Database Administrator

About Telna

Telna provides Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), Communication Service Providers (CSPs), and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) with a fully managed global cellular connectivity platform. With access to the largest 2G–5G and LTE-M coverage from over 800 radio network operators—300 of which are direct partners—across 200 countries, Telna empowers seamless, high-performance connectivity worldwide.

Our global multi-network connectivity platform simplifies integration, offering localized break-out capabilities via cloud infrastructure. With a single integration into Telna’s platform, millions of devices are powered by resilient, multi-network connectivity—enabling a wide array of innovative cloud-based solutions.

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Position Overview

Telna is seeking a skilled and experienced Database Administrator (DBA) to join our team. In this role, you will be responsible for the end-to-end lifecycle management of our heterogeneous database environment — spanning relational, document, wide-column, search, and in-memory data stores. You will play a pivotal role in ensuring the reliability, performance, and security of mission-critical systems that support millions of telecom subscribers.

Beyond day-to-day operations, you will act as a trusted technical advisor to our software engineering teams, guiding schema design decisions that maximize query efficiency, scalability, and long-term maintainability across our data platforms.

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Key Responsibilities

Installation & Configuration

- Install, configure and upgrade database systems across all supported platforms (MongoDB, ScyllaDB, Apache Solr, and others).

- Setup and manage database clusters, replication topologies, and high-availability configurations appropriate to each platform.

- Define and enforce standardized installation procedures, naming conventions, and configuration baselines.

- Configure authentication, authorization, and role-based access control (RBAC) across all database instances.

Maintenance & Operations

- Monitor database health, performance metrics, capacity utilization, and availability using dedicated observability tooling.

- Apply patches, version upgrades, and security fixes in line with change management policies and maintenance windows.

- Implement, test, and maintain backup and disaster recovery (DR) strategies to meet defined RPO/RTO SLAs.

- Manage database storage allocation, index maintenance, and compaction/defragmentation routines.

- Investigate and resolve incidents including performance degradation, replication lag, node failures, and data inconsistencies.

- Maintain detailed runbooks and operational documentation for all managed database platforms.

Performance Tuning & Optimization

- Continuously profile and tune database performance — including query plans, index strategies, memory settings, and I/O throughput.

- Identify and resolve slow queries, hot partitions, and resource contention issues.

- Design and implement caching layers and eviction policies in Redis to optimize application response times.

- Tune Solr core configurations, analyzers, and query handlers to maximize search relevance and throughput.

Developer Consulting & Schema Advisory

- Partner with software engineering and architecture teams during system design and sprint planning to provide expert guidance on data modeling and schema design.

- Advise on optimal data structures, collection/table/keyspace design, and access patterns for each database technology.

- Conduct formal design reviews and provide written recommendations before new schemas are deployed to production.

- Develop and maintain internal best-practice documentation, guidelines, and schema templates for each platform.

Security & Compliance

- Enforce data security policies including encryption at rest and in transit, auditing, and access logging.

- Perform periodic access reviews and revoke unnecessary privileges in accordance with the principle of least privilege.

- Ensure compliance with relevant data protection regulations (e.g., GDPR, local telecom data regulations) and internal security standards.

- Participate in security audits and remediate identified vulnerabilities in a timely manner.

Required Qualifications

- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related technical discipline (or equivalent practical experience).

- 5+ years of professional experience as a Database Administrator or Database Engineer in a production environment.

- Hands-on expertise with MongoDB — including replica sets, sharding, aggregation framework, and index management.

- Hands-on expertise with ScyllaDB or Apache Cassandra — including CQL, compaction strategies, and partition design.

- Practical experience with Apache Solr — schema configuration, SolrCloud, and query optimization.

- Practical experience with Redis — cluster mode, persistence (RDB/AOF), Pub/Sub, and data structure best practices.

- Knowledge of SQL databases such as MariaDB, MySQL, PostgreSQL, and Galera-based clusters — including replication, high-availability configurations, and query optimization.

- Solid understanding of Linux/Unix systems administration and shell scripting (Bash/Python).

- Experience with monitoring and observability platforms (e.g., Prometheus, Grafana, Datadog, or equivalent).

- Strong analytical and troubleshooting skills with the ability to diagnose complex performance and reliability issues.

- Excellent communication skills with the ability to translate complex technical concepts for developer audiences.

Preferred Qualifications

- Experience in a telecommunications or large-scale, high-throughput data environment.

- Familiarity with cloud-managed database services (AWS, GCP, or Azure).

- Knowledge of containerization and orchestration tools (Docker, Kubernetes, Helm).

- Experience with Infrastructure as Code tools (Terraform, Ansible) for database provisioning.

- Relevant certifications: MongoDB Certified DBA, DataStax (Cassandra/Scylla) Certification, or equivalent.

- Exposure to streaming and event-driven architectures (Apache Kafka, Pulsar) and their interaction with database systems.

- Understanding of CI/CD pipelines and DevOps practices as they relate to database change management.

Why Join Us

- Contribute to the advancement of cutting-edge telecom technologies and infrastructure.

- Collaborate with a diverse, experienced, and multicultural team of engineers and industry professionals.

- Enjoy a flexible work environment with remote work options.

- Receive a competitive salary and a comprehensive benefits package.

- Grow your career through professional development opportunities and technical training.