At a Glance
- Tasks: Design and optimise databases for energy products, ensuring data accuracy and performance.
- Company: Join one of the UK's largest energy aggregators with a dynamic and inclusive culture.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, bonuses, career development, and 25 days annual leave plus perks.
- Other info: Enjoy a hybrid working model and excellent career growth opportunities.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in the energy sector while developing your skills in a hands-on role.
- Qualifications: Strong SQL skills, MySQL experience, and a passion for data analysis.
The predicted salary is between 35000 - 45000 £ per year.
Salary: £35,000-£45,000 DOE + Bonus
Hours: 37hrs, Mon-Friday
Location: Hybrid working with 2-3 days a week in our Northampton Office
Contract: Permanent
If you like owning a system end to end; designing it, building it, and making it faster than you found it, this is your opportunity to join a dynamic Market and one of the UK's largest energy aggregators. We're looking for a Database Administrator & Developer to take ownership of the databases behind energyengine, our platform for pricing, quoting and managing energy contracts for tens of thousands of UK businesses. You'll build the data layer behind the products we launch next, and you'll own the pricing infrastructure that turns raw supplier price files into live, quotable rates. It's a hands-on build role rather than a maintenance one.
At Online Direct, we provide intermediary business and technology services for B2B brokers to access the energy market. Over the past 25 years, we have evolved our offerings to support energy brokers establish and sustain long-term, successful businesses in the industry. We pride ourselves on our inclusive culture, shared values, team spirit and commitment to excellence, which is the cornerstone of our success and reputation.
Position
- Design, build and optimise the database layer behind new energyengine products and features
- Write, review and performance-tune SQL against large production datasets
- Own the pricing data pipeline end to end - ingestion, conversion, validation and upload of supplier price changes into the platform
- Automate and harden what is currently manual, reducing the time between a supplier issuing prices and those prices going live
- Build the validation checks that catch bad pricing data before it ever reaches a customer
- Administer business-critical MySQL databases: performance, indexing, backups, integrity and access control
- Maintain supplier meter mappings and the data relationships that underpin accurate quoting
- Work with our internal team and external development partner to specify, test and roll out new functionality
- Partner with the pricing team day to day - understand how they work, then build the tools that make their job easier
- Manage supplier relationships covering pricing feeds and meter mapping
- Carry out data analysis to answer commercial and technical questions, and document what you build
Requirements
- Strong, demonstrable experience writing and optimising SQL - complex queries, stored procedures, and diagnosing why something is slow
- Hands-on experience administering MySQL in a production environment
- Experience working with large, business-critical datasets where accuracy genuinely matters
- Confident manipulating and validating data within Microsoft Excel
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the judgement to know when something looks wrong
- Excellent written and verbal communication - you'll be explaining technical constraints to commercial colleagues regularly
- Comfortable owning your own workload and delivering with limited supervision
- A genuine appetite to learn new tools and languages - our stack will keep evolving
Ideal
- Python experience, particularly for data processing, automation or scripting
- Experience consuming or building REST APIs is highly desirable
- Familiarity with version control (Git) and working alongside a development team
- Experience within the energy industry, or another regulated, data-heavy sector
Other Information
Online Direct offer a range of benefits*, contributing to a well-rounded compensation package that includes financial incentives, career development opportunities and various perks designed to enhance employees quality of life and wellbeing. Here's a breakdown:
- Competitive Salary + Bonus
- Career Development & Ongoing Training
- 25 days annual leave, in addition to bank holidays increasing with length of service with the option to purchase additional days
- Sick Pay
- Volunteering day
- Enhanced Maternity & Paternity
- Employee Reward Schemes
- Team Incentive Days
- Death In Service (DIS)
- Health Cash Plan
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
- Early Friday Finish
- Cycle to Work Scheme subject to length of service
SQL Database Administrator & Developer in Northampton employer: OnlineDIRECT Limited
Online Direct is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work environment in Northampton where innovation meets collaboration. Employees benefit from a competitive salary, bonus potential, and opportunities for professional growth while working on impactful projects that shape the future of energy pricing. The company fosters a culture of teamwork and continuous improvement, making it an ideal place for those seeking meaningful and rewarding employment.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land SQL Database Administrator & Developer in Northampton
✨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 SQL Database Administrator & Developer in Northampton
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 OnlineDIRECT Limited. 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 OnlineDIRECT Limited
✨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 OnlineDIRECT Limited 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 — OnlineDIRECT Limited 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 OnlineDIRECT Limited's culture.
