Senior Database Engineer

MOTORS & Cazoo; Richmond; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading automotive company in Richmond seeks a Senior Database Engineer to develop and deliver an innovative database platform. This role involves modernizing legacy systems, working with Microsoft SQL and Azure databases, and ensuring high performance and data reliability. As an individual contributor, you will tackle complex projects and lead efforts in optimizing database strategies while mentoring junior engineers. The position offers competitive pay, a hybrid work model, and a strong focus on employee well-being.

Benefits

Flexible workplace

Private Healthcare Insurance

Discretionary Bonus

Generous Family Friendly Leave

Qualifications

• Deep expertise in database architecture, design, and administration.
• Advanced knowledge of disaster recovery and business continuity planning.
• Experience in performance optimization and query tuning.

Responsibilities

• Modernize and maintain Microsoft SQL based data platform.
• Architect, engineer, deploy and maintain database solutions in Azure Cloud.
• Participate in on-call rotation to provide 24/7 support.

Skills

Database Architecture

Performance Optimization

Automation with PowerShell/Python

Cloud-Native Solutions

Disaster Recovery Planning

Tools

Azure SQL Managed Instance

PostgreSQL

Visual Studio SSDT

Database CI/CD

Job description

Motors & Cazoo, is the ultimate destination for car enthusiasts and buyers alike! As a leader in the market, we pride ourselves on providing unparalleled search tools, expert car guides, insightful reviews, and a comprehensive vehicle price guide. Our mission is simple: to empower buyers to find their perfect car efficiently and with confidence, while also helping automotive retailers reach millions of eager buyers.

At Motors & Cazoo, you'll be part of a team that's revolutionising the way people buy and sell cars. Our innovative advertising opportunities not only elevate our platform but also extend across a vast dealer advertising ecosystem, including automotive giants like eBay and Gumtree. If you're ready to drive your career forward in a dynamic, fast‑paced environment, Motors is the place for you. Join us and be a part of shaping the future of automotive retail!

About the role

We are looking for a highly skilled Senior Database Engineer to become part of our UK business and help develop and deliver on our Database Platform. As a Senior Database Engineer, you will help develop a platform that brings fast and reliable data to the people who need it. With a passion for people and a strong growth mentality, you will help us to deliver data solutions to the business and our customers.

We need a top‑notch Senior Database Engineer to join our team and to help guide the product & technology teams as we modernise our heritage Microsoft SQL stack and expand into PostgreSQL and NoSQL.

Your main goal is to work with our team to help deliver a platform that can provide insights based on reliable and secure data, so everyone can spend more time delivering value. In executing this mission, you will work closely with our engineers, architects, and product owners.

Reports To

Head of Databases

Contract Type

Permanent

Location

Remote Role (Hub in Richmond, SW London)

What you’ll do

Technical Leadership & Delivery

• Positioned as an Individual Lead Contributor who will help us modernise and maintain our Microsoft SQL based data platform
• Architect, engineer, deploy and maintain highly scalable and available database solutions in Azure Cloud
• Support the team and business in the migration from our heritage SQL VM estate into a modern Azure Cloud SQL based solution
• Lead and consistently deliver on projects of highly ambiguous scope, high complexity and critical business impact
• Be deployed to highest priority business problems or critical incidents, quickly resolve them and help the business understand prevention strategies
• Design and implement database scaling strategies (horizontal and vertical) to support growing data volumes and high transaction throughput

Platform Excellence & Innovation

• Ensure heritage systems continue to be maintained at a high standard while managing short to medium‑term improvements
• Work with the existing team and contribute towards delivering high‑quality code by improving coding standards and best practices
• Identifying areas of innovation in data tools and techniques, recognising appropriate timing for adoption>
• Design and manage data pipelines for operational data processing (ETL)
• Develop comprehensive disaster recovery and business continuity planning for databases

Operational Excellence

• Participate in an On‑Call rotation to provide our customers 24/7 support
• Develop and support database automation, including maintenance, test data management, CI/CD pipelines and unit tests
• Monitor database performance, implement changes and apply new patches and versions when required
• Coordinate teams to resolve problems and implement solutions and preventative measures
• Automate database maintenance tasks including backups, patching, and health checks
• Define and implement database scaling strategies in distributed environments

Stakeholder Management & Communication

• Manage communication between technical and non‑technical stakeholders effectively
• Clearly and confidently articulate risk of technical problems to non‑technical stakeholders (e.g., product, legal, compliance)
• Represent the company to external stakeholders (e.g., auditors, regulators, third‑parties, vendors) when appropriate
• Liaise with product managers, product owners and engineering managers across multiple squads to ensure timely delivery
• Link technical contributions back to business impact for your team or area, helping others buy into this vision

Team Development & Mentorship

• Proactively contribute to the betterment of other engineers through sponsoring, mentoring and providing constructive, candid feedback
• Enable groups of others to improve coding standards and awareness of best practices around non‑functional requirements
• Be repeatedly consulted for advice by engineers from different squads or tribe
• Contribute through knowledge sharing and architectural forum

Strategic Contribution

• Actively offer well‑considered contributions to the roadmap of your team or business area
• Demonstrate product‑awareness and offer valuable contributions to quarterly planning rituals
• Work with PM or tech lead on setting the vision for your squad
• Foster effective collaboration between Product and Engineering
• Help ensure your squad focuses on work that drives forward quarterly goals while reducing operational impact
• Proactively stay up to date with technology trends and contribute thoughts on squad strategy

What we ideally looking for (Essential Experience)

Database Expertise

• Deep expertise in database architecture, design and administration, including backups, maintenance, performance monitoring, patching and troubleshooting
• Advanced knowledge of disaster recovery and business continuity planning for databases
• Performance optimisation expertise, including query tuning, analysing metrics and reducing deadlocks/timeouts
• Proficiency in automation of database maintenance tasks using PowerShell/Python
• Ability to define and implement database scaling strategies

Leadership & Impact

• Experience as a technical thought leader who can impact the trajectory of the company
• Proven ability to act as a reliable, collaborative subject matter expert in key areas
• Experience coaching and mentoring junior engineers
• Track record of tackling problems before they can do harm
• Experience providing technical and strategic feedback that lead to better outcomes

Technical Stack

• Experience migrating from MS SQL based on‑premise solutions to cloud‑native Azure databases
• Experience in data engineering, data lake/warehousing or BI solutions with several years in Azure cloud
• Proven record of successfully integrating business‑critical data from different sources

Extensive and proven experience in

• Azure PostgreSQL Database
• Azure SQL Managed Instance, Azure SQL Database, Azure SQL VM
• Always On availability groups and failover cluster instances
• Visual Studio SSDT DB projects
• Database CI/CD (preferably YAML pipelines in Azure DevOps)

Desirable Experience

• Kubernetes
• PowerShell/Python
• NoSQL database technologies
• Advanced caching strategies (Redis, Memcached)
• Microsoft Power BI
• Redgate SQL Monitor or similar SQL monitoring tools
• GDPR workflows (SAR and DDR)
• Terraform & Yaml

What success looks like

In this role, you will successfully lead and deliver projects of high complexity and critical business impact. You'll be known as the go‑to expert who can quickly resolve critical issues while helping the business understand prevention strategies. Your technical contributions will clearly link back to business impact, and you'll actively help shape the technical strategy of your area while developing the next generation of database engineers.

At MOTORS, we’re fearlessly committed to helping car buyers and dealers save time, money, and energy. If you’re ready to challenge the status quo, give it your all, and come out smiling, you’ll fit right in. You can expect a fast pace, plenty of support and a commitment to work flexibility. Are you ready?

Perks & Benefits

We offer a supportive, flexible, and growth‑focused workplace. At Motors you will have a healthy work‑life balance, continuous learning, remote work options, and engaging challenges. Join us for a fulfilling career where your well‑being is a priority.

Financial reward 💷

• Competitive Pay
• Discretionary Bonus
• Pension Scheme (up to 9% Employer Contribution)
• Employee recognition scheme with great financial prizes

Work‑life balance 🏖️

• 25 days holiday per year growing with length of service
• Hybrid and UK Remote working depending on role
• Generous Family Friendly Leave
• Free counselling and support (for when you might need it)

Health & Insurance 🏩

• Private Healthcare Insurance
• Private Dental insurance cover & Cashback.
• Online private GP service.
• Generous sick pay support
• Life assurance policy (x4 Life Assurance)

Other 🔍

• Social & Inclusion Calendar - packed with events.
• Free food and beverage in our office locations

Diversity & Inclusion at Motors

Here at Motors we are on a mission to create a culture where all our teams are inspired to share their passion, talents and ideas with equal opportunities for growth and career development throughout both of our brands.

We know that a diverse and inclusive team drives creativity and makes both our brands stronger. That’s why we’re committed to discovering new talent and employing people who reflect the nature of the society around us, so that when you join Motors you can be you!