Why databases specifically? Would you be open to other systems-type work? That would probably significantly expand your options.
My last job was at a company that makes data storage systems [link redacted]. That thing probably doesn't look like a database to most people, but that is exactly what it is under the hood. We had quite a few ex-Oracle people on staff too, and their skills were very useful.
The bugs were pretty fun actually. We've had to deal with network card firmware corrupting frames, a CPU bug, PCIe issues, and of course the much more numerous (and mundane) kernel bugs and run-of-the-mill null pointers and memory leaks.
And before anyone says "just use Rust": the company started many years before Rust was a thing and there was simply too much to rewrite.
There is almost always room for a good generalist developer in a company like that. You don't have to be a domain expert to join. But of course there will also be some people with PhDs on staff. Learning from them is another draw.
My last job was at a company that makes data storage systems [link redacted]. That thing probably doesn't look like a database to most people, but that is exactly what it is under the hood. We had quite a few ex-Oracle people on staff too, and their skills were very useful.
The bugs were pretty fun actually. We've had to deal with network card firmware corrupting frames, a CPU bug, PCIe issues, and of course the much more numerous (and mundane) kernel bugs and run-of-the-mill null pointers and memory leaks.
And before anyone says "just use Rust": the company started many years before Rust was a thing and there was simply too much to rewrite.
There is almost always room for a good generalist developer in a company like that. You don't have to be a domain expert to join. But of course there will also be some people with PhDs on staff. Learning from them is another draw.