Catalyte has a short-term project for a developer with strong SQL skills. We need assistance in analyzing and optimizing a set of slow-running queries in a PostgreSQL database. You will be responsible for identifying performance bottlenecks, rewriting queries, and recommending indexing strategies to improve response times. This is a focused, high-impact project for someone who enjoys diving deep into database performance and making tangible improvements in a short amount of time.

We are seeking a database-savvy developer for a one-week engagement focused purely on performance tuning. Our application is experiencing slowdowns in several key areas, and we've traced the issue to a handful of complex SQL queries. Your task will be to analyze these queries and the underlying database schema to implement performance enhancements.

Project Scope:

• You will be provided with a list of 5-7 identified slow queries.
• Analyze the query execution plans (EXPLAIN ANALYZE) to identify bottlenecks.
• Rewrite queries to be more efficient, potentially using different join strategies, subqueries, or window functions.
• Propose new indexes to support the optimized queries and improve lookup times.
• Document your changes and the measured performance improvements before and after optimization.
• Work closely with our lead backend engineer to test and deploy the changes safely.

This is a great opportunity for a junior or intermediate developer to apply their database knowledge to a real-world problem. You'll need a solid understanding of SQL, query planners, and indexing. The ideal candidate is methodical, analytical, and can communicate their findings clearly.

• Strong proficiency in SQL, particularly for PostgreSQL.
• Understanding of database indexing and how it affects query performance.
• Experience with reading and interpreting query execution plans.
• Ability to work independently and manage your time effectively.
• Good communication skills to explain technical recommendations.

• Gain practical, hands-on experience in database performance tuning.
• Work on a project with a clear goal and measurable success criteria.
• Flexible, fully remote work for the duration of the project.