Lead Database Platform Engineer

About the Opportunity

We are seeking an experienced and forward-thinking Lead Database Platform Engineer to drive the technical success of our Database Platform team at N26. This is a pivotal role in shaping the future of our database infrastructure as we transition from a highly operational DBA support team to a platform engineering team with a product-centric approach. Our mission is to empower development teams with automation, integration, compliance, and scalability — enabling them to take ownership of their database environments while maintaining high standards of security, reliability, and efficiency. The ideal candidate will be both a deep technical expert and a collaborative leader, with a passion for enabling developers through self-service capabilities, while fostering a culture of ownership, innovation, and continuous improvement.

In this role, you will:

• Own and drive the technical vision, architecture, and roadmap of the Database Platform team, aligning with business product priorities and the company's strategic objectives
• Design and implement platform services and tools that enable development teams to autonomously manage their database infrastructure while adhering to security, compliance, and operational best practices
• Lead the automation of core operational processes, including data migrations, patch management, observability, and database provisioning
• Collaborate closely with Engineering Managers, Product Managers, and other Tech Leads to ensure seamless integration of database services into the overall platform ecosystem
• Act as the technical interface and advocate for the team, influencing technical decision-making across the organisation and fostering strong relationships with stakeholders
• Establish and promote best practices, standards, and guardrails to ensure secure, compliant, and scalable database operations
• Mentor and coach team members, fostering their technical growth and encouraging ownership, initiative, and autonomy
• Proactively identify technical risks, dependencies, and architectural challenges, driving technical discovery and influencing the team's roadmap
• Support the adoption of product-centric and agile ways of working, ensuring that technical priorities align with customer needs and business outcomes

What You Need to Be Successful

Background

• Extensive experience in Database Reliability Engineering (DBRE), Database Platform Engineering, or related roles
• Proven track record of leading technical initiatives and delivering database infrastructure solutions in a platform-oriented context
• Strong understanding of AWS cloud services, particularly RDS, and infrastructure as code
• Experience in banking, fintech, or other regulated industries is a plus

Skills

• Deep expertise in PostgreSQL, good familiarity with other database engines (including NoSQL) and solid understanding of advanced database-related theoretical concepts
• Proficiency in automation and integration technologies such as IaC (preferably Terraform), Python, CI/CD pipelines, observability tools and secret management
• Solid grasp of security, compliance, and governance practices in cloud database environments
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills
• Ability to drive technical discovery, architectural decision-making, and strategic planning
• Experience designing, scaling and optimising self-service platforms, scalable database solutions and complex, data-centric architectures
• English full professional proficiency

Traits

• Technical leadership and ownership mentality
• Genuine curiosity and passion for the database ecosystem and its continuous evolution
• Collaborative and empathetic approach to mentorship and team enablement
• High sense of initiative, autonomy, and accountability
• Ability to navigate complex stakeholder landscapes with strategy, influence and diplomacy

What’s in it for you

• Accelerate your career growth by joining one of Europe’s most talked about disruptors 🚀
• Employee benefits that range from a competitive personal development budget, work from home budget, discounts to fitness & wellness memberships, language apps and public transportation
• As an N26 employee you will have access to a Premium subscription on your personal N26 bank account, as well as subscriptions for friends and family members
• Additional day of annual leave for each year of service
• A high degree of autonomy and access to cutting edge technologies - all while working with a friendly team of peers of diverse nationalities, life experiences and backgrounds
• A relocation package with visa support for those who need it

Who we are

N26 has reimagined banking for today’s digital world. Technology and design empower everything we do and it’s how we are building the global banking platform the world loves to use. We've eliminated physical branches, paperwork, and hidden fees for an elegant digital experience and supreme savings. Giving people the power to live and bank their way is what gets us out of bed in the morning and inspires the work that we do.  We are headquartered in Berlin with offices in multiple cities across Europe, including Vienna and Barcelona, and a 1,500-strong team of more than 80 nationalities.

Sounds good? Apply now for this position.

Equal Opportunities

We recognize that our strength lies in our people and the varied perspectives they bring to our workforce. We strive to build talented and diverse teams to drive our business success and empower our people to reach their full potential. We genuinely welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, cultures, genders, sexual orientations, abilities, neurodiversities, and ages. We're committed to creating an inclusive workspace where everyone feels valued and respected, free from harassment and discrimination. If there's anything you need to make the application process work for you, please let us know.  Visit our website to learn more about Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion at N26