MySQL
Data Definition
Data Normalization
Transactions
Indexes
Database Security
Legacy Data Integration
What do database programmers do anyway?
First of all they decide how the database should be structured. This isn't as easy as it might seem. More complex queries can be far from trivial to translate from the requirements provided by the developers. Beyond this database programmers need to be concerned with the performance of the database under real world conditions. Can the database report fast enough given the real requests being made?
Database programmers also need to be concerned with maintaining data integrity and security — no small matter in a world where there are countless attempts to breach system integrity daily.
And, just like developers, database programmers become more proficient at everything they do as they become more experienced. This is a landscape that's constantly shifting and changing, and Signal's programmers have their fingers on the pulse.