Are you an IT engineer with a keen attention to detail and excellent problem-solving skills? Do you have working knowledge of databases that you want to develop further, whilst gaining experience in other technologies (AWS, Linux, Jenkins, Ansible, Terraform, etc)?

Social Security Scotland are recruiting two Database Administrators to join an experienced team of DBAs. You will learn and assist the ongoing support, maintenance, and development of business-critical databases across multiple cloud-hosted Database Management Systems, including DB2, PostgreSQL, MySQL and SQL Server.

Social Security Scotland, an Executive Agency of the Scottish Government, is undertaking the largest and most complex IT and digital change programme since devolution. With a lifetime budget of over £300m, Social Security Scotland is delivering a social security system that will support the people of Scotland for decades to come. We aim to develop within Social Security Scotland, a positive and inclusive culture, which supports our people to flourish, by embedding a working environment where we all treat each other with dignity and respect, and recognise each other’s contributions.

An Application Operations Engineer maintains services and is responsible for conducting user and security administration.

At this role level, you will:

• monitor applications and be accountable for batch processes.
• in some organisations, carry out the duties of an end user computing engineer, such as fixing technical problems, maintaining hardware and liaising with the problem or incident manager.

Responsibilities

• Assist in the development, maintenance and ongoing support of various cloud-based database management technologies.
• Support database-related activities during system releases and disaster recovery events using pre-defined runbooks.
• Manage service components to ensure they meet business needs and performance targets.
• Implement changes based on requests for change.
• Support specific activities to improve development processes.
• Spot or identify obvious deficiencies.
• Investigate problems in systems, processes and services, with an understanding of the level of a problem (for example, strategic, tactical or operational).
• Contribute to the implementation of remedies and preventative measures.
• Assist in technical support activities and carry out agreed or routine maintenance and administration tasks.
• Show an awareness of the relevant subject matter and a high-level understanding of what it involves.

Success Profiles 
We use an assessment framework called ‘Success Profiles’ which lists the elements we test and provides detailed descriptions of each.  

Essential Experience 

1. Functional experience of writing structured query language (SQL) queries, and a sound understanding of database/schema commands (Data Definition Language, Data Manipulation Language and Data Control Language). 
    
2. Experience of supporting Information Systems, demonstrating the ability to work on own initiative, displaying strong analytical skills, sound judgement, good planning and organisational skills.

Behaviours

• Changing and improving (Level 3)
• Developing self and others (Level 3) 

Technical / Professional Skills
This role is aligned to Application Operations Engineer within the Digital, Data and Technology Profession. 

We will assess you against the following technical skills during the selection process:  

• Problem management (Level Awareness)
• Technical specialism (Level Awareness)     
• Availability and capacity management (Level Working)
• Change management (Level Awareness)                         
• Continual service improvement (Level Awareness)                 
• Problem management (Level Awareness)                                             
• Technical specialism (Level Awareness)                                            
• Technical understanding (Level Awareness)                                         
• Testing (Level Awareness)      

Please note that only the first 2 technical skills listed will be tested at application stage: Problem management and Technical specialism.