Data Engineer

Salary: £45,000 per annum (£43,367 salary + £1633 market supplement)

Contract type:
Permanent

Band: E / Higher Executive Officer

Closing date:
Wednesday 14th October 2026 at midnight

At The National Archives, we are more than custodians of the past – we are pioneers in digital archiving, ensuring the UK’s public records are robust, connected, and accessible for generations to come. As a Data Engineer in our small, dynamic Digital Archiving team, you’ll help transform how archival data is managed, structured, and enriched, unlocking its value for public use and discovery.

• Your work will directly support the preservation and accessibility of the UK’s documentary heritage, including a new Parliamentary Archives project.
• We nurture talent, value every voice, and support personal and professional development. You’ll join a collaborative, forward‑looking team where your ideas are heard and your growth is championed.
• Work with a modern tech stack including Python, SQL, Shell scripting, Talend, XSLT, XML, CSV, JSON, RDF, RDBMS, No
  
  SQL, and graph databases. You’ll help design and build scalable data pipelines, automate data processing, and develop tools for data enrichment and integration.
• We invest in your learning, offering opportunities to develop your skills in emerging technologies and data practices that enhance public access to archives.

If you’ve been working in an entry‑level data role and are ready to take the next step, this is an ideal opportunity to grow your skills and responsibilities. We welcome those who are passionate about data, eager to learn, and keen to make a real impact. Data skills are highly valued at The National Archives, and you’ll be part of an active internal data community where specialists from across the organisation share knowledge, collaborate, and solve problems together.

• Design and develop scalable, repeatable data pipelines (ETL/ELT) to process, transform, and load archival data.
• Automate data cleansing, validation, standardisation, and enrichment.
• Develop and document schemas, ontologies, and models for archival data.
• Integrate data from diverse sources and formats, supporting better discovery and reuse.
• Collaborate with product teams, archivists, and developers to deliver practical, data‑centric solutions.
• Contribute to a culture of openness, quality, and continuous improvement.

• Strong experience in large‑scale data analysis and manipulation using relevant programming languages and tools (e.g. Python, Shell scripting, SQL, XSLT).
• Solid understanding of data formats (XML, CSV, JSON, RDF) and database technologies (RDBMS, No
  
  SQL, graph databases).
• Excellent analytical, problem‑solving, and communication skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively in multidisciplinary teams and explain technical issues to non‑technical colleagues.
• Awareness of the value and meaning of archival data and the ethical responsibilities of working with public records.

This is a full time post. However, requests for part‑time working, flexible working and job share will be considered, taking into account at all times the operational needs of the Department. A combination of onsite and home working is available and applicants should be able to regularly travel to our Kew site for a minimum of 60% of their work time.

• Interview:
  Interviews will be held on‑site, ideally week commencing 2nd November 2026. The interview will include a technical test.
• Personal Statement:
  We ask all applicants to upload their CV and to submit a personal statement of 600‑700 words total. Selection for interview will be based on the 3 ‘essential’ criteria listed below so please ensure that your…