Lead Database Engineer - AWS and MySQL

At Toku, we create bespoke cloud communications and customer engagement solutions to reimagine customer experiences for enterprises. We provide an end-to-end approach to help businesses overcome the complexity of digital transformation and deliver mission-critical CX through cloud communication solutions. Toku combines local strategic consulting expertise, bespoke technology, regional in-country infrastructure, connectivity, and global reach to serve the diverse needs of enterprises operating at scale. Headquartered in Singapore, Toku supports customers across APAC and beyond, with a growing footprint across global markets.

This is a senior, hands-on Database Engineer role with a hybrid focus across core database engineering and meaningful data engineering contribution. You will own the reliability, performance, and evolution of Toku’s cloud-native database platforms, while also contributing to modern data pipelines and automation. Operating in a SaaS environment, you will influence design decisions, mentor others, and raise engineering standards across the team. You will thrive in this role if you enjoy owning complex systems, challenging the status quo, and combining strong DBA fundamentals with modern cloud and data engineering practices.

What you will be doing

• Core Database Engineering & Operations: Own the design, operation, and continuous improvement of Toku’s production databases, primarily MySQL/MariaDB on AWS RDS and Aurora, ensuring reliability, scalability, and performance.

• High Availability & Disaster Recovery: Design, implement, test, and operate HA and DR architectures, taking responsibility for resilience planning rather than only maintaining existing setups.

• Performance & Query Optimisation: Diagnose and resolve performance issues, guide developers on query design, indexing, and application–database alignment, and lead root-cause analysis for incidents.

• Automation & Tooling: Drive automation of database operations and workflows using Python and scripting to reduce manual effort and operational risk.

• Data Engineering Collaboration: Contribute to and support internal data pipelines and warehouse workflows, working closely with data engineering peers and participating in Databricks-based pipelines where required.

• Monitoring & Incident Response: Proactively monitor database and pipeline health, take ownership during incidents, and implement preventative improvements.

• Security, Compliance & Governance: Apply compliant database practices including access control, data protection, and masking, aligned with regulations such as GDPR and HIPAA.

• Cross-team Collaboration: Work closely with product engineering, infrastructure, and security teams to support internal platforms and evolving application needs.

• Mentorship & Technical Leadership: Mentor junior engineers, share best practices, and act as an internal advocate for modern, cloud-native database engineering.

• On-call Support: Participate in a rota-based on-call schedule (approximately one week per month), providing after-hours and weekend support when required.

We’d love to hear from you if you have

• Core Database Expertise: Strong hands-on experience with MySQL or MariaDB in production environments, particularly on AWS RDS/Aurora.

• Senior-Level DBA Experience: 5+ years in database engineering / DBA roles, with ownership of production systems in a SaaS or fast-moving environment.

• Cloud-Native Mindset: Practical experience operating cloud-managed databases on AWS; AWS database certifications are strongly preferred.

• High Availability & DR: Proven experience designing and operating HA/DR database architectures.

• Automation Skills: Hands-on Python scripting for database automation, tooling, and operational efficiency.

• Data Engineering Exposure: Experience working with data pipelines and modern data platforms such as Databricks, or the ability to contribute effectively in this space.

• Performance Engineering: Strong capability in query tuning, indexing strategies, and diagnosing complex production issues.

• Compliance Awareness: Working knowledge of data protection and compliance concepts (e.g. GDPR, HIPAA), with the ability to apply them in practice.

• Operating Systems: Experience working in Linux environments; familiarity with Windows Server is beneficial.

• Secondary Technologies: Postgres experience is a bonus; MongoDB awareness is sufficient.

• Collaboration & Influence: Ability to guide developers, mentor peers, and influence technical direction through hands-on contribution.

What would you get?

• Training and Development

• Discretionary Yearly Bonus & Salary Review

• Healthcare Coverage based on location

• 20 days Paid Annual Leave (excluding Bank holidays)

Toku has been recognised as a LinkedIn Top Startup and by the Financial Times as one of APAC’s Top 500 High Growth Companies. If you’re looking to be part of a company on a strong growth trajectory while working on meaningful, real-world challenges, we’d love to hear from you.