Database Development Lead

Descartes Unites the People and Technology that Move the World

The need for efficient, secure, and agile supply chains and logistics operations has become ever more critical and complex. By combining innovative technology, powerful trade intelligence and the reach of our network, Descartes helps get goods, information, transportation assets, and people where they’re needed, when they’re needed.

We’re one of the most broadly deployed logistics and supply chain technology companies in the world. More than 26,000 customers around the globe use our cloud-based solutions to transform the way they move inventory and information to enhance productivity, better serve customers, thrive competitively, keep pace with evolving regulations, and respond to rapidly changing market conditions. Descartes is publicly traded (Nasdaq:DSGX, TSX:DSG) with headquarters in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, and offices and partners around the world. With record financial performance for more than 16 years, we lead the industry in innovation investment. Every day, logistics service providers, manufacturers, retailers, distributors, and other logistics-intensive businesses of all sizes rely on our scale, stability, and comprehensive solution footprint to move what’s most important to them. Learn more at www.descartes.com.

We’re growing fast and invite you to join our amazing team.

Mission — Why This Role Exists
The Trade Content Data team is responsible for maintaining the global regulatory and trade compliance content that powers our solutions. As Senior Full Stack .NET Developer & Team Lead, you will lead the development of internal applications, automation tools, and data platforms that improve the accuracy, scalability, and efficiency of our content operations while mentoring a team of developers.

Outcomes — What Success Looks Like
Within 12–24 months, you will:

1. Build up an understanding of the business, trade content and the existing processes for content management and delivery.
2. Increase automation to reduce manual effort and improve operational efficiency.
3. Improve data quality, validation, and governance through enhanced tooling and workflows.
4. Build and optimize SQL-based solutions that support large-scale data ingestion and management.
5. Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing team of software developers.
6. Deliver scalable applications and services that improve trade content management and processing.
7. Partner with stakeholders to translate regulatory requirements into effective technical solutions.

Skills & Competencies — How the Work Gets Done
Technical Expertise
• Advanced SQL Server skills, including database design, performance tuning, and query optimization.
• Strong experience with C#, .NET Core/.NET, and modern web technologies.
• Experience developing data processing, automation, and internal business tools.
• Experience with AI-assisted development tools and modern engineering practices.

Leadership & Collaboration

• Experience leading or mentoring software development teams.
• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills.
• Ability to prioritize work and align technical solutions with business goals.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.

Qualifications
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or equivalent experience.
• 5+ years of professional .NET development experience.
• Strong SQL Server expertise.
• Experience leading developers or technical projects.

Preferred
• Experience with regulatory, compliance, or trade data.
• Experience with ETL and data integration processes.
• Familiarity with Agile/Scrum methodologies.

Culture Add: TEAM Values
We value team members who communicate with transparency, sharing information openly and building trust across functions. You bring excellence and expertise to your craft, holding a high bar for quality while continuously improving your skills. You demonstrate accountability by owning outcomes, following through on commitments, and taking responsibility for results. You are driven by metrics, using data and experimentation to inform decisions and deliver measurable impact.

Aptitudes
• Smart: Able to quickly understand complex systems, connect ideas, and make sound judgments.
• Curious: Actively seeks to understand customer problems, emerging technologies, and better ways of working.
• Coachable: Open to feedback, willing to adapt, and continuously improving through learning.

What's In It For You
This role offers the opportunity to lead the development of critical systems that support global trade compliance data. You'll influence technical direction, drive automation initiatives, mentor a growing team, and work closely with business leaders to deliver meaningful business impact. You'll have the autonomy to solve complex challenges while working with modern technologies, cloud platforms, and AI-driven development tools.

Compensation
Salary Range: $100,000 – $120,000 CAD annually.Compensation information provided is a good faith estimate for this position only. Factors that may be used to determine your actual salary include your specific skills, qualifications, and years of experience. Similar positions located in different geographic regions will not necessarily receive the same compensation.

Join Us

As we scale, we’re looking for new doers, collaborators and innovators to join Descartes in uniting the people and technology that move the world as the Global Leader in Logistics and Supply Chain Technology. We’re entrepreneurial, hardworking, geeky-in-a-good way problem solvers. Guided by our values, we nurture a TEAM focused culture that invests in people and creates opportunities for advancement across a broad spectrum of career paths. We prioritize work-life balance and foster an environment with the space to take ownership, to be heard, and to carve a path for your individual accomplishments to help drive our success. At Descartes, everyone has a voice and the best idea wins, regardless of who makes it. We offer competitive compensation, great benefits, remote and flexible work hours, and the opportunity to join a company on an awesome mission with a great existing team and trajectory.

Descartes also has a deep sense of environmental responsibility. Learn more about how we helped our customers save over 552,000 metric tons of CO2 in 2020 by reducing fuel and paper consumption: https://www.descartes.com/who-we-are/social-responsibility-sustainability/environmental-impact. Join a team that’s committed to working with customers to conserve resources and enhance sustainability.

If you feel you have 70% of the qualifications we are looking for, and Descartes sounds like the team and the mission you want to be part of, apply now. We can't promise it will be a fit, but we do promise to consider your experience.

We conduct a mix of in-person and virtual interviews. Virtual interviews are held via Microsoft Teams and are recorded and transcribed. We may utilize AI tools to support our hiring team in notetaking, summarization, and internal training. AI tools are not used in our recruitment process for decision-making purposes. Recordings, transcripts, and notes are used for recruitment, including improvement of our process, and record-keeping purposes. Should you have any questions or concerns about our process, please connect with our hiring team in advance of scheduled interviews.

We are an Equal Employment employer. We do not discriminate in hiring on the basis of sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religious creed, national origin, physical or mental disability, protected status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, provincial, or local law. For more information about our commitment to equal employment opportunity, please review our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics at Descartes.com. Descartes is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to job applicants with disabilities. Applicants in North America with a disability who require a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process can email us at [email protected]. Provide your name and contact information along with the accommodation needed to assist you with the application process. Your request will be responded to as soon as possible. Reasonable accommodations will be determined on a case-by-case basis.