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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Oracle PL/SQL Developer

💰 $85,000 - $125,000

TechnologyDatabase DevelopmentOracle

🎯 Role Definition

As an Oracle PL/SQL Developer, you will be responsible for architecting, designing, developing and maintaining robust database solutions using Oracle technologies. This role focuses on creating efficient PL/SQL packages, procedures, functions, triggers and scripts that support business data flows, analytics, reporting and system integration. You will partner with business analysts, data architects, application teams and DBAs to translate business needs into performant database designs, optimise SQL/PLSQL performance, ensure data integrity and compliance, and support production systems in a high-availability environment.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • SQL Developer or Database Analyst
  • Junior PL/SQL Developer
  • Application Developer with database focus

Advancement To:

  • Senior PL/SQL Developer or Database Developer Lead
  • Database Architect or Data Solutions Architect
  • Head of Data Platform or Director of Database Engineering

Lateral Moves:

  • Data Warehouse Developer
  • ETL/BI Developer
  • Cloud Database Engineer (Oracle Cloud, AWS RDS)

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  1. Design, develop and maintain PL/SQL packages, stored procedures, functions and triggers in an Oracle database environment to support core business applications.
  2. Write and optimise complex SQL queries (joins, sub-queries, analytics functions) for data retrieval, reporting and analysis, ensuring high performance and scalability.
  3. Analyse business requirements together with business analysts and data users, translate to technical specifications and database design, propose schemas, indexes and data flow architectures.
  4. Participate in data modelling activities: design logical and physical models, manage partitioning, indexing strategies, data purging/archiving, table and view design.
  5. Provide database performance tuning, query optimisation, execution plan review, index analysis, use of Oracle utilities (TKPROF, EXPLAIN PLAN) to improve runtime and reduce latency.
  6. Support data migration, data conversion, ETL/ELT processes: load data from legacy systems, flat files or staging environments using SQL*Loader or similar, ensure data validation and integrity.
  7. Troubleshoot and resolve production issues in the database environment: debug stored procedures, monitor job failures, handle roll-backs, support incident resolution and root cause analysis.
  8. Create, maintain and update database documentation: data dictionaries, object definitions, design specifications, change logs, version control for PL/SQL code and schemas.
  9. Implement and enforce data governance practices: ensure adherence to security standards, data access controls, auditing, compliance with internal/external regulations.
  10. Collaborate with cross-functional teams: work with application developers, QA, BI teams, DBAs, infrastructure teams to integrate database components with applications and services.
  11. Create and manage database jobs, schedules, performance monitoring, backup/restore and disaster recovery planning in coordination with DBA teams.
  12. Review and refactor existing PL/SQL code to remove technical debt, standardise on best practices, improve readability and maintainability.
  13. Maintain database environments across multiple versions of Oracle (e.g., 10g/11g/12c/19c) and assist with upgrades, patching and environment refresh.
  14. Implement and optimise database triggers, synonyms, indexes, views and materialized views; design for reporting and analytical use-cases.
  15. Assist in requirement estimation, effort planning, and project scheduling for database development tasks and enhancements.
  16. Support testing phases: unit testing, system/integration testing for database components and work with QA to validate results and resolve defects.
  17. Participate in agile ceremonies or SDLC processes (sprint planning, daily stand-ups, retrospectives) to deliver incremental database features and improvements.
  18. Monitor database growth, capacity planning, manage table space, storage, and recommend archiving strategies to ensure system stability and scalability.
  19. Advise on Oracle best practices, architecture patterns and features (e.g., partitioning, parallel SQL, RAC, Data Pump, replication) to support evolving business requirements.
  20. Mentor junior developers, provide code reviews, share knowledge of PL/SQL performance techniques and database design principles.
  21. Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives: evaluate new database tools, tune existing architectures, propose enhancements for automation and database operations excellence.

Secondary Functions

  • Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis from stakeholders, producing extracts or views.
  • Contribute to the organisation’s data platform strategy and roadmap: collaborate on database consolidation, migration to cloud or hybrid environments.
  • Collaborate with business units to translate their analytic, reporting or integration needs into database deliverables.
  • Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies within the database engineering or BI teams.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Expert proficiency in Oracle PL/SQL development: packages, procedures, functions, triggers and dynamic SQL.
  • Strong SQL query writing and optimisation skills, including analytic functions, sub-queries, joins, indexing strategies and execution plans.
  • Experience with Oracle database versions (10g/11g/12c/19c) and tools such as SQL Developer, TOAD, SQL*Plus, SQL Loader, Data Pump.
  • Experience in performance tuning: indexes, partitions, explain plans, bulk collect, FORALL and other Oracle optimisation strategies.
  • Database modelling and schema design skills: star/snowflake schemas, fact/dimension tables, data warehousing concepts, table partitioning and indexing.
  • Experience with data migration, ETL, bulk loads (SQL*Loader) and flat-file/data staging processes.
  • Proficiency in Unix/Linux scripting or shell scripting for automation of database jobs and processes.
  • Familiarity with version control systems (Git, SVN) and software development life-cycle methodologies (Agile/Scrum).
  • Understanding of data security, access control, auditing, data quality assurance and compliance in database environments.
  • Ability to write documentation: technical specifications, test plans, user guides, run-books and maintain change logs.

Soft Skills

  • Strong analytical and problem-solving aptitude: able to deconstruct complex data flows, performance issues and deliver solutions.
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills: able to interface with business stakeholders, translate requirements and present technical designs.
  • Team-oriented mindset: able to collaborate with developers, DBAs, data architects, QA and business teams effectively.
  • Detail-oriented and quality-driven: ensure database deliverables are accurate, documented, maintainable and compliant.
  • Adaptability and continuous learning: able to stay current with evolving Oracle database features, cloud data offerings and industry trends.
  • Ownership and accountability: take full responsibility for database objects, performance, stability and data integrity.
  • Time-management and prioritisation: handle multiple development and support tasks, meet deadlines and manage production escalations.
  • Mentorship and coaching: able to guide junior developers, review code, share best practices and promote growth within the team.
  • Strategic thinking: align database development with broader data architecture, business objectives and performance goals.
  • Resilience and decision-making under pressure: support production environments, deal with performance incidents and rollback plans if needed.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Software Engineering or a related technical discipline.

Preferred Education:

  • Master’s degree or advanced certification in Oracle database development, data architecture, or related field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Computer Science
  • Software Engineering
  • Information Systems or Data Systems
  • Data Engineering or Analytics

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 3 – 6 years of Oracle PL/SQL development experience, database modelling and scripting.

Preferred:

  • 6 + years of experience in enterprise Oracle database environments, displayed expertise in performance tuning, complex migrations, mentoring or leading small teams.
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