Senior Database Performance Engineer

Position Summary

The Software Engineering department is seeking a Senior Database Performance Engineer. 

Our products power mission-critical workflows used by thousands of customers across Canada, with data at the center of every experience. As our platform continues to scale, we are looking for a passionate and highly skilled developer with deep SQL expertise. You must excel at diagnosing complex performance issues, optimizing SQL query execution paths, and ensuring our database servers operate at peak efficiency. You will play a critical role in keeping our systems stable, reliable, and fast as we introduce new applications, expand integrations, and evolve our backend services.

As an ideal candidate, you bring a deep understanding of Microsoft SQL Server internals, performance tuning techniques, and modern ORM frameworks such as Hibernate. You are methodical and analytical, with a strong ability to translate application behaviour—particularly within Java-based systems—into database performance insights. You thrive on troubleshooting, data-driven decision making, and building long-term solutions that prevent issues before they occur.

Success in this role means ensuring stable, well-performing database environments; establishing best practices across engineering teams; and collaborating closely with developers to promote a performance-first mindset. You will be the trusted expert for database performance, guiding teams to write efficient SQL, optimize schema designs, and tune server configurations for predictable, scalable throughput.

Competencies Critical for Success

• Performance & Analysis – Diagnose and resolve complex database performance issues while analyzing SQL execution behavior to identify and implement improvements
• Advocacy & Influence – Communicate database concepts clearly to developers, enabling actionable solutions and advocating proactive changes
• Proactive Optimization – Drive strategies to prevent issues and deliver continuous, measurable performance gains
• Technical Depth – Apply expertise across SQL Server, ORM frameworks, and Java systems to optimize application performance
• Backlog Ownership – Maintain and prioritize a performance improvement backlog; determine what to own directly versus what to drive through development teams

Primary Responsibilities

• Model professionalism and lead by example, promoting database best practices across engineering teams
• Own database performance tuning activities including query optimization, indexing strategies, and execution plan analysis
• Monitor, analyze, and tune SQL Server instances in collaboration with Infrastructure DBA’s to ensure high availability, low latency, and predictable capacity
• Collaborate with Java/Hibernate teams to advise on efficient data-access patterns and ORM configuration
• Support development teams by reviewing SQL-related code, database migrations, and query-heavy features
• Author & submit pull requests to development teams that include SQL performance tuning changes
• Drive root-cause analysis for performance degradation, slow queries, blocking, and deadlocks
• Maintain comprehensive documentation for performance patterns, indexing strategies, and tuning guidelines
• Participate in architectural discussions to ensure database scalability and long-term stability
• Troubleshoot production issues, lead database recovery efforts, and guide teams through performance incidents & escalations
• Remove operational impediments by improving tooling, observability, and database-related workflows
• Work independently to investigate, develop, and deliver performance improvements end-to-end
• Maintain and prioritize a dedicated database performance backlog, identifying items for self-directed delivery versus items requiring coordination with feature teams

Additional Duties and Expectations

• Promote QHR’s “Blue Culture” framework to foster a collaborative, positive and efficient workplace
• Contribute positively to the organization’s internal and external reputation
• Demonstrate empathy, patience, and clear communication in all interactions
• Adapt to changing strategic priorities, including evolution of team composition and responsibilities
• Perform other duties consistent with the position, as reasonably directed by your manager

Qualifications, Education and Experience Requirements

General Requirements

• A degree or diploma in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Systems, or a related field
• 7+ years in Database Administrator, Backend Developer, or equivalent roles with a strong focus on SQL and application performance
• Proven track record of SQL performance tuning, execution plan analysis, and server optimization
• Demonstrated ability to write, test, and ship production code changes independently
• Experience supporting enterprise applications and large-scale data environments
• Experience working collaboratively with development teams, ideally in Java environments
• Experience with Agile methodologies; Scrum certification considered an asset

Technical Requirements

Experience with:

• Advanced MSSQL Server performance tuning (execution plans, indexing, statistics, wait analysis)
• Experience with profiling tools such as SQL Profiler, Extended Events, SolarWinds DPA and SQL Sentry
• Strong SQL development skills (T-SQL, stored procedures, views, triggers)
• Java ecosystem fundamentals and ORM frameworks, especially Hibernate
• Understanding of how Java/Hibernate query generation affects database performance
• Source control tools such as Git

Extra consideration for candidates with:

• Experience with Microsoft Azure SQL or other cloud database platforms
• Experience with Web Technologies such as SpringBoot 
• Experience optimizing CI/CD pipelines for database deployments
• Experience in healthcare or other regulated data environments

Compensation and Logistics

• Base salary, variable bonus established at the corporate level, and a competitive benefits package
  • Hiring Range: $110,000 - $120,000 annual
  • Final pay for this position may depend on candidate knowledge, skills, experience and location
• Full-time, permanent position
• Minimal travel required

QHR is a dynamic, high-growth Canadian technology company and division of Loblaw Companies Limited. Our mission is to unite Canadian Healthcare, connecting Providers and their Patients to information and each other.