At a Glance
- Tasks: Manage and enhance our database platform on Google Cloud, ensuring security and performance.
- Company: Join THG Ingenuity, a leader in digital commerce with a vibrant culture.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive pay, flexible working, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Great career progression in a supportive environment that values your ideas.
- Why this job: Be part of a dynamic team modernising tech for global brands like Coca-Cola and Nestle.
- Qualifications: Experience with PostgreSQL, SQL Server, and cloud platforms is essential.
The predicted salary is between 45000 - 55000 £ per year.
About THG Ingenuity
THG Ingenuity is a fully integrated digital commerce ecosystem, designed to power brands without limits. Our global end-to-end tech platform is comprised of three products: THG Commerce, THG Studios, THG Fulfilment. Each represents a single, unified solution, overcoming challenges and taking brands direct-to-consumer. Our client portfolio includes globally recognised brands such as Coca-Cola, Nestle, Elemis, Homebase, and Proctor & Gamble.
Location: Manchester (Head Office)
Reports to: Database Platform Manager
Role Overview
We are looking for a Database Engineer to help run and improve our database platform. Our estate runs on Google Cloud Platform following a recent migration to self-managed services. There is plenty still to do in the next phase of modernising the estate, and you will be hands-on in that work as well as in the day-to-day running of the platform. You will work alongside a small team of database engineers and closely with engineering and infrastructure teams, keeping our database environments secure, reliable and performant. There is real scope to grow here, and you will be supported to deepen your technical expertise and take on more as you do. The role participates in a rotating on-call rota and occasionally requires out-of-hours work to support deployments, maintenance or incident response.
Key Responsibilities
- Database administration
- Install, configure, maintain and upgrade PostgreSQL and SQL Server environments across development, test and production
- Ensure database servers are securely configured, patched and compliant with operational standards
- Own backup, restore and maintenance strategies, and test recovery procedures regularly
- Maintain database security, access control and auditing practices
- Cloud and infrastructure
- Deploy and manage database environments in Google Cloud Platform, using Compute Engine instances or managed services such as Cloud SQL where appropriate
- Configure networking, storage and security controls for cloud-hosted database systems
- Support the remaining on-premise footprint and the realities of running a hybrid estate
- Modernisation
- Contribute to migration and consolidation work across the estate, covering schema and code conversion, data migration, testing and cutover
- Help shape and deliver the next phase of modernisation across the estate
- Bring ideas forward: if you think there is a better way to do something, we want to hear it
- Resilience and performance
- Build and maintain high availability and disaster recovery solutions, including replication
- Identify and resolve performance issues, and work with development teams on query, indexing and schema design
- Maintain monitoring and alerting so problems are caught proactively rather than reported by users
- Automation and change
- Automate provisioning, patching, backups and routine maintenance
- Keep all scripts, configuration and database change in GitHub, delivered through CI/CD pipelines and proper change management
- Contribute to database standards, runbooks and documentation
- Operational support
- Participate in the rotating on-call rota supporting production systems
- Provide day-to-day support to engineering and infrastructure teams
- Take part in incident response and post-incident review
Skills and Experience
Essential
- PostgreSQL (core requirement): solid production administration experience covering configuration, upgrades, backup and recovery, replication and basic performance tuning
- Microsoft SQL Server: production administration including availability groups, backups, patching and maintenance
- SQL: able to write and optimise complex queries and read an execution plan
- Google Cloud Platform: deploying and managing database infrastructure in GCP (Compute Engine, Cloud SQL, storage, networking, IAM)
- High availability and disaster recovery: supporting HA/DR architectures and replication technologies
- Backup and recovery: strong understanding of strategies and hands-on restore experience
- GitHub and CI/CD: working with source control day to day and comfortable with change management in a production environment
- Automation: scripting in Python, PowerShell or Bash to remove manual toil
- Monitoring and alerting: using enterprise tooling such as Prometheus, Grafana, Cloud Monitoring or equivalent
- On-call: willing to join a rotating rota and handle production incidents
- Communication: clear written and verbal communication, and effective collaboration with engineering teams
Desirable
- Migration experience: moving production workloads between database engines
- Couchbase or comparable NoSQL / document-store experience
- CockroachDB or other distributed SQL platforms
- Infrastructure as code: Terraform or Ansible
- Database CI/CD tooling: Flyway, Liquibase or Redgate
- On-premise infrastructure: servers, storage, networking, virtualisation
- Kafka or streaming platforms
You as a Person
- You are curious and like learning. The estate is changing, and you are keen to go deep in technologies that may not be your strongest today
- You challenge constructively. If something looks wrong or inefficient, you say so, with evidence and without waiting for permission
- You want room to grow. We have a culture that supports people stretching beyond their job description. If something interesting sits adjacent to your role, you will be encouraged to get involved rather than told it belongs to someone else
- You are methodical. Production databases reward care: you test, you document, and you think about the restore before the backup
- You communicate well with people who are not database engineers. You can explain what happened and why in terms a developer or a stakeholder can act on
- You are a dependable teammate. On-call only works when people look after each other, and you take that seriously
THG Ingenuity is proud to be a Disability Confident Committed employer. If you are invited to interview, please let us know if there are any reasonable adjustments we can make to the recruitment process that will enable you to perform to the best of your ability. THG Ingenuity is committed to creating a diverse & inclusive environment and hence welcomes applications from all sections of the community. Because of the high volumes of applications our opportunities attract, it sometimes takes us time to review and consider them all. We endeavour to respond to every application we receive within 14 days. If you haven't heard from us within that time frame or should you have any specific questions about this or other applications for positions at THG Ingenuity please contact one of our Talent team to discuss further.
Database Engineer (DBA) in Manchester employer: THG Ingenuity
THG Ingenuity is an exceptional employer that offers a dynamic and supportive work environment, perfect for those starting their leadership journey. With a focus on employee growth, you will receive hands-on experience in a cutting-edge automated operation while being encouraged to bring your innovative ideas to the table. Located at our Omega site, you'll enjoy a range of benefits including enhanced leave, wellbeing support, and significant discounts on THG brands, all while working with a diverse team committed to making a positive impact.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Database Engineer (DBA) in Manchester
✨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 Database Engineer (DBA) in Manchester
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 THG Ingenuity. 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 THG Ingenuity
✨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 THG Ingenuity 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 — THG Ingenuity 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 THG Ingenuity's culture.
