Database Expert

About Tap

Tap Payments is revolutionizing online payments across the MENA region by connecting businesses with simple, unified payment experiences. We need exceptional talent to help us on this journey.

The Database Team

Our Database team is responsible for ensuring the performance, availability, and integrity of data across mission-critical systems. They design, operate, and optimize scalable database architectures across on-prem and cloud environments, with a strong focus on reliability, security, and performance. The team also drives automation for database provisioning, monitoring, backup, and recovery, while continuously improving query efficiency and system resilience. Working closely with engineering and platform teams, they ensure data is always accessible, consistent, and ready to support business growth at scale.

As a Tapster you will: 

• Analyze, design, and maintain both relational (PostgreSQL, MySQL on AWS RDS, Aurora) and NoSQL (MongoDB on Atlas) databases across cloud platforms (AWS, OCI).

• Provision, configure, and manage databases using Database-as-a-Service (DBaaS) tools like AWS RDS, Aurora, MongoDB Atlas, and OCI Autonomous DB.

• Monitor performance and availability of managed databases using native monitoring tools (e.g., CloudWatch, Performance Insights, Atlas Metrics).

• Define and manage parameter groups, read replicas, and scaling configurations in DBaaS environments.

• Implement automated backup strategies, snapshot policies, and cross-region replication for high availability and disaster recovery.

• Ensure data encryption at rest and in transit, using cloud-native KMS tools or customer-managed keys.

• Control and audit database access using IAM roles, VPC security, network whitelisting, and fine-grained user roles.

• Optimize cost and performance using DBaaS features such as auto-scaling, query tuning, indexing, and storage tiering.

• Implement and monitor alerts, health checks, and slow query logs using AWS CloudWatch, MongoDB Atlas alerts, and third-party observability tools.

• Enforce data security, retention, and compliance policies aligned with regulations (e.g., PCI DSS, GDPR, SOC 2) using managed features and audits.

• Collaborate with DevOps and Data Engineering teams to support CI/CD pipelines and infrastructure-as-code for database changes (e.g., using Terraform, CloudFormation).

• Manage schema migrations and versioning using tools like Liquibase, Flyway, or Alembic in cloud environments.

• Create, maintain, and document standard operating procedures for database provisioning, incident response, and change management.

• Perform capacity planning and cost forecasting using metrics and usage trends across cloud platforms.

• Participate in incident management, root cause analysis, and escalation processes for critical database issues.

• Assist with data integrations between databases and analytics platforms (e.g., DMS, Glue, Kafka Connect).

• Carry out other duties as assigned, based on the evolving cloud strategy and business needs. 

What you will bring to the party: 

• 2–6 years of hands-on, role-specific experience in database administration or cloud data infrastructure, with a growing level of technical expertise.

• Deep understanding of PayTech systems and data flows, including transaction processing, compliance (e.g., PCI DSS), and latency-sensitive architecture.

• Solid experience with Database-as-a-Service (DBaaS) platforms such as: AWS RDS, Amazon Aurora, and CloudWatch, MongoDB Atlas (including cluster tuning, backup/restore, user roles), OCI (Oracle Cloud Infrastructure) and related Autonomous DB offerings

• Experience managing SQL and NoSQL databases (e.g., PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB, Cassandra).

• Familiar with infrastructure-as-code (IaC) tools like Terraform or CloudFormation for provisioning and managing cloud data environments.

• Proficient in monitoring, performance tuning, and automation using tools like Performance Insights, pg_stat_statements, Atlas Alerts, and Prometheus/Grafana.

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, IT, or a related field is preferred — equivalent professional experience is equally valued.

• Demonstrates a strong service mindset when supporting internal teams, clients, or merchants.

• Ability to recognize when to escalate technical issues, ensuring proactive risk mitigation.

• Adaptable, self-motivated, and resilient — learns quickly from experience and change.

• Capable of working independently and taking technical leadership on tasks or small projects.

• Eager to share knowledge and collaborate, fostering a culture of continuous improvement.

• Brings a hands-on mindset with strong team player and mentorship qualities.

• Dedicated to delivering high-quality, secure, and innovative database solutions.

• Effective communication skills in English (written and verbal); Arabic language proficiency is a plus and highly valued in client-facing or regional roles.  

 

Are you ready to shape the future of payments in MENA?