Junior Data Engineer

Overview

Data Connect, a service within the University's School of Medicine and Population Health, is seeking an enthusiastic Data Engineer to support the delivery of regional and national health data assets. We work closely with key regional partners, including the South Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) and the Yorkshire and Humber Secure Data Environment (Y&H SDE). Together, we make health and social care data securely accessible to researchers via our ISO27001, NHS DSPT, and SDE-accredited platform.

Healthcare data is often complex and varied. As a Junior Data Engineer, you will have an important role in turning this rich data into clean, structured research assets that can support projects across the research data lifecycle. Working alongside Data Scientists, Data Engineers, and Data Managers, you will help build secure pipelines, curate datasets, and assist with mapping health data to standard models like OMOP (Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership).

You will also support researchers from initial feasibility checks through to final data delivery. You will join a collaborative team of project managers, delivery managers, and data engineers, working with leading experts on research that directly impacts public health.

Main duties and responsibilities

As a Junior Data Engineer you will work alongside specialists in Data Connect to deliver data asset updates and health data extracts requests accurately and on time. You will troubleshoot technical challenges and help optimize data workflows for better performance and accessibility.

Key responsibilities include:

• Assisting in cleaning, mapping and standardizing health datasets. Eg, to the OMOP Common Data Model (CDM)
• Helping to develop reproducible and secure data pipelines for research projects, following data engineering best practices.
• Working on and maintaining data assets within secure data platforms and infrastructure.
• Assisting with data validation, feasibility checks, and ensuring data extracts for research match cohort specifications.
• Maintaining data dictionaries and metadata to enable stakeholders to understand what data is available and how to use it correctly.
• Contributing to clear technical documentation that is accessible to a multidisciplinary team.
• Working within strict data governance and security frameworks to ensure compliance and data safety.
• Providing technical support to regional programs, including the ICB and Yorkshire & Humber SDE.
• Communicating progress, technical blockers, and updates to the Data Technical Lead and Project Manager.
• Participating in knowledge sharing across the Data Connect team.
• Carry out other duties, commensurate with the grade and remit of the post

Person Specification

Our diverse community of staff and students recognises the unique abilities, backgrounds, and beliefs of all. We foster a culture where everyone feels they belong and is respected. Even if your past experience doesn't match perfectly with this role's criteria, your contribution is valuable, and we encourage you to apply. Please ensure that you reference the application criteria in the application statement when you apply.

Criteria	Essential or desirable	Stage(s) assessed at
Degree in Computer Science, Health Informatics, Data Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent experience).	Essential	Application/ Interview
Strong proficiency in SQL (joining, aggregating, subqueries, performance tuning).	Essential	Application/ Interview/ Test
Good foundational coding skills (e.g, python) with a structured approach to coding.	Essential	Application/ Interview/ Test
An interest in working with challenging real-world health care datasets.	Essential	Application/ interview/ Test
Clear written and verbal communication skills to interact confidently with technical peers and external researchers (including the NHS).	Essential	Application/ Interview/ Test
Awareness of sensitive data handling, data governance, and compliance standards.	Essential	Application/ Interview/ Test
Experience with cloud platforms (AWS/Azure)	Desirable	Application/ Interview
Awareness of health data standards such as OMOP CDM or clinical coding frameworks (e.g., SNOMED CT, ICD-10).	Desirable	Application/ Interview
Experience using version control tools like Git.	Desirable	Application/ Interview

Further Information

Grade	6
Salary	£32,080 to £36,636 per annum (pro rata) with the potential to progress to £39,906 through sustained exceptional contribution.
Work arrangement	Full-time - 35 hours per week. Hybrid / Flexible options considered
Duration	Fixed-term from October 2026 - 31 July 2027
Line manager	Data Scientist
Right to work in the UK	If you do not currently hold the right to work in the UK, you can find more information here to help determine your visa eligibility. Additional guidance is also available on the UK Visa & Immigration website.
Our website	https://sheffield.ac.uk/smph
For informal enquiries about this job contact Emily Chambers, Data Technical Lead on e.v.chambers@sheffield.ac.uk

Next steps in the recruitment process

It is anticipated that the selection process will take place in late September. This will consist of an interview and competency test exercise. We plan to let candidates know if they have progressed to the selection stage within two weeks of the closing date.

If you need any support, equipment or adjustments to enable you to participate in any element of the recruitment process you can contact dph-staffing-contracts@sheffield.ac.uk

Our vision and strategic plan

We are the University of Sheffield. This is our vision: (opens in new window).

What we offer

• A minimum of 38 days annual leave including bank holiday and closure days (pro rata) with the ability to purchase more.
• Flexible working opportunities, including hybrid working for some roles.
• Generous pension scheme.
• A wide range of discounts and rewards on shopping, eating out and travel.
• A variety of staff networks, providing opportunities for social interaction, peer support and personal development (for example, Race Equality, LGBT+, Women’s and Parent’s networks).
• Recognition Awards to reward staff who go above and beyond in their role.
• A commitment to your development access to learning and mentoring schemes; integrated with our Professional Services Shared Skills Framework.
• A range of generous family-friendly policies
  • paid time off for parenting and caring emergencies
  • access to menopause support in the workplace
  • paid time off and support for fertility treatment
  • and more

More details can be found on our benefits page: (opens in a new window).

We are a Disability Confident Leader (opens in a new window). If you have a disability and meet the essential criteria for this job you will be invited to take part in the next stage of the selection process.