Senior Applications Operations Engineer (Database)

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Are you ready to help deliver transformative projects and drive strategic decisions with your analytical expertise?

Do you have the vision to identify growth opportunities and the skills to make them a reality in a dynamic, fast-paced environment?

If so, this role could be for you!

At HMRC we are committed to creating a great place to work for all our colleagues; an inclusive and respectful environment that reflects the diversity of the society we serve.

We want to maximise the potential of everyone who chooses to work for us, and we offer a range of flexible working patterns and support to make a fulfilling career at HMRC accessible to you.

Diverse perspectives and experiences are critical to our success, and we welcome applications from all people from all backgrounds with the experience and skills needed to perform this role.

HMRC is building a modern, digital tax administration and runs the biggest digital operation in Government, providing digital services for 45 million individuals and 4.9 million business customers. Our digital programme is multi-award winning and the envy of other government organisations.

If so, continue reading to find out more about this fantastic opportunity to join HMRC - one of the largest and most dynamic IT infrastructures in Europe, and we are now one of the most digitally advanced tax authorities in the world.

For those who are up to the challenge, we offer unique and unparalleled opportunities to work with some of the newest technologies and make a real, lasting difference.

As Application Operations Engineer (Database Technical Lead), you will be expected to:

• Maintaining departmental databases ensuring availability, ensuring no data loss, administering access, monitoring and improving performance, ensuring backup and recovery is maintained, providing data extracts and meeting business data exploitation requests.
• Maintaining database security and data integrity.
• Incident fix and prevention.
• Delivering change and project deliverables in and out of core hours.
• Supporting development and test users with test databases and test data.
• Performing 24/7/365 support for priority 1/2 databases incident resolution.

Main Core Duties:

• Database design and administration using MS Azure SQL databases as well as databases on other relational database technologies.
• Extensive experience of relational database design and administration, scripting for database utilities and Azure environments.
• Monitor databases and be accountable for database batch processes.
• In some organisations, carry out the duties of an end user computing engineer, such as fixing technical problems, maintaining hardware, and liaising with the problem or incident manager.

Specific Responsibilities are likely to include:

• The installation, configuration, upgrade, administration, monitoring, and maintenance of databases. Providing support for operational databases in production use and for internal or interim purposes such as iterative developments and testing. Improving the performance of databases and the tools and processes for database administration (including automation).
• Using database management system software and tools to collect agreed performance statistics. Carrying out agreed database maintenance and administration tasks.
• Using database management system software and tools, and knowledge of logical database schemata, to investigate problems and collect performance statistics and create reports.
• Carrying out routine configuration, installation, and reconfiguration of database and related products. Developing and configuring tools to enable automation of database administration tasks. Identifying problems and issues and recommending corrective actions.
• Developing, maintaining and continuous review and improvement of procedures and documentation for databases.
• Identifying, evaluating, and managing the adoption of appropriate database administration tools and processes, including automation.
• Taking a lead on the setting of standards for definition, security and integrity of database objects and responsibility for ensuring conformance to those standards.
• Managing database configuration including installing and upgrading software and maintaining relevant documentation.
• Monitoring database activity and resource usage.
• Optimising database performance and planning for forecast resource needs.
• Taking a proactive lead on support and development activities leading small teams of DBAs efforts on project and support work including line management of a small team and assuming responsibility for directing delivery and support work.
• Mentoring and supporting less experienced team members and sharing technical knowledge and best practice.
• There may be a requirement to line manage a small team of DBAs.

This role is expected to contribute to the 24/7 cover for Live service operation. Depending on the candidates skills and knowledge there will be the potential for the individual to be asked to undertake on call support as part of a team rota with immediate effect. However, HMRC would anticipate individuals new to the role and Department requiring significant time to become productive in an on-call capacity and would anticipate that acclimatization taking up to 12 months. On completion of 12 months in post, or upon the demonstration of sufficient capability, the role would be expected to then help provide 24/7 cover as part of a team on-call Rota.

It is expected that the successful applicant, once suitable to do so, may be required to be on call for which there is the appropriate additional remuneration of Annual Attendance Allowance (AAA), on call monies and call outs.

Essential Criteria

The successful candidate will need to demonstrate strong practical knowledge and extensive experience in the following key disciplines:

• Database administration using Azure SQL/MS SQL databases.
• Database design.
• Good understanding of backup and recovery strategies.
• Good written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong analytical skills.

Desirable Criteria

Ideally, the successful candidate will have experience in the use of some or all of the following:

• Database technologies including Oracle, MySQL, MS SQL, Ingres, Azure SQL.
• Familiarity with and experience working on Windows, Unix and Linux operating systems.
• Some experience of programming in one of the following languages Unix/Linux shell scripting, SQL, MS PowerApps ecosystem.
• Experience working on traditional on-prem and cloud-based databases in AWS/Azure.
• Leadership and mentoring experience.

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