Principal Database Administrator - Xela

Job Description Job Description Principal Database Administrator — Xela Location: Aurora, CO (Onsite) Compensation: $210,000 – $230,000 base Clearance Required: Active transferable TS/SCI required | TS/SCI with CI Poly preferred Work Authorization: U.S. Citizenship required Employment Type: Full-Time About the Role Xela is seeking a Principal Database Administrator to support mission-critical classified infrastructure and software systems in a high-priority defense environment. This is a senior technical role focused on PostgreSQL administration, Linux infrastructure, clustered environments, and urgent production troubleshooting within secure operational systems. This role is ideal for a highly experienced database professional who thrives in fast-paced operational environments where reliability, performance, and immediate issue resolution are critical. What You'll Own Administer and maintain PostgreSQL databases supporting mission-critical applications Support clustered database infrastructure and containerized environments Manage Ubuntu Linux operational systems and backend database infrastructure Perform database installation, upgrades, patching, maintenance, and configuration management Troubleshoot urgent production database and infrastructure issues Refine database architecture, scalability, performance, and reliability Collaborate with systems engineers and software teams on backend application integration Support schema management, design updates, and architecture documentation Respond to operational support requests in classified environments Requirements Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Technology, STEM, or related field 8+ years of database administration or related infrastructure experience 5+ years of PostgreSQL administration in enterprise or mission-critical environments Strong Ubuntu/Linux systems administration expertise Experience with clustered database and containerized infrastructure environments Strong troubleshooting and production support capability Bash scripting and Python experience Experience integrating backend databases with application environments Strong Linux command-line proficiency Ability to obtain Security+ within 60 days if not already held Active transferable TS/SCI clearance required U.S. Citizenship required Preferred Qualifications CI Polygraph Oracle SQL / PL/SQL experience Defense or intelligence program experience DevSecOps or Agile environment exposure Infrastructure modernization experience Real-time mission system support experience Target Profile Strong matches will likely come from cleared defense contractors, national security programs, aerospace, intelligence infrastructure teams, or senior Linux/PostgreSQL administrators supporting classified operational systems. Logistics Role is fully onsite in Aurora, CO Active transferable TS/SCI clearance required on Day 1 — no exceptions U.S. Citizenship required — no visa sponsorship available Shortlisted candidates will be contacted by David Joseph & Co. , the recruiting partner managing this search on behalf of Xela.