Database Technical Architect

Registers of Scotland; United Kingdom; Hybrid; GBP 74,000 - 93,000; Full time

Job summary

A public sector organisation in the UK seeks a Database Technical Architect to lead the design and implementation of scalable and secure database solutions. This role entails providing architectural guidance for digital products and managing a team of database administrators. Ideal candidates will have significant experience with cloud technologies like AWS and a solid understanding of security and performance requirements. The position offers a hybrid working model and comprehensive benefits including up to 42 days annual leave.

Benefits

Flexible working hours

Professional development opportunities

28.97% pension contribution

Up to a year’s parental leave

38 days annual holiday increasing with service

Qualifications

• Significant experience designing complex database services in enterprise environments.
• Proven ability to work with cloud-first architectures, preferably AWS or Azure.
• Experience with modern engineering and DevOps practices.
• Ability to produce clear and effective architecture documentation.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership for database architecture.
• Lead and manage Database Administrators effectively.
• Define target architecture alongside integration patterns and data flows.
• Ensure compliance with security policies and requirements.

Skills

Database architecture

Cloud computing (AWS/Azure)

Data security

Agile methodologies

Technical documentation

Education

Relevant technical degree or equivalent experience

Tools

AWS RDS

CI/CD tools

Monitoring tools

Job description

Job Details

• Grade: C1
• Job Title: Database Technical Architect
• Total remuneration: £74,416 - £92,528
• Pay Supplement: 24% Digital, Data and Technology Annual Pay supplement included in total remuneration
• Pension: 28.97% of base salary (RoS contribution)
• Annual leave: 42 days annual holiday
• Duration: Permanent
• Working Pattern: 35 hours per week (flexible, compressed hours, term‑time or part‑time on case‑by‑case basis)
• Location: Hybrid working model – contractual base either at Meadowbank House, Edinburgh (EH8 7AU) or St Vincent Plaza, Glasgow (G2 5LD)
• Department: IT Enablement
• Directorate: Digital, Data and Technology
• Reports to: Technical Product Manager
• Closing date: 5th of February 2026 at 23:59
• Number of vacancies: 1

About Registers of Scotland

Registers of Scotland (RoS) is a world‑leading pioneer inland and property registration. Our full‑stack teams design, architect and build all our registration products in‑house, creating digital solutions for the people of Scotland. We nurture creativity and development through access to the latest data, software engineering and product delivery techniques.

Inclusion

We welcome applications from all backgrounds and are committed to building a diverse workforce that reflects Scotland, particularly encouraging under‑represented groups in technology and design. Your unique perspective strengthens our team’s ability to create services for all communities.

Why Work Here?

• Work with purpose: contribute to land and property registration worldwide.
• Flexible and hybrid working: choose when and where you work best.
• Benefits: pay progression, pension up to 28.97%, up to a year’s parental leave, 38 days annual holiday increasing to 42 with length of service.
• Professional development: we invest in all our people.
• Diversity and inclusion: we are an ‘Investor in People’ and a ‘Disability Confident’ employer.
• Positive work culture: agile digital organisation using leading‑edge technology.

The Role

As a Technical Architect, you will provide technical leadership and architectural design for RoS’ digital products, platforms and underpinning technology services. You will design an evolving, secure, scalable and resilient technical architecture that enables modern, user‑centred digital services while reducing technical debt and ensuring value for money. Working closely with product teams, engineers, security and operations, you will turn business and user needs into pragmatic, sustainable technical solutions.

On a Typical Day

• Provide technical leadership for the database architecture underpinning RoS digital products, platforms and enabling services, ensuring solutions are secure, resilient, scalable and cost‑effective.
• Lead and formally manage Database Administrators, including performance reviews, career development and well‑being.
• Own the technical direction for database services across cloud and on‑premise environments, ensuring coherence across product areas and alignment to RoS strategy and DDaT roadmap.
• Shape and maintain a forward‑looking architecture roadmap for database services, balancing modernisation, technical debt reduction and continuity of critical services.
• Define the target architecture and key design decisions for database platforms and managed services, including integration patterns, data flows and operational tooling.
• Produce and maintain proportionate architecture documentation and artefacts to support delivery and assurance (e.g., HLD/LLD and key diagrams).
• Establish and assure non‑functional requirements for database services.
• Ensure designs comply with RoS information security and technology security policies, embedding privacy and security‑by‑design.
• Provide architectural guidance to delivery teams throughout the lifecycle, ensuring designs remain pragmatic, deliverable and maintainable.
• Promote automation and standardised approaches for database provisioning and management where appropriate.
• Identify and manage architectural risks, dependencies and technical debt within the database domain, recommending priorities and remediation.
• Contribute technical input to assurance activities, service readiness and procurement/supplier engagements.

Key Responsibilities

• Significant experience designing and delivering complex database digital services in an enterprise or public‑sector environment, including cloud‑hosted and on‑premise components.
• Practical experience of cloud‑first architectures such as AWS or Azure, including networking, security, identity, resilience and cost optimisation.
• Strong understanding of non‑functional requirements: scalability, availability, performance, observability, accessibility and security.
• Demonstrable experience working in agile/product‑led environments, collaborating in multi‑disciplinary teams.
• Experience of modern engineering and DevOps practices (automated testing, CI, automated deployment pipelines, IaC, monitoring and alerting).
• Ability to create and maintain clear architecture artefacts and documentation (LLD & HLD) communicating to technical and non‑technical audiences.
• Experience contributing technical input into procurement, supplier evaluation and third‑party product and services management.
• Proven ability to work effectively with diverse stakeholders, facilitating constructive technical debate and reaching sustainable outcomes.
• Adaptability to change plans and opinions when presented with stronger evidence, maintaining focus on agreed business and user goals.
• Extensive hands‑on experience of the AWS RDS ecosystem across the full lifecycle, at least three years of recent practical experience.

Behaviours

• Lead continuous improvement of database services and supporting processes, reducing manual effort and risk.
• Identify legacy constraints and technical debt, proposing incremental modernisation approaches that minimise disruption while improving outcomes.
• Encourage and support delivery teams to adopt improved engineering practices.
• Drive standardisation where it increases reliability and value for money, remaining pragmatic to product delivery constraints.

Making Effective Decisions

• Produce evidence‑based architecture options and recommendations, clearly articulating trade‑offs across cost, risk, technical debt, performance and resilience.
• Define and assure non‑functional requirements and ensure designs meet agreed standards.
• Identify architectural risks early, recommending mitigations and prioritised remediation plans.
• Contribute to business cases, options appraisals and service readiness assessments with clear technical rationale and long‑term sustainability considerations.

Leadership, Communicating and Influencing

• Explain complex technical designs and risks in clear, outcome‑focused language appropriate for senior stakeholders, delivery teams and non‑technical audiences.
• Provide constructive challenge and assurance through governance forums, enabling sound decisions and shared ownership.
• Build strong partnerships across product, engineering, operations, security, data protection and suppliers.
• Produce and maintain high‑quality architecture artefacts to support delivery and assurance.

Seeing the Big Picture

• Ensure database and platform architecture aligns to RoS corporate strategy and the DDaT roadmap, anticipating future service and data needs.
• Develop and maintain architectural roadmaps that sequence modernisation, technical debt reduction and platform evolution across products and domains.
• Promote reuse of shared patterns, components and services to reduce duplication and enable consistent, scalable digital delivery.
• Horizon‑scan emerging technology, regulatory and security considerations, translating them into clear architectural implications and recommendations.

Stage One – Application Process

To apply, click 'Apply now' and complete the online application form. Submit a CV outlining your career history and how you meet the technical experience criteria (max 4 pages) and the complete application questions related to the role.

As part of the application process you will receive an online assessment invitation via Hackerrank and you will have 3 days to complete it.

Stage Two – Assessment

• Behaviour based interview
• Case study exercise

Recruitment Timeline

• Closing date: 5th of February 2026 at 23:59
• Application sift: week commencing 9th of February 2026
• Invites to assessment: week commencing 16th of February 2026
• Interviews: week commencing 2nd of March 2026

Information on Success Profiles

For further information on success profiles, visit our Success Profiles.

Feedback

Feedback will only be provided if you progress to interview stage.

Reserve List

In the event that further posts are required, a reserve list of successful candidates will be kept for up to 12 months.

Nationality and Immigration Status

Only nationals from the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, and the Commonwealth are eligible for employment in the Civil Service. EU nationals with settled or pre‑settled status, certain EEA nationals, Swiss and Turkish nationals are also eligible. Detailed provisions can be reviewed here.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a Level 1 Disclosure check. Individuals working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard checks.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

As a proud member of the Disability Confident Scheme, we welcome applications from disabled candidates. We especially welcome applications from under‑represented groups – people who are disabled, minority ethnic groups and younger people (16‑24 years of age). To learn more, see our EDI strategy.

As part of the application process, we invite you to complete our diversity monitoring form. This information is not shared with recruitment panels. If you require adjustments to our recruitment process, please let us know via [e-mail]. For more information on adjustments, see this page.

DDaT Supplement

This post is part of the Digital, Data and Technology profession (DDAT) and attracts a pay supplement. RoS benchmarks salaries against current market rates, reviewing the benchmark every two years.

Further Information

• Additional details on pay & benefits
• The Civil Service Code
• Complaints process
• Use of AI in the application/recruitment process

For further information related to RoS, including additional details on pay & benefits, the Civil Service Code, the complaints process and the use of AI in the application/recruitment process, please view our additional information page online. If you have any questions, please contact [e-mail].