Principal Cloud Database Engineer

We are seeking a Principal Cloud Database Engineer (GCP & AI) to drive architecture, engineering, and innovation across enterprise-scale database platforms. This role will lead modernization efforts using Google Cloud Platform (GCP) services such as Cloud SQL, AlloyDB, and Spanner while integrating AI-driven capabilities into database operations and data platforms.

The ideal candidate combines deep expertise in relational database systems and cloud architecture with hands-on exposure to AI/ML technologies to enable intelligent, automated, and scalable data solutions.

Technical Leadership

• Lead architecture design and engineering for GCP relational database platforms (Cloud SQL for PostgreSQL, Cloud SQL for SQL Server, AlloyDB, Spanner).
• Define and implement enterprise database standards aligned with security, scalability, and performance best practices.
• Drive modernization initiatives including database migrations to GCP using tools such as DMS, Striim and migration frameworks.

Cloud & Platform Engineering

• Design highly available, resilient, and cost-optimized database solutions on GCP.
• Implement infrastructure-as-code (IaC) using tools such as Terraform.
• Enable secure connectivity patterns (IAM, VPC, Private Service Access, Private Service Connect, serverless integrations).
• Lead Cloud Databases financial accounting, performance tuning, capacity planning, and database reliability engineering.

AI & Data Innovation

• Integrate AI/ML capabilities into database platforms (e.g., MCP, data agents, context engineering, anomaly detection, query optimization).
• Consult with application teams to enable data pipelines for AI/ML workloads.
• Evaluate and adopt AI-assisted database operations and automation solutions.
• Drive initiatives on AI-enabled observability and self-healing systems.

Operational Excellence

• Establish best practices for backup, recovery, disaster recovery, and compliance.
• Define monitoring, logging, and alerting strategies for database services.
• Lead database governance and continuous cost optimization initiatives.
• Provide CUD evaluation and recommendations.

Collaboration & Leadership

• Mentor Summer Interns, Ford College Graduates, Cloud engineers and Database Specialists; act as Subject Matter Expert for GCP relational databases.
• Partner with application, DevOps, and architecture teams to deliver scalable solutions.
• Influence platform strategy and roadmap for database and AI adoption.
• Advocate with GCP product and engineering teams to enhance/mature GCP database services.

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Data Engineering, or related field.
• 10+ years of experience in relational database engineering (PostgreSQL, SQL Server, MySQL, AlloyDB or Spanner).
• 5+ years of hands-on experience with GCP, especially:
• Cloud SQL for PostgreSQL and/or Cloud SQL for SQL Server
• AlloyDB
• Cloud Spanner
• Strong expertise in:
• Database platform automation, design, indexing, and performance tuning
• Backup/recovery and high availability architectures
• Migration strategies and tools (e.g., DMS, Striim, replication tools)
• Experience with DevOps practices, CI/CD pipelines, and IaC.
• Programming experience (Terraform, Python, Java, or Go).

Pulled from the full job description

• Tuition reimbursement
• Prescription drug insurance
• Parental leave
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Employee discount
• Dental insurance, You may not check every box, or your experience may look a little different from what we’ve outlined, but if you think you can bring value to Ford Motor Company, we encourage you to apply!

As an established global company, we offer the benefit of choice. You can choose what your Ford future will look like: will your story span the globe, or keep you close to home? Will your career be a deep dive into what you love, or a series of new teams and new skills? Will you be a leader, a changemaker, a technical expert, a culture builder…or all of the above? No matter what you choose, we offer a work life that works for you, including:

• Immediate medical, dental, and prescription drug coverage
• Flexible family care, parental leave, new parent ramp-up programs, subsidized back-up child care and more
• Vehicle discount program for employees and family members, and management leases
• Tuition assistance
• Established and active employee resource groups
• Paid time off for individual and team community service
• A generous schedule of paid holidays, including the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day
• Paid time off and the option to purchase additional vacation time.

For a detailed look at our benefits, click here: Benefit Summary

This position is a salary grade 8.

This position is a salary grade 8 and ranges from $115,000-$192,900.

Final determination of salary grade will be based on candidate’s skills and experience, and base salary will be set within the applicable range according to job scope, responsibility and competitive market value.

At Ford, you’ll work on ideas that matter, alongside passionate people who want to make a global impact. Together, we’re shaping the next era of transportation-grounded in purpose, driven by progress. Make your move.