Reports To: Manager, Database Engineering
Role Type: Full-time
Workplace Type: Hybrid/Remote
Effective: ASAP
About Us
REALTOR.ca is a cornerstone of Canada’s real estate market, dedicated to helping millions of Canadians navigate their real estate journey. As Canada’s leading real estate platform, REALTOR.ca provides comprehensive property listings, data, tools, and resources that connect Canadians with real estate opportunities across the country.
At REALTOR.ca, we are committed to supporting REALTOR® members’ businesses while delivering trusted and valuable digital experiences to consumers. We continuously evolve our technology and data platforms to meet changing market needs and help shape the future of real estate in Canada.
Join us and be part of a team using technology and data to make a meaningful impact on Canadians every day.
Position Overview
We are seeking an experienced Database Engineer to join our Database Engineering team and help support its evolving responsibilities. This role combines database engineering, database development, performance optimization, and operational responsibilities, with Microsoft SQL Server forming a significant part of our data platform.
We value the thoughtful use of modern AI-assisted tools. The successful candidate should be comfortable using, or willing to adopt, AI tools where appropriate to support problem-solving, research, learning, automation, documentation, and day-to-day engineering work while applying independent judgment and validating results. We also welcome experience with technologies beyond traditional relational databases and analytics/data platforms.
The Database Engineer may also participate in an on-call rotation supporting critical production database services.
Function
The successful candidate will design, develop, maintain, and optimize database and data solutions within a primarily Microsoft Azure-based technology environment, while working closely with software engineering, infrastructure, security, product, and other teams across the organization. The role includes database development and administration, performance tuning, data integration, reliability, automation, troubleshooting, and support for evolving data capabilities.
Key Responsibilities
- Design, develop, implement, and maintain SQL Server database solutions with a focus on performance, reliability, scalability, security, and data integrity.
- Develop and optimize T-SQL queries, stored procedures, database objects, indexes, and data access patterns.
- Work closely with software engineers to design and improve database-backed applications, including schema design, application data access, query optimization, and troubleshooting.
- Analyze SQL Server execution plans, indexing strategies, query patterns, and application behaviour to identify and resolve performance issues.
- Perform database administration activities including installation, configuration, patching, monitoring, backup, recovery, high availability, and disaster recovery.
- Participate in database and SQL code reviews and provide technical guidance on database design, development, and implementation.
- Design and support data movement, replication, integration, and transformation processes across systems and environments.
- Troubleshoot complex database and data-related issues, including performance bottlenecks, availability issues, locking and concurrency problems, and data inconsistencies.
- Support capacity planning, scalability, availability, and lifecycle management for database platforms.
- Develop scripts, tooling, and automation to improve the reliability, repeatability, and efficiency of database operations and development processes.
- Monitor and improve database platform health, performance, backup processes, replication, and disaster recovery capabilities.
- Work with Microsoft Azure infrastructure and services supporting database and data platforms.
- Contribute to data, analytics, reporting, and search initiatives as the Database Engineering team’s responsibilities and capabilities evolve.
- Support the integration, management, and analysis of data from platforms and services such as GA4, BigQuery, Elasticsearch, and other data sources where applicable.
- Use AI-assisted tools where appropriate to support engineering activities, research, problem-solving, documentation, automation, and solution development while critically evaluating and validating outputs.
- Collaborate with software engineering, infrastructure, security, product, and other cross-functional teams on technology and data initiatives.
- Contribute to the evaluation and adoption of database, cloud, search, analytics, AI, and data technologies as the REALTOR.ca technology ecosystem evolves.
- Participate in operational support and an on-call rotation as required.
- Contribute to documentation, standards, technical processes, knowledge sharing, and continuous improvement within the Database Engineering team.
Qualifications & Skills
- College or university degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Software Engineering, or a related discipline, or equivalent professional experience.
- Strong experience working with Microsoft SQL Server and T-SQL.
- Experience with database design and development, including stored procedures, indexing, query optimization, and performance tuning.
- Experience supporting SQL Server in production environments.
- Strong understanding of relational database concepts, indexing, query execution, transaction management, concurrency, and data integrity.
- Experience with database backup, recovery, high availability, disaster recovery, monitoring, and production support.
- Experience collaborating with software engineers to design, troubleshoot, and optimize database-backed applications.
- Familiarity with Microsoft Azure and operating database technologies in cloud environments.
- Familiarity with software development practices, source control, testing, deployment, and change management.
- Comfortable using, or willing to adopt, AI-assisted tools as part of day-to-day engineering work, while applying critical thinking and independent validation.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to investigate complex technical and data-related issues.
- Strong communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively with both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
- Ability to work independently while contributing effectively within a collaborative engineering team.
- A continuous learning mindset and an interest in evolving database, cloud, search, analytics, AI, and data technologies.
Nice to Have
Experience in any of the following areas would be considered an asset, but is not required:
- Elasticsearch or similar search and indexing technologies.
- Google Analytics 4 (GA4), BigQuery, or related analytics and data platforms.
- Azure SQL Database.
- Azure monitoring, storage, or infrastructure services.
- SQL Server hosted in Microsoft Azure.
- Data integration, ETL/ELT, or data pipeline technologies.
- Database replication and distributed data architectures.
- Scripting and automation using PowerShell, Python, or similar technologies.
- Cloud database platforms and modern data architectures.
- Analytics, reporting, business intelligence, or data visualization technologies.
- Large or complex datasets.
- Large-scale, highly available, or business-critical applications.
- DevOps, CI/CD, infrastructure automation, or database deployment automation.
About the Team:
The Database Engineering team supports the data platforms and database technologies behind REALTOR.ca. Our responsibilities span database engineering and development, operational reliability, performance, scalability, automation, data integration, search, analytics, and technical collaboration across the organization.
We work closely with software engineering, infrastructure, security, product, and other teams to ensure that REALTOR.ca’s database and data platforms are reliable, performant, secure, and able to evolve with the needs of the organization.
We value collaboration, knowledge sharing, continuous improvement, curiosity, and professional growth. Team members are encouraged to contribute ideas, explore new technologies, broaden their technical capabilities, and help shape how REALTOR.ca approaches database and data engineering.
Company Culture:
At REALTOR.ca, we pride ourselves on our dynamic and inclusive company culture. We believe that a great workplace is built on mutual respect, open communication, collaboration, and a shared commitment to excellence.
Our team enjoys a flexible work environment that promotes work-life balance, with options for remote work and flexible hours. We also offer opportunities for professional development and career advancement, ensuring that our employees can grow alongside the organization.
We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those under consideration for the role will be contacted.
We use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support the screening and assessment of applications. Our hiring team decides which candidates move forward in the recruitment process.
At REALTOR.ca, we are committed to fostering an inclusive, barrier-free and accessible environment. Part of this commitment includes arranging accommodations to ensure an equitable opportunity to participate in the recruitment and selection process. If you require an accommodation, we will work with you to meet your needs. As an equal opportunity employer, we value the unique perspectives and experiences that each team member brings.
