AI Data Coordinator in Manchester

At AQA, we’re committed to advancing education and we’re committed to our people. As the largest provider of academic qualifications in the UK, we mark over 10 million exam papers each year and it’s our people who make this happen.

Are you a data enthusiast who gets a buzz from working with Artificial Intelligence (AI)? Do you love the idea of shaping the future by working with real-life data in a dynamic organisation? If so, this job is calling your name.

You’ll be at the core of our AI for Assessment programme, playing a key role in sharing, shaping, and safeguarding data to support groundbreaking AI projects. Think of it as your chance to work on something truly impactful—and boost your career in the process.

What’s in it for you? This is more than just a job; it’s an exciting step forward in a mature data environment. Learning the ins and outs of AI data, shaping how cutting-edge technology evolves, your impact will be far-reaching.

There are lots of benefits to working with AQA including:

• a flexible working environment
• a 35 hour working week
• 25 days annual leave (rising with service) and additional closure days in December
• Private Medical Insurance
• Network groups covering LGBTQ+, neurodiversity, disability, women’s empowerment, mental well-being
• an extensive online learning platform

In this role you will be responsible for:

• Unearthing, matching, and prepping data that is essential for AI — exam data, metadata, and more.
• Taking our data to the next level with quality checks and refined automated processes like image-to-text conversion.
• Coordinating data handovers - ensuring smooth and secure collaboration with third-party partners.
• Maintaining documentation and audit records for any data activity, liaising with the data compliance team to ensure the safety and security of the data, ensuring data is handled responsibly and ethically within the GDPR guidelines.
• Liaising with internal/external stakeholders on data requests regarding AI use.

You will thrive in this role because:

• You’ll learn from experts, working hands-on with unique and complex datasets.
• A basic understanding of PYTHON and SQL will be good, we will help you develop in those skills.
• You’ll get to collaborate with internal teams and external partners, mastering the art of data management and quality assurance.

Diversity and Inclusion Statement: At AQA, we are committed to fostering a workplace that celebrates diversity and promotes equity and inclusion. We believe that a diverse team brings richer perspectives and drives better outcomes. Our ED&I strategy ensures that everyone - regardless of religion, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, age, disability, sexual orientation, or background - is valued, respected, and empowered to thrive. We actively promote inclusive language, avoid stereotypes, and strive for representation across all dimensions of diversity. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds and lived experiences.

How to Apply: Upload your most recent CV with a cover letter explaining your suitability for the role – please add a link to your code repository OR upload an example of data management (e.g. retrieval, merging, cleaning…) you have done as part of your studies, internship, previous employment. On application please also answer the question about what excites you most about data.

Applications will close at 23:59 on Monday 3 August. Interviews will take place face to face at our Manchester office during the week beginning 10 August, giving you the chance to see where you’ll be working and meet some of the team in person.

To create, manage and share data with internal and external AI projects. The AI for Assessment programme comprises projects delivered by internal AQA teams as well as several external contractors. All AI for Assessment projects process large volumes of bespoke data. This includes exams data, metadata and assessment materials, and it is a combination of numeric and textual data: marks, tags, exam scripts, items, specifications, mark schemes, etc.

The Data Share Administrator – AI Programme will be responsible to retrieve, reshape, manage and share data with internal and external AI projects to ensure that AI systems can utilise data that is bespoke and fit-for-purpose.

Activities include:

• Identifying, sourcing and matching relevant data for AI training in a safe setting, including exam data and metadata.
• Quality assuring data for AI, including improving the quality assurance of automated processes (e.g. image-to-text conversion) by drawing from AQA resources and third parties.
• Arranging data shares with third parties, which will include both securely sending AQA data to third parties and receiving and safely storing and managing third-party data.
• Ensuring compliance with GDPR and data protection legislation, for example through data anonymisation and data protection impact assessment.
• Managing data share relationships with third parties.

To be successful in this role, you will need to know:

• Ability to work with large numbers of files in Windows or through custom code (likely Python).
• Good understanding of assessment data.
• Ability to deal with contractors.
• Nimble and collaborative, able to identify and resolve issues rapidly and with minimal guidance.
• Detail-focused, able to plan and identify likely downstream issues.