SQL Database Administrator (DBA) Jobs At Pearson, London, United Kingdom

Job Overview

SQL Database Administrator (DBA)

We are responsible for the delivery of nearly 4 million examination results per annum, including A-Level, GCSE, BTEC and T-levels for students in UK and International centres. Our in-house systems process every learner from registration to marking and certification, in a highly regulated business. We currently operate a hybrid estate of predominantly bespoke systems, with an ongoing strategic transformation programme to migrate from on-prem to cloud based, cost effective, scalable and resilient services.

About the Job

The main purpose of this role is to provide core database administration services to systems using SQL Server. This includes proactive monitoring and management of the database environment along with reactive response to customer / user initiated calls.

This role will interact with the project and development teams through design and testing but will have primary focus on production database administration so as to monitor, measure and tune these core systems in line with the demands of the business. The role will require the ability to deploy Data Migration Service (DMS) technologies to ensure data is available for future state cloud services.

The DBA team have responsibility for the data held in the core systems making up the Enterprise, ensuring it is well maintained, audited, secure and delivers to business needs. Process, control, quality, audit ability and security of this data in line with standards is paramount.

About You

This would suit an experienced DBA with a strong technical background, who is proficient in Microsoft SQL Server, with an established history of working with Agile teams.

Key Skills & Experience

• Knowledge of MS SQL from 2005 to 2019

• Implementing performance improvements and tuning of databases.
• Liaising with the teams to ensure systems are robust, stable and effective.
• Manage and testing backup and disaster recovery strategies; Guaranteeing the ability to be able to recover production databases.
• Deployment of the database component for applications, services and micro services.
• Pro-active system and capacity monitoring.
• Ensuring security and data integrity is maintained and improved where possible while maintaining a high level of system availability.
• Some knowledge of Policy Based Management for SQL Server.
• Exposure to Data at Rest Encryption.
• Automating routine administration tasks.
• Liaising with project managers and developers regarding requirements for new systems and/or extensions to existing systems and providing guidance with SQL queries and best practices.
• Implementing alerting to provide advanced warning of major problems.
• Supporting Test and Development Systems.
• Producing and maintaining operational and technical documentation.
• Understanding of SDLC in Agile environments.
• Ability to produce ad-hoc reports as required.
• An established history of working with agile teams.
• Familiarity with the design and implementation of fault tolerant and secure data infrastructure, in line with best practices.
• Security processes to deliver effective IT security & compliance in line with CISO requirements.
• How to collaborate with globally distributed teams.
• Some knowledge of deployments to a cloud environment
• Any knowledge of Data Migration Services would be an advantage.
• Experience of knowledge transfer to BAU support teams
• Previous experience of collaborating with co-workers on root cause analysis for incident and problem post-mortems

• Superb communication skills: written and verbal

Desirable Skills & Experience

• SQL Reporting Services

• ITIL
• AWS Exposure
• RDS
• Awareness of IaaS, PaaS and SaaS
• Cloud Compute Accounting
• Data Migration Services
• Experience working with observability tools, such as Grafana
• To become the subject expert for MS SQL.
• Understanding and experience of leading / managing technology products

The role is aligned to either our Rotherham or central London offices. Our Rotherham office is located at Junction 1 of the M18, making it commutable from Sheffield, Leeds, Doncaster, Derby or Nottingham.

We have worked from home throughout the pandemic, but will adopt hybrid working once national restrictions are lifted; for this role that means visiting your base office no more than once a week with the possibility of occasional travel to other Pearson sites, however, adjustments to this due to personal circumstances & preferences are possible.

We work a 37.5 hour week, with all our team free to flex their day around our core hours, which are Monday to Friday, 10 to 4 GMT/BST. School runs, etc can be accommodated. Other flexible working patterns can be considered, including part-time working and non-traditional hours. As we regularly work with global teams, particularly in India and the US, there may be the occasional need to accommodate meetings outside of core hours.

For this role there is a requirement to support 24/7/365 on-call operations.

We actively encourage our staff to participate in at least 40 hours of training a year, and offer relevant AWS training and certification as part of this role.

Your benefits and rewards

Here at Pearson we offer a range of benefits, which include:

• 25 Days annual leave (increasing by 1 day with every year of continuous service up to 30 days); annual leave trading, +/- 5 days
• Annual Bonus
• Private Pension plan scheme where we pay in double what you contribute, up to 16% depending on your age
• Life, private medical and dental care insurance options, plus free eye tests
• Stock/share purchase options
• Maternity, paternity, and family care leave as well as flexible working policies
• An employee wellbeing assistance programme

• Cycle to work program, volunteering days, gym membership concessions in selected office locations, along with retail and leisure discounts

Diversity and Inclusion at Pearson

We’re committed to equity and opportunity, so that all learners can realise the life they imagine and see themselves in our services and products. We believe learning is a powerful force for change and that diversity, equity and inclusion are fundamental to who we are. We’re committed to addressing all forms of systematic racism, discrimination and inequality in everything we do.

We also believe in giving everyone in the company the chance to help shape a more inclusive culture, in which everyone feels a sense of belonging and in which everyone acts with integrity day-in, day-out. To learn more about Pearson’s commitment to a diverse and inclusive workforce, please click here .

Pearson is an equal opportunities employer. We do not discriminate against employees or job applicants and select the best person for each job based on relevant skills and experience. We are also committed to building an accurate picture of the make-up of the workforce and encouraging equality and diversity.

The information you provide will stay confidential and will be stored securely. It will not be seen by those involved in making decisions as part of the recruitment process. We are a Stonewall Gold and Top 20 LGBT+ inclusive employer, Investors in People Gold, Race Charter signatory, Disability Confident employer and Working Mums Top Employer.

APPLY NOW