Data Engineering Consultant

Optum is a global organization that delivers care, aided by technology to help millions of people live healthier lives. The work you do with our team will directly improve health outcomes by connecting people with the care, pharmacy benefits, data and resources they need to feel their best. Here, you will find a culture guided by inclusion, talented peers, comprehensive benefits and career development opportunities. Come make an impact on the communities we serve as you help us advance health optimization on a global scale. Join us to start Caring. Connecting. Growing together.

The Senior Data Engineering Consultant (MySQL) is responsible for architecting, operating, optimizing, and securing MySQL platforms across on premises and cloud (AWS/Azure/GCP). The role leads complex cloud and cross platform migrations, manages technical escalations, ensures regulatory/security compliance, and drives engineering excellence via Python automation, Terraform IaC, and AI assisted observability. It includes end to end PLM, 24/7 on call readiness, and proactive vulnerability management.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Lead end to end design, implementation, optimization, and modernization of MySQL 5.7/8.0 (primarily InnoDB) across on prem, hybrid, and multi cloud (AWS RDS/Aurora MySQL, Azure DB for MySQL, GCP Cloud SQL) with high performance and reliability
• Architect and execute large scale cloud DB and cross platform migrations, consolidations, and legacy modernization using DMS, MySQL Shell Dump & Load, mysqldump/myloader-mydumper, and Percona Toolkit
• Implement and optimize HA/DR via Group Replication / InnoDB Cluster, semi sync replication, read replicas, Orchestrator, ProxySQL/HAProxy, and geo distributed failover
• Drive performance engineering using Performance Schema, slow query log, EXPLAIN, pt query digest, indexing strategies, buffer pool tuning, and proactive capacity planning
• Provide senior escalation leadership: run war rooms, resolve outages, replication breakage, data drift, and performance regressions; partner with app/SRE teams for rapid recovery
• Own security hardening and vulnerability remediation (patching/versions, SSL/TLS, at rest encryption via keyring, auditing, least privilege, secrets management, and continuous compliance)
• Build automation and operations tooling using Python, Bash, and SQL; enable CI/CD for schema changes; provision via Terraform with parameterized modules
• Integrate AI/ML for anomaly detection, workload prediction, and automated tuning recommendations
• Drive PLM (patching, minor/major upgrades e.g., 5.7 → 8.0), deprecation, and modernization roadmaps; maintain detailed runbooks, SOPs, and architecture docs
• Participate in 24/7 on call, ensuring SLAs, RTO/RPO; collaborate closely with DevOps, Cloud, and Application teams
• Job Duties
  • Customer first ownership in real time incidents; lead technical triage and post mortems
  • Execute backups and recovery using Percona XtraBackup, MySQL Enterprise Backup, and cloud native snapshots; perform recovery drills
  • Perform routine maintenance: analyze, optimize, repair (when appropriate), index management, and statistics updates
  • Manage RBAC, users/roles, secrets rotation; enforce network and TLS policies
  • Implement and monitor replication topologies (GTID, multi source, cascading); manage orchestrator failovers
  • Track and optimize resource usage and cloud cost efficiency (instance sizing, storage/IO, backups, cross AZ traffic)
• Professional Development
  • Maintain expertise in MySQL 8.0, replication/cluster tech, observability, and security
  • Pursue MySQL/Percona certifications and major cloud certifications (AWS/Azure/GCP)
  • Upskill in Terraform, Python, and AI for Ops
  • Pursue advanced certifications in MySQL, Azure/AWS cloud, Terraform, and AI technologies
• Comply with the terms and conditions of the employment contract, company policies and procedures, and any and all directives (such as, but not limited to, transfer and/or re-assignment to different work locations, change in teams and/or work shifts, policies in regards to flexibility of work benefits and/or work environment, alternative work arrangements, and other decisions that may arise due to the changing business environment). The Company may adopt, vary or rescind these policies and directives in its absolute discretion and without any limitation (implied or otherwise) on its ability to do so

Required Qualifications:

• Master’s in CS/IT or related; 10+ years as MySQL DBA/Data Engineer at enterprise scale
• Proven delivery of cloud migrations, modernizations, and complex transformations
• Leadership in handling P1 escalations, on call, and mentoring engineering teams
• Deep performance tuning and troubleshooting experience; solid documentation discipline

Preferred Qualifications:

• Certifications: MySQL 8.0, Percona, AWS/Azure/GCP, Terraform, Python
• Experience with adjacent databases (PostgreSQL, MSSQL, NoSQL)
• Exposure to MySQL and ProxySQL at scale
• Technical Skills:
  • MySQL internals (InnoDB, redo/undo, buffer pool, locks/transactions), replication (GTID, semi sync), Group Replication/InnoDB Cluster, Orchestrator
  • Tooling: MySQL Shell, Percona Toolkit, XtraBackup, Performance Schema, pt query digest, ProxySQL/HAProxy
  • Cloud: RDS/Aurora MySQL, Azure DB for MySQL, Cloud SQL; VPC/netsec fundamentals
  • Automation: Python, Bash, Terraform, GitOps/CI CD
  • Security: TLS, keyring at rest encryption, auditing, least privilege
• Knowledge & Skills:
  • Demonstrated incident management, root cause analysis, and continuous improvement
  • Proven leadership, stakeholder communication (technical to executive), decision making
  • Proven solid prioritization and delivery in dynamic, high stakes environments

At UnitedHealth Group, our mission is to help people live healthier lives and make the health system work better for everyone. We believe everyone-of every race, gender, sexuality, age, location and income-deserves the opportunity to live their healthiest life. Today, however, there are still far too many barriers to good health which are disproportionately experienced by people of color, historically marginalized groups and those with lower incomes. We are committed to mitigating our impact on the environment and enabling and delivering equitable care that addresses health disparities and improves health outcomes – an enterprise priority reflected in our mission.

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