At a Glance
- Tasks: Ensure database reliability and automate performance tuning using cutting-edge technologies.
- Company: Join Starling, the UK's leading digital bank on a mission to revolutionise banking.
- Benefits: Enjoy 25 days holiday, private medical insurance, and flexible working options.
- Other info: Diverse and inclusive workplace with excellent career growth opportunities.
- Why this job: Be part of a dynamic team reshaping banking with innovative tech solutions.
- Qualifications: Experience with PostgreSQL and a passion for distributed systems and automation.
The predicted salary is between 56700 - 69300 £ per year.
Starling is the UK's first and leading digital bank on a mission to fix banking! Our vision is fast technology, fair service, and honest values. We built a new kind of bank because we knew technology had the power to help people save, spend and manage their money in a new and transformative way. We're a fully licensed UK bank with the culture and spirit of a fast-moving, disruptive tech company. Our technologists are at the very heart of Starling and enjoy working in a fast-paced environment that is all about building things, creating new stuff, and disruptive technology that keeps us on the cutting edge of fintech.
The way to thrive and shine within Starling is to be a self-driven individual and take full ownership of everything around you: from building things, designing, discovering, to sharing knowledge with your colleagues and ensuring all processes are efficient and productive to deliver the best possible results for our customers.
Hybrid Working
We have a Hybrid approach to working here at Starling - our preference is that you're located within a commutable distance of one of our offices so that we're able to interact and collaborate in person. In Technology, we're asking that you attend the office a minimum of 1 day per week.
Our Data Environment
Our Data teams are aligned to divisions covering Banking Services & Products, Customer Identity & Financial Crime, and Data & ML Engineering. Our Data teams are excited about delivering meaningful and impactful insights to both the business and our customers.
We are looking for talented data professionals at all levels to join the team. People with a broad ability to apply themselves to a multitude of problems and challenges, who can work across teams do great things here at Starling, to continue changing banking for good.
Responsibilities
- Modernize and Scale the RDS Fleet: Ensure the reliability of our existing RDS footprint. You will use Terraform to maintain the databases and automate strategies for performance tuning.
- Evolve Observability & Monitoring: Build deep, proactive monitoring and alerting for our global database fleet. You will leverage Java-based data collection pipelines and metrics platforms (Prometheus, Grafana, Dash0, Sentry, Humio) to detect performance regressions, slow queries, and health issues before they impact customers.
- Fortify Business Continuity (BCP): Design and implement rigorous Business Continuity Planning and Disaster Recovery strategies. You will build Java-based automation that ensures data durability and rapid recovery across regions, guaranteeing our databases remain resilient.
- Architect Cross-Cloud Portability: Use CNPG (CloudNativePG) and cloud-native patterns to ensure our database layer remains provider-agnostic, allowing seamless deployment across clouds.
- Build Java-Driven Applications: Enhance production-grade Java microservices to orchestrate database monitoring, automated failover, and replication workflows.
Requirements
- PostgreSQL: You have hands-on experience working with Postgres databases. You understand core database concepts like query execution, indexing, locking, and performance tuning.
- Systems Thinker: You believe infrastructure and database orchestration should be driven programmatically via Terraform and custom Java automation.
- Distributed Systems Enthusiast: You are excited by the challenge of "multi-everything"—multi-tenant and multi-region data platforms—while ensuring data integrity, clean relational modeling, and mobility.
- A Security & Observability Mindset: You focus on building deep observability (Prometheus/Grafana/Dash0/Sentry/Humio) and automated security guardrails directly into your Java services so the fleet is secure and monitored by design.
Interview process
Interviewing is a two-way process and we want you to have the time and opportunity to get to know us, as much as we are getting to know you! In general, you can expect the below, following a chat with one of our Talent Team:
- Stage 1 - 30 mins with one of the team
- Stage 2 - Take-home challenge
- Stage 3 - 60 mins technical interview with two team members
- Stage 4 - 45 min final with two data executives
Benefits
- 25 days holiday (plus take your public holiday allowance whenever works best for you)
- An extra day's holiday for your birthday
- Annual leave is increased with length of service, and you can choose to buy or sell up to five extra days off
- 16 hours paid volunteering time a year
- Salary sacrifice, company enhanced pension scheme
- Life insurance at 4x your salary & group income protection
- Private Medical Insurance with VitalityHealth including mental health support and cancer care
- Generous family-friendly policies
- Perkbox membership giving access to retail discounts, a wellness platform for physical and mental health, and weekly free and boosted perks
- Access to initiatives like Cycle to Work, Salary Sacrificed Gym partnerships and Electric Vehicle (EV) leasing
About Us
You may be put off applying for a role because you don't tick every box. While we can't accommodate every flexible working request, we're always open to discussion. We're on a mission to radically reshape banking – and that starts with our brilliant team. Starling Bank is an equal opportunity employer, and we're proud of our ongoing efforts to foster diversity & inclusion in the workplace.
AWS Database Reliability Engineer in London employer: Starling Bank
At Engine by Starling, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer that champions innovation and collaboration within the banking technology sector. Our flexible working culture, generous benefits including 33 days of holiday and private medical insurance, and commitment to employee growth create a supportive environment where legal professionals can thrive. Located in a dynamic and rapidly growing company, you'll have the opportunity to work on impactful projects while enjoying a healthy work-life balance.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land AWS Database Reliability Engineer in London
✨Join Local Tech Meetups
Get out there and mingle with fellow developers by joining local tech meetups. It’s a fantastic way to meet people who might be working at Starling Bank or know someone who does. Plus, you can pick up some trendy tech skills and trends while you're at it!
✨Contribute to Open Source Projects
Show off your coding chops by jumping into open-source projects. Not only does this give you practical experience, but it also gets you noticed in the dev community. You'll create a killer portfolio that speaks volumes about your skills to Starling Bank.
✨Tap into Online Developer Communities
Don’t underestimate the power of online developer communities like GitHub, Stack Overflow, and even Reddit. Participate in discussions, share your projects, and build your visibility. We can often find opportunities through these channels that can lead to a full-time gig at companies like Starling Bank.
✨Explore Job Boards Specifically for Tech Roles
Keep your eyes peeled on job boards that focus on tech roles. Sites like TechCareers or Stack Overflow Jobs can often have listings for companies like Starling Bank that might not show up on broader job sites. Make it a habit to check these regularly, and don’t hesitate to apply directly through our website!
We think you need these skills to ace AWS Database Reliability Engineer in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show off your coding skills:When applying for a software engineering role, it's super important to showcase your coding skills. Make sure your CV includes your tech stack, any relevant programming languages you’re comfortable with, and examples of projects you've worked on. If you have a GitHub profile, link it up! We love to see code in action.
Tailor your portfolio:For a full-time role, we’d expect to see some solid examples of your work in your portfolio. Make sure to include at least two or three projects that highlight your problem-solving skills and your ability to work with different technologies. Focus on the projects that are most relevant to the position at Starling Bank.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at Starling Bank and how your skills align with the role. Show us your passion for software development. We dig enthusiastic candidates who understand the value of collaboration and continuous learning!
Be clear and concise:When it comes to writing your CV and cover letter, clarity is key. Avoid jargon that could confuse us and stick to simple, direct language. Highlight your achievements with quantifiable results where possible, and keep everything easy to read. A well-organised application goes a long way!
How to prepare for a job interview at Starling Bank
✨Brush Up on Your Coding Skills
For a full-time software engineering role, it's crucial that we stay sharp with our coding abilities. Expect technical questions that might involve solving problems on the spot or discussing algorithms. Practise on platforms like LeetCode or HackerRank to get comfortable with the types of questions that often come up.
✨Know Your Tools and Frameworks
Make sure we’re well-acquainted with the tools and technologies listed in the job description. Familiarise ourselves with any specific frameworks or programming languages mentioned. If Starling Bank uses React or Node.js, for instance, be ready to discuss how we’ve used them in previous projects or coursework.
✨Showcase Your Projects
Bring along a portfolio that highlights our best work. This could be code samples, GitHub repositories, or any side projects we’ve built. Make sure we can talk through our thought process for each project, especially the challenges we faced and how we solved them—this shows our problem-solving skills in action.
✨Prepare for Behavioural Questions
While technical skills are key, full-time positions also require cultural fit. Be ready to discuss our previous experiences and how we handle teamwork, conflict, and deadlines. Brush up on the STAR method—Situation, Task, Action, Result—to clearly articulate our past experiences when discussing how we've contributed to a team.
