Staff Database Development Engineer

<div class="content-intro"><p>About <strong>Zscaler</strong></p> <p>Zscaler accelerates digital transformation to ensure our customers can be more agile, efficient, resilient, and secure. As an <strong>AI-forward enterprise</strong>, we are constantly pushing the envelope, leveraging the world’s largest security data lake to power our cloud-native Zero Trust Exchange platform. This innovation protects our customers from cyberattacks and data loss by securely connecting users, devices, and applications in any location.</p> <p>Here, <strong>impact in your role matters more than title</strong> and trust is built on results. We say, impact over activity. We seek innovators who actively use AI to amplify their impact and who thrive in an environment where we leverage intelligent systems to stay ahead of evolving threats. We believe in transparency and value <strong>constructive, honest debate</strong>—we’re focused on getting to the best ideas, faster. We build high-performing teams that can make an impact quickly and with high quality. To do this, we are building a culture of execution centered on <strong>customer obsession</strong>, collaboration, ownership, and accountability.</p> <p>We value high-impact, high-accountability with a sense of urgency where you’re enabled to do your best work and embrace your potential. If you’re driven by purpose, thrive on solving complex challenges, and want to be part of the team that’s helping to secure the AI age, we invite you to bring your talents to Zscaler and help shape the future of cybersecurity.</p></div><p><strong>Role</strong>&nbsp;</p> <p>We are looking for a Senior Database Developer (PostgreSQL/MySQL/AWS Aurora, SQLite) to join our team in a Hybrid (Bangalore, Hyderabad or Mohali) capacity, reporting to the Senior Director, Software Engineering. You will design, build, and optimize high-performance database systems at planet scale, owning data modeling, complex SQL development, and cloud-native automation. This role is critical for supporting sharded, high-throughput workloads and ensuring the reliability of our global data infrastructure.</p> <p><strong>What you’ll do (Role Expectations)</strong></p> <ul> <li>Design and evolve high-scale data models, partitioning strategies, and sharding patterns to support massive transactional and analytical workloads</li> <li>Optimize query performance and database internals across Postgres and MySQL fleets using advanced profiling tools and configuration tuning</li> <li>Lead the operation and scaling of AWS Aurora environments, including Serverless v2, Global Databases, and read replica management</li> <li>Architect and execute zero-downtime schema migrations and robust disaster recovery strategies to ensure world-class system reliability</li> <li>Standardize database observability and automation by building CI/CD pipelines for schema changes and managing infrastructure as code</li> </ul> <p><strong>Who You Are (Success Profile)</strong></p> <ul> <li>You thrive in ambiguity. You're comfortable building the path as you walk it. You thrive in a dynamic environment, seeing ambiguity not as a hindrance, but as the raw material to build something meaningful.</li> <li>You act like an owner. Your passion for the mission fuels your bias for action. You operate with integrity because you genuinely care about the outcome. True ownership involves leveraging dynamic range: the ability to navigate seamlessly between high-level strategy and hands-on execution.</li> <li>You are a problem-solver. You love running towards the challenges because you are laser-focused on finding the solution, knowing that solving the hard problems delivers the biggest impact.</li> <li>You are a high-trust collaborator. You are ambitious for the team, not just yourself. You embrace our challenge culture by giving and receiving ongoing feedback—knowing that candor delivered with clarity and respect is the truest form of teamwork and the fastest way to earn trust.</li> <li>You are a learner. You have a true growth mindset and are obsessed with your own development, actively seeking feedback to become a better partner and a stronger teammate. You love what you do and you do it with purpose.</li> </ul> <p><strong>What We’re Looking for (Minimum Qualifications)</strong></p> <ul> <li>6+ years of professional experience with relational databases, including 3+ years operating cloud databases such as AWS Aurora or RDS in production</li> <li>Expert-level proficiency in SQL, PL/pgSQL, and MySQL stored routines with a track record of optimizing systems handling thousands of TPS/QPS</li> <li>Deep technical knowledge of database internals including MVCC, WAL, vacuuming, and InnoDB locking mechanisms</li> <li>Hands-on experience with data modeling, partitioning, and infrastructure as code tools like Terraform or CloudFormation</li> <li>Advanced skills in performance diagnostics using tools like EXPLAIN ANALYZE, pg_stat_statements, and Performance Insights</li> </ul> <p><strong>What Will Make You Stand Out (Preferred Qualifications)</strong></p> <ul> <li>Experience with streaming platforms like Kafka and managing database operations within Kubernetes environments</li> <li>Proven ability to drive cost and performance optimization for cloud databases through IOPS and storage class tuning</li> <li>Knowledge of connection management tools like PgBouncer and integration with search engines like Elasticsearch</li> </ul> <p>#LI-Hybrid #LI-AN4</p><div class="content-conclusion"><p data-pm-slice="1 3 []">At Zscaler, we are committed to building a team that reflects the communities we serve and the customers we work with. We foster an inclusive environment that values all backgrounds and perspectives, emphasizing collaboration and belonging. Join us in our mission to make doing business seamless and secure.</p> <p>Our Benefits program is one of the most important ways we support our employees. Zscaler proudly offers comprehensive and inclusive benefits to meet the diverse needs of our employees and their families throughout their life stages, including:</p> <div class="has-nudge" data-nudge-id="5eb9419b-6a4d-4451-bfa6-e2eb96084be0"> <ul> <li>Various health plans</li> <li>Time off plans for vacation and sick time</li> <li>Parental leave options</li> <li>Retirement options</li> <li>Education reimbursement</li> <li>In-office perks, and more!</li> </ul> <p>Learn more about Zscaler’s Future of Work strategy, hybrid working model, and benefits <a href="https://www.zscaler.com/careers">here</a>.</p> </div> <p>By applying for this role, you adhere to applicable laws, regulations, and Zscaler policies, including those related to security and privacy standards and guidelines.</p> <p class="p1">Zscaler is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all individuals. We strive to create a workplace where employees are treated with respect and have the chance to succeed. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy or related medical conditions), age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. <em>See more information by clicking on the </em><a href="https://www.eeoc.gov/sites/default/files/2023-06/22-088_EEOC_KnowYourRights6.12ScreenRdr.pdf"><em>Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal </em></a><em>link.</em></p> <p>Pay Transparency</p> <p>Zscaler complies with all applicable federal, state, and local pay transparency rules.</p> <p>Zscaler is committed to providing reasonable support (called accommodations or adjustments) in our recruiting processes for candidates who are differently abled, have long term conditions, mental health conditions or sincerely held religious beliefs, or who are neurodivergent or require pregnancy-related support.</p></div>