Senior Database Engineer

Crunchyroll is growing and changing presenting unique challenges and opportunities to support millions of anime fans around the world. The Data Engineering team provides seamless help to our internal stakeholders ensuring an exceptional experience for all Crunchyroll fans.

As a Database Engineer for the Data Engineering team you will be responsible for maintaining and enhancing the reliability of our data infrastructure. Your work will directly impact the availability and performance of our data services enabling the organization to make data-driven decisions. You will collaborate closely with data engineers and software engineers to develop and drive 100% automation best practices for deep monitoring and alerting.

• Database Strategy & Technical Leadership: Act as the strategic subject matter expert for database engine best practices storage engines and long-term data placement strategy across the broader engineering organization. Partner with tech leadership to raise the collective database expertise of the team.
• SQL Optimization & Application Performance: Drive deep application performance analysis. Own the identification debugging and elimination of query execution bottlenecks optimizing raw SQL missing indexes execution plans and data models to maximize throughput and minimize latency.
• Cloud Database Architecture & Scale: Design scale and evaluate schemas leveraging AWS-native database services including Amazon RDS Aurora (MySQL/PostgreSQL) and NoSQL engines (DynamoDB) ensuring systems adhere strictly to rigorous scalability benchmarks.
• Database Internals & Systems Analysis: Execute deep-dive performance forensics into database engine behaviors memory structures replication lag locking mechanisms and OS/hardware saturation metrics (such as Disk/IO performance) to preemptively address platform degradation.
• Engineering Mentorship & Advisory: Partner closely with internal application development and data teams to review data access patterns optimize application-level database interaction layers and establish organizational standards around indexing and schema configurations.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with Database SRE specialists to ensure highly optimized query layouts correct database configuration and schemas translate seamlessly into platform automation and IaC frameworks.

We get excited about candidates like you because...

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science Information Technology or a related field.
• 8+ years of experience in database operations or a related role with a focus on data platforms data stores data operations.
• Deep experience in AWS RDS Aurora and NoSQL is a must.
• Extensive experience with AWS cloud platform and their data-related services.
• Proficiency in monitoring tools (e.g. Datadog CloudWatch DevOps Guru DB Performance Insights).
• Proficiency in one or more programming languages (e.g.  Python Java)
• Strong understanding of various performance metrics both at a high level and at a low level like Disk/IO saturation.
• Experience in identifying and eliminating the bottlenecks in the system.
• Strong understanding of database internals like types of indexes schemas query plans.
• Strong understanding of database systems (e.g. SQL NoSQL) and experience in managing large-scale data infrastructures.
• Basic knowledge and some hands-on implementation of CI/CD pipelines and DatabaseOps practices.
• Experience with data governance compliance and lifecycle management.
• Strong problem-solving skills and a proactive approach to identifying and addressing issues.
• Ability to independently own and execute projects while effectively collaborating with the team to influence and shape the vision of the data engineering organization.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to mentor and guide junior engineers.

The Database Engineering team is dedicated to ensuring the reliability scalability and performance of our data infrastructure. We focus on standardizing and implementing monitoring and alerting across all datastores to track key metrics like errors latency and throughput and to ensure critical systems are covered. Our team also leads efforts to keep databases up-to-date implements Infrastructure as Code (IaC) for high availability and performance and automates key processes to enhance operational efficiency. 

We lead and evangelize the principle of 100% automation. Additionally we define and document operational requirements develop incident response processes and automate monitoring and compliance checks to maintain a secure and reliable data environment. By continuously improving load testing and optimizing data governance practices we support the overall health and efficiency of our data systems.

In addition to getting to work with fun passionate and inspired colleagues you will also enjoy the following benefits and perks:

• Receive a great compensation package including salary plus performance bonus earning potential paid annually.
• Flexible time off policies allowing you to take the time you need to be your whole self.
• Generous medical dental vision STD LTD and life insurance
• Health Saving Account HSA program
• Health care and dependent care FSA
• 401(k) plan with employer match
• Employer paid commuter benefit
• Support program for new parents
• Pet insurance and some of our offices are pet friendly!

#LifeAtCrunchyroll #LI-Hybrid

What We Do

At Crunchyroll we deliver what anime fans love—anytime anywhere. With the world’s largest anime streaming library we connect fans to the stories characters and creators they love. But Crunchyroll is more than just a destination to watch anime—it's a global ecosystem where anime lives and breathes beyond the screen. From streaming and theatrical releases to merch games news events and music we offer fans immersive experiences that celebrate anime culture in all its forms. Headquartered in the U.S. with teams and reach across the globe Crunchyroll is an independently operated joint venture between Sony Pictures Entertainment and Aniplex of Japan. This unique partnership gives us the power to scale globally while staying rooted in anime’s cultural origins ensuring authenticity and access for fans everywhere. We believe anime is more than entertainment—it’s a way of life. And we’re here to champion that passion every day.

Why Work With Us

We take the People Experience seriously here at Crunchyroll. Join a diverse team of talented ambitious people who treat each other well and believe that how we win is just as important as winning.

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