.
- Develop and maintain standard operating procedures, operational runbooks, troubleshooting guides, and system documentation.
- Provide technical support and training related to database access, credentials, data tools, and appropriate data use.
- Produce monthly database health, maintenance, incident, availability, and service-level performance reports.
- Work collaboratively with data engineers, architects, project managers, security personnel, and federal stakeholders.
- Support federal security, privacy, auditability, data-quality, and documentation requirements.
- Participate in Agile ceremonies, sprint planning, daily standups, sprint reviews, and retrospectives.
The RFP specifically assigns this position responsibility for AWS workflow operations, database tuning and maintenance, Huwise and CKAN administration, monitoring, incident response, quarterly runbook updates, and end-user support.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in computer science, information systems, engineering, data management, or a related field, or equivalent relevant professional experience.
- Approximately 3–7 or more years of relevant experience in database administration, cloud operations, data platform operations, or a closely related field.
- Demonstrated experience administering production databases in an AWS or comparable cloud environment.
- Hands-on experience with one or more of the following:
- Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL
- Amazon Redshift
- Microsoft SQL Server
- PostgreSQL
- Comparable relational or cloud-managed data platforms
- Experience performing database backup and restoration, tuning, patching, monitoring, maintenance, and performance optimization.
- Experience designing or maintaining relational schemas, indexes, partitions, and database structures.
- Working knowledge of SQL and database troubleshooting.
- Experience monitoring production systems using logs, alerts, metrics, dashboards, and observability tools.
- Experience responding to incidents and documenting root causes, corrective actions, and operational outcomes.
- Experience supporting production data warehouses, databases, or enterprise analytical environments.
- Ability to create clear technical documentation, SOPs, runbooks, reports, and user guidance.
- Strong problem-solving, communication, and customer-support skills.
- Ability to work independently in a remote environment while collaborating with technical and nontechnical stakeholders.
- Ability to obtain and maintain a favorably adjudicated Moderate Risk Minimum Background Investigation, with system access dependent upon completion of the required investigation.
- Must be a United States citizen.
- Must have the ability to obtain and maintain a favorable background investigation and any required level of security clearance, suitability determination, or system access authorization for the position, including the customer-required Moderate Risk/Minimum Background Investigation level.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience supporting AWS Lambda, Glue, Step Functions, S3, Redshift, and RDS-based workflows.
- Experience supporting hybrid environments containing AWS-native services and legacy SQL Server applications.
- Experience with Huwise, CKAN, AWS Glue Data Catalog, AWS Lake Formation, or comparable metadata and open-data platforms.
- Familiarity with ETL/ELT pipelines, Medallion or Lakehouse architectures, and Bronze–Silver–Gold data layers.
- Experience with Python, PowerShell, Bash, or another scripting language used for operational automation.
- Experience with infrastructure as code, such as Terraform or AWS CloudFormation.
- Experience with CI/CD pipelines and version-controlled technical documentation.
- Familiarity with data-quality monitoring, schema validation, lineage, and data observability.
- Previous experience supporting a federal agency or another regulated environment.
- Familiarity with FISMA, federal security controls, audit readiness, PII, CUI, and Authority to Operate requirements.
- One or more relevant certifications, such as:
- AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate
- AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate
- AWS Certified Data Engineer – Associate
- AWS Certified Database – Specialty or comparable database certification
- Microsoft, PostgreSQL, or SQL Server certification
Performance Expectations
The selected candidate will help the team:
- Maintain at least a 95% successful operational pipeline run rate, excluding approved maintenance.
- Acknowledge reported incidents within four business hours.
- Maintain reliable database backup and recovery processes.
- Deliver accurate monthly database health and service-level reports.
- Keep operational documentation current and update runbooks at least quarterly or following significant releases.
Work Environment and Security
This position may be performed remotely. Work involving sensitive information must be performed using Government-furnished equipment. No routine travel is anticipated.
About BPA Services
BPA Services is a small business federal contractor providing program management, information technology, data, financial management, and professional support services to government customers.
BPA Services is an equal opportunity employer. Employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit, experience, and business requirements, consistent with applicable law.
Company Description
Business Process and Automation Services LLC (BPA Services) is a certified small business whose integrated management system is ISO 9001, 20000-1, and 270001 certified. Additionally BPA Services is appraised at CMMI Maturity Level 3 for all software development projects. We have an expansive variety of highly technical, management, and automation tools and skills that allow us to be instrumental in the success of our client’s organizations.
BPA Services has established a highly collaborative relationship with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in providing system engineering and process automation services. We work closely with our clients to fully understand their business needs to customize solutions and implement continuous process improvement. Our company is composed of extremely qualified experts in computer science, system engineering, program management, and software engineering.