Data Operation Specialist - Nomis in North East

We welcome applications from candidates with disabilities, neurodiversity and long-term health conditions, and we are committed to ensuring fair treatment throughout the recruitment process. We will make adjustments to support the recruitment and interview process wherever it is reasonable to do so and, where successful, adjustments will be made to support people within their role.

The University at Durham University is a globally outstanding centre of educational excellence, a collegiate community of extraordinary people, and a unique and historic setting. We believe that inspiring our people to do outstanding things at Durham enables Durham people to do outstanding things professionally and personally.

Nomis is a national statistical dissemination service delivered by Durham University on behalf of the Office for National Statistics (ONS). It provides access to major official statistics on population, society and the labour market, and is used extensively by government departments, local authorities, researchers, academic institutions and other organisations across the UK.

The Data Operations Specialist will play an important role in supporting the delivery and development of the Nomis service as part of a small team. The postholder will work with complex statistical data in a live production environment, helping to process and maintain datasets, update databases and reference tables, carry out quality checks and testing, and support data and website releases.

The role offers valuable practical experience for someone with strong data-handling and technical skills who wants to deepen their experience of structured data processing, SQL, Python, Linux and data quality within a specialist and nationally significant service.

This post is fixed term for nineteen months. The funding for the project is time limited and will end on 31st March 2028.

A competitive salary is only one part of the many fantastic benefits you will receive if you join the University:

• You’ll receive 30 days annual leave per year in addition to 8 public holidays and 4 customary days per year – a total of 42 days per year.
• We offer a generous pension scheme, and as a new member of staff you will be automatically enrolled into the University Superannuation Scheme (USS).
• We have ample parking across campus, a cycle to work scheme, and discounts with local bus and train companies.
• We provide wide-ranging health and wellbeing support including discounted membership for our state-of-the-art sport and gym facilities.
• Our on-site nursery is rated Outstanding by Ofsted, and you can access holiday camps for children aged 5-16.
• We offer all staff the opportunity to take part in volunteering activities to make a difference in the local community.

Durham University is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion. Our collective aim is to create an open and inclusive environment where everyone can reach their full potential.

When you apply it is important that you let us know what skills/experience you have from a similar role and/or what skills/experience you have which would make you right for this role.

Qualifications/Experience:

• Educated to a good numerate degree level (or equivalent experience).
• Professional practitioner with knowledge and expertise in data operations, structured data processing and data-driven services.
• Experience of delivering and developing data extraction, transformation and loading (ETL) projects to manipulate large, complex numerical datasets.
• Excellent spoken and written communication skills including the ability to develop effective working relationships.
• Strong digital competence across a range of digital devices and apps including Linux shell scripting, a modern programming language such as Python, relational databases/SQL, and manipulating data in spreadsheets.