Junior Data Engineer in Essex

About us

Birketts is a full service, UK Top 50 law firm. With a heritage spanning 160 years, we have more than 700 lawyers and legal professionals and over 600 staff based in Bristol, Cambridge, Chelmsford, Ipswich, London, Norwich and Sevenoaks. We advise businesses, government and public sector organisations and individuals in the UK and internationally across four principal practice groups: Real Estate, Corporate Services, Dispute Resolution and Private Client.

The team you will join

This role is based within the Data Systems Team, part of Birketts’ wider IT Business Solutions function. The team is responsible for delivering and supporting the firm’s data platforms, reporting solutions, integrations, automation capabilities and business-critical systems. Working closely with colleagues across the BI Squad and wider IT teams, the Junior Data Engineer will develop technical skills while contributing to the delivery of modern, secure and scalable data solutions that support the firm’s strategic objectives.

The work you will be doing

• The role will support the firm’s data strategy by assisting with the development and support of data platforms, integrations, reporting solutions and business systems.
• Assist with data-related investigations, system checks, data quality reviews and operational support activities.
• Support the Data Systems Team with day-to-day data, systems and BAU tasks, including tickets managed through Halo and Azure DevOps.
• Assist senior team members with ETL/ELT tasks, data pipelines, SQL queries, troubleshooting, ticket logging and ticket management.
• Help monitor and support legacy applications while contributing to the gradual move towards the firm’s modern data and application technology stack.
• Support the development and maintenance of data visualisation and reporting solutions.
• Work closely with Data Engineers, Solution Developers, Cloud Infrastructure Engineers and BI colleagues to build technical knowledge, particularly around Microsoft technologies.
• Support the creation and maintenance of technical documentation, support notes and repeatable processes to improve knowledge sharing within the team.
• Contribute to major incident investigations and root cause analysis, while creating and maintaining knowledge base (KB) articles and operational documentation.
• Learn from assigned tasks and suggest improvements where process, performance or support benefits can be achieved.
• Contribute to the development of a stronger data culture across the organisation by supporting reliable data, reporting and insight delivery.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues across IT and the business, escalating issues appropriately and communicating updates clearly.

What we are looking for

• A data science, IT or related degree, or relevant experience.
• Strong interest in data, reporting, systems and automation.
• Willingness to learn and develop technical skills through hands-on work.
• Good problem-solving skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to follow structured processes and work through technical issues logically.
• Clear communication skills, including the ability to ask questions and escalate appropriately.
• Collaborative approach and willingness to work with colleagues across IT and the wider business.
• A proactive mindset, with a focus on improving processes and building sustainable solutions.
• Exposure to, or an interest in developing skills across some of the following areas:
• Data analytics or data science.
• SQL, T-SQL, Python, C# or similar programming/query languages.
• Microsoft Fabric.
• Cloud-based SQL databases.
• Microsoft Enterprise Data Warehouse concepts.
• Azure technologies.
• SQL Server Integration Services, SSIS.
• Business intelligence tools such as Power BI or SSRS.
• Azure DevOps and source control.
• No-code or low-code tools.
• General IT skills and good working knowledge of Microsoft Office.

Hybrid Working

Birketts is a flexible business which has embraced a hybrid working model where our colleagues enjoy a mix of home and office working. This role attracts a split of 60% office days and 40% working from home days per week.

Benefits

• 25 days holiday (FTE) plus Bank Holidays.
• Long Service holiday award – 1 extra week every 10 years continuous service.
• Private Healthcare with BUPA (offered after probation is passed).
• Scottish Widows Pension Scheme (5% employer / 5% Employee).
• Staff Profit Share and Individual Performance Bonus Scheme.
• Salary sacrifice (Pensions, Staff Profit Share).
• Life Assurance - 4 x salary / Permanent Health Insurance.
• Paid CSR Day.
• Enhanced Maternity/Paternity Leave.
• Subsidised gym membership.
• Electric car scheme.
• Dress for your Day Policy.

Inclusivity and Culture

At Birketts, our culture is driven by ambition and a commitment to positively impact all the communities we serve. We are dedicated to the success, development, and wellbeing of our colleagues, helping them achieve their goals and seize the opportunities that come with our growth. Birketts is committed to being an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our policy is unequivocal: we do not tolerate discrimination based on age, disability, sex, race, religion or belief, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, or sexual orientation.

We pride ourselves on being an inclusive organisation that actively promotes equality of opportunity for all, valuing the right mix of talent, skills, and potential. We welcome applications from a diverse range of candidates, and selection for roles is based solely on individual merit.

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Artificial Intelligence (AI)

At Birketts, we recognise the evolving role of artificial intelligence (AI) in the legal profession and recruitment. We welcome innovation and understand that candidates may use AI tools to support their job applications. However, we expect all applicants to use AI responsibly and ethically.