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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Design and maintain Azure-based data pipelines for impactful education research.
- Company: Join the National Institute of Teaching, dedicated to improving teacher development.
- Benefits: Generous annual leave, competitive salary, and hybrid working options.
- Other info: Collaborative environment with opportunities for professional growth.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in education through innovative data solutions.
- Qualifications: Experience in data engineering and strong skills in Azure and T-SQL.
The predicted salary is between 56667 - 56667 £ per year.
Hybrid - within commuting distance of one of our campuses.
We are seeking a motivated and enthusiastic Senior Data Engineer to join our TED team and play an important role in building and maintaining the technical infrastructure that supports the NIoT and TED.
About Us
The National Institute of Teaching (NIoT) has an unswerving commitment to high-quality, evidence-informed teacher education, and is on a mission to improve teacher and leader development across the education system. A key part of that mission is our Teacher Education Dataset (TED), an ambitious data and research initiative focused on building better evidence about teacher development and what makes teaching impactful. By bringing together education, research and digital infrastructure, TED will support new insight into how teachers develop, improve and thrive across their careers.
About the Role
Working at the intersection of data engineering, data and research, the postholder will help develop secure, reliable and scalable systems that enable robust analysis and contribute to high-quality, evidence-informed improvement across the sector.
Corporate Responsibilities
- To ensure that the responsibilities of the role are carried out in a way which reflects the mission and the values of the NIoT.
- To be aware of and observe all policies, procedures, working practices and regulations, and in particular to comply with policies relating to Equal Opportunities, Health and Safety, Confidentiality, Data Protection and Financial Regulations, reporting any concerns to an appropriate person.
- To comply with all reasonable management requests.
Key Responsibilities
- Design, build and maintain Azure-based data pipelines to support the ingestion, transformation and curation of TED datasets.
- Develop and maintain Azure SQL databases and research-facing schemas across raw, transformed and curated data layers.
- Write efficient, secure and well-structured T-SQL to support ingestion, validation, transformation and optimisation.
- Contribute to the development and ongoing refinement of a Common Data Model across multiple education data providers.
- Integrate and harmonise data from school MIS and EdTech platforms, including Bromcom, Arbor and Wonde.
- Build and maintain robust validation, logging, auditing and reconciliation processes to improve data quality and trust.
- Support secure data handling, including pseudonymisation, access control and compliance with data-sharing agreements and security requirements.
- Work closely with analysts, researchers, architects and partners to deliver scalable, analytics-ready data solutions.
- Contribute to agile planning, technical design, documentation and operational handover.
Essential Criteria
- Proven experience in data engineering, including building and maintaining production-grade data pipelines.
- Strong experience with Azure Data Factory and Azure SQL Server.
- Strong T-SQL skills, including schema design, stored procedures and query optimisation.
- Experience implementing validation, monitoring, logging and reconciliation controls within data pipelines.
- Strong understanding of secure data architecture and the handling of sensitive personal data.
- Experience with Azure DevOps, version control and CI/CD practices.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with excellent attention to detail.
- Ability to communicate effectively and work successfully in a multidisciplinary team.
Desirable Criteria
- Experience with education datasets, school MIS systems or EdTech platforms.
- Experience with common data models, longitudinal datasets or research-oriented data infrastructure.
- Experience with Power BI, Fabric or related analytics technologies.
- Experience in a public sector, education or high-governance data environment.
- Interest in applying data engineering to improve education and teacher development.
Benefits:
- Generous annual leave: 27 days holiday a year (plus 8).
Senior Data Engineer employer: National Institute of Teaching
Contact Detail:
National Institute of Teaching Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Data Engineer
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to folks in the education and data engineering sectors on LinkedIn. Join relevant groups, attend webinars, and don’t be shy about asking for informational interviews. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings!
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Create a portfolio showcasing your data engineering projects, especially those related to education or analytics. This can really set you apart from other candidates and give potential employers a taste of what you can do.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by brushing up on common data engineering questions and scenarios. Think about how your experience aligns with the role at NIoT and be ready to discuss specific examples of your work with Azure and T-SQL.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in joining our mission to improve teacher development through data.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Data Engineer
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the Senior Data Engineer role. Highlight your experience with Azure, T-SQL, and data pipelines. We want to see how your skills align with what we're looking for!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Share your passion for data engineering and how it connects to improving education. Let us know why you’re excited about joining our TED team.
Showcase Relevant Projects: If you've worked on projects that involved data pipelines or Azure, make sure to mention them. We love seeing real-world examples of your work and how you’ve tackled challenges in the past.
Apply Through Our Website: Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. We can’t wait to hear from you!
How to prepare for a job interview at National Institute of Teaching
✨Know Your Tech Inside Out
Make sure you’re well-versed in Azure Data Factory, Azure SQL Server, and T-SQL. Brush up on your schema design and query optimisation skills, as these will likely come up during the interview. Being able to discuss your past experiences with these technologies confidently will show that you're the right fit for the Senior Data Engineer role.
✨Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills
Prepare to discuss specific challenges you've faced in data engineering and how you overcame them. Think of examples where you implemented validation, monitoring, or logging controls within data pipelines. This will demonstrate your analytical abilities and attention to detail, which are crucial for this position.
✨Understand the Mission
Familiarise yourself with the National Institute of Teaching's mission and values. Be ready to explain how your work aligns with their commitment to high-quality, evidence-informed teacher education. Showing that you understand and care about their goals will set you apart from other candidates.
✨Prepare Questions for Them
Interviews are a two-way street! Prepare thoughtful questions about the TED team, their current projects, and how they measure success. This not only shows your interest in the role but also helps you gauge if the company culture and objectives align with your career aspirations.