At a Glance
- Tasks: Manage and optimise databases, ensuring high performance and reliability across various technologies.
- Company: Join a leading tech firm with a focus on innovation and collaboration.
- Benefits: Attractive salary, flexible working options, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Fast-paced environment with excellent career advancement potential.
- Why this job: Be at the forefront of database technology and make a significant impact on our products.
- Qualifications: Experience as a DBA with strong skills in MySQL and PostgreSQL; eager to learn new tech.
The predicted salary is between 51750 - 63250 £ per year.
- Senior Database Administrator
- Job Overview
Database Administrator (DBA) required to join the Infrastructure team and take ownership of our database estate.
This is a hands-on technical role covering day-to-day administration, reliability, design and support across a varied stack that includes My SQL,
Redis, Quest DB (a high-performance time-series database used for market data and operational metrics), Dolt (a version-controlled, Git-for-data SQL database), and Elasticsearch.
The successful candidate will be comfortable with mature relational database tooling and open to learning newer, specialist technologies.
The role provides critical support to our Engineering and Operations teams, who rely on performant, well-managed databases to deliver and operate our exchange technology products.
Responsibilities and Duties
- Primary resource responsible to administer, monitor, and maintain the database estate, ensuring high availability, performance, and reliability.
- Plan and execute database upgrades, patch management, and version migrations with minimal disruption to production systems.
- Design, implement, and routinely test backup and restore procedures, ensuring recovery objectives (RPO/RTO) are documented and met.
- Monitor database health, capacity, and performance; identify and resolve bottlenecks proactively before they impact services.
- Review and advise on proposed schema changes, working with developers to ensure changes are safe, performant, and aligned with best practices before deployment.
- Support developers and operations staff with query optimisation, index design, and database access patterns.
- Act as the primary point of escalation for database-related issues raised by the Engineering and Operations teams.
- Collaborate with developers on integration between application code and database layers, assisting with connectivity, driver configuration, and troubleshooting.
- Write and optimise SQL queries for use in Grafana dashboards and reporting front-ends, surfacing operational and business metrics from Quest DB and My SQL.
- Work with the Engineering team to ensure database metrics and logs are integrated into monitoring and alerting infrastructure.
- Manage database user accounts, roles, and permissions in line with the principle of least privilege.
- Ensure database configurations comply with internal security policies
- Required Skills and Experience
- Proven hands-on experience as a DBA or in a database-focused infrastructure/engineering role, ideally in a fast-paced, production environment.
- Strong working knowledge of My SQL, including installation, configuration, replication, performance tuning, and user management.
- Hands-on experience with Quest DB is strongly preferred, however candidates with a solid Postgre SQL background and an interest in high-performance time-series workloads are encouraged to apply since Quest DB uses the Postgre SQL wire protocol for queries.
- Strong working knowledge of Postgre SQL, including query planning, indexing strategies, roles, and connection management.
- Practical experience with backup and restore strategies across both My SQL and Postgre SQL environments, including point-in-time recovery.
- Solid understanding of relational database concepts: normalisation, indexing, query execution plans, transactions, and locking.
- Ability to write complex SQL queries, both for operational and reporting purposes.
- Experience writing and integrating database queries with Grafana or similar observability and dashboarding tools is desirable.
- Experience with or interest in version-controlled or branching database systems (e. g. Dolt).
- Familiarity with Redis and Elasticsearch administration is advantageous.
- Comfortable working in a Linux-based server environment and with command-line tooling.
- Experience in a regulated financial services or compliance-driven environment is advantageous, with an understanding of audit and change control requirements.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with a methodical approach to diagnosing and resolving incidents.
- Excellent communication skills—able to translate database concepts clearly for non-specialist colleagues in development and operations teams.
- Self-motivated and capable of managing competing priorities in a dynamic, high-throughput environment.
Senior Database Administrator in London employer: N P Associates Careers
Join a dynamic and innovative team as a Support Analyst in the heart of the financial sector, where your technical expertise will be valued and nurtured. With a strong emphasis on employee growth, we offer extensive training opportunities, competitive salaries, and a comprehensive benefits package including generous holiday allowances and health care. Our vibrant work culture encourages collaboration and problem-solving, making it an ideal environment for those looking to thrive in a challenging yet rewarding role.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Database Administrator in London
✨Tap into Local Tech Meetups
Get yourself to local tech meetups or database management conferences. It's a really great way to meet industry professionals and potentially uncover unadvertised full-time roles. When chatting with people, mention your skills and interests in database management; you never know who might be looking for someone just like you!
✨Contribute to Open Source Projects
Diving into open-source projects can not only sharpen your database skills but also get you noticed by employers. Many companies look for candidates who actively contribute to projects – it shows initiative and a real passion for the field. Plus, it's a perfect excuse to connect with other developers and expand your professional network.
✨Utilise Professional Bodies
Sign up for professional bodies related to database management, like the British Computer Society. They often host events and networking opportunities that can lead directly to job openings in the full-time market. Plus, it adds a nice touch to your professional profile!
✨Showcase Your Skills in a Public Portfolio
As you’re on the hunt for that full-time role, make sure to have a public portfolio that displays your best database projects. This can easily set you apart from the competition. And when you apply for roles, definitely mention it – it shows employers you mean business and are proud of your work!
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Database Administrator in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show off your database skills:When applying for a full-time role in database management, it’s super important to highlight your skills with specific database technologies like SQL, NoSQL, or any relevant data visualisation tools. We want to see how you've used these tools in real projects, so don't shy away from detailing your hands-on experience!
Tailor your CV for data:Make sure your CV is structured clearly, focusing on your previous experience in database management. Use specific metrics to demonstrate your impact, like how you improved data retrieval times or reduced errors. This isn't just about what you've done; it’s about what you’ve achieved with your skills!
Craft a compelling cover letter:In your cover letter, share what excites you about database management and how you can contribute to N P Associates Careers. Mention any relevant projects where you tackled challenges or implemented new solutions. Let us know why you want to join our team and how your passion aligns with our goals.
Document your projects:If you've worked on interesting database projects—maybe during your studies or in previous roles—be sure to include those in your application. If you can, link to a portfolio or GitHub repo where we can see examples of your work. Having a tangible showcase of your skills will really make your application stand out!
How to prepare for a job interview at N P Associates Careers
✨Brush Up on Database Tools
Make sure you're well-versed with popular database management systems like MySQL, PostgreSQL, or MongoDB. Incorporating real-world examples of how you've used these tools in past projects will show that you can put theory into practice, which is something N P Associates Careers will definitely appreciate.
✨Know Your SQL Inside Out
Get ready for some technical questions focused on SQL queries and database design. We should anticipate coding challenges where you might need to optimise queries or design a database schema on the spot. Practising these problems will build our confidence to impress in the interview.
✨Demonstrate Problem-Solving Skills
Besides just technical know-how, be prepared to answer scenario-based questions that test your critical thinking and problem-solving abilities. Think about how you would approach data integrity issues or handle performance bottlenecks — N P Associates Careers will want to see your analytical side!
✨Show Your Collaboration Spirit
Since this is a full-time role, it's crucial to highlight how you've collaborated with cross-functional teams or contributed to team projects in the past. Emphasising our interpersonal skills will demonstrate that you’re not just a tech wizard, but also a team player who fits well with N P Associates Careers's culture.
