SQL Database Administrator

Redhill Surrey Based -Fixed Term Contract 12 months

About Indra Group UK & Ireland

Indra is a leading global technology and consulting company, and a trusted technological partner for the core business operations of its clients worldwide. It stands at the forefront of key sectors including Transport, Defence, Air Traffic Management and Space, alongside advanced Information Technology services delivered through Minsait, and cutting-edge capabilities in Sovereign AI, Cybersecurity, and Cyberdefence via IndraMind.

The company’s business model is built around a comprehensive portfolio of proprietary products, combining strong innovation with a high-value focus for customers.

With more than 2,500 projects implemented across 50 countries and over 100 cities, Indra is a global benchmark in innovative transportation and mobility solutions. It is recognised as one of the world’s top three companies in public transportation management systems. Indra’s technology supports the daily journeys of over 78 million people, helping to reduce more than 10 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually, and helping save nearly 3,000 lives through improved traffic management and road safety.

Indra Group is paving the way to a more secure and better-connected future through innovative solutions, trusted relationships and the very best talent. Sustainability sits at the heart of its strategy and culture, driving efforts to address current and future social and environmental challenges.

In the 2024 financial year, Indra achieved revenues of €5.5 billion, over 60,000 professionals, maintained a local presence in 46 countries, and operated across more than 140 countries worldwide.

As the technological partner for its customers’ key operations, Indra is at the core of their business, and Indra’s four values guide everything we do:

Innovation - Our capacity for innovation, cutting-edge solutions, and specialised team of professionals enables us to drive a safer, more connected future through technology.

Trust - We work with strength, commitment, and reliability, delivering quality solutions to build trust with customers, employees, partners, investors, and society.

Connection - We harness the power of collaboration, connect ideas and solutions, and adapt to our customers’ needs, supporting them on the path to a better future.

Foresight - We anticipate future needs to make the world safer and more connected, transforming our experience and knowledge into solutions for a better tomorrow.

About the Project

Transport for London (TfL) has awarded Indra a long-term contract to operate, develop, enhance and expand ticketing and access control systems across London’s transport network through to 2034, with extension options to 2039.

This programme covers the maintenance, operation and evolution of a large-scale, complex ecosystem, including turnstiles, validators, ticket machines, sales terminals, back-office systems, payment gateways, IT infrastructure and cybersecurity that supports over 8.6 million daily journeys.

Therefore, Indra will become TfL’s strategic technology partner to guarantee the operation and evolution of the world’s largest and most sophisticated ticketing system. Following a transition period of approximately two years, Indra will serve as the sole provider across the network that includes more than 8,500 buses, nearly 400 Underground stations, around 300 rail stations (Overground, DLR, Elizabeth Line and suburban services), 4,000 Oyster Card outlets, seven customer service centres, and 24 river boat boarding points.

Drawing on over 30 years of experience in urban public transport solutions, Indra will manage and evolve all aspects of the system. The project also envisages, in partnership with TfL, the implementation of new technologies to develop the system, make it more efficient and automate key processes; in short, to jointly create the next generation of the ticketing system for London.

Summary

We are seeking a SQL Database Administrator to support the Mobilisation, Knowledge Transfer, Operational Readiness and Early Life Support activities associated with the transition of critical SQL Server database services into the Indra/Minsait operating model.

This is an operational role requiring strong technical capability in Microsoft SQL Server administration, performance tuning, database support, and service restoration. The successful candidate will acquire service-specific knowledge, contribute to readiness validation, support supervised execution during Shadowing and Reverse Shadowing, and help establish sustainable SQL Server operations.

The role will work closely with customer stakeholders, incumbent supplier SMEs, application support teams, service management functions, security representatives and programme leadership. The emphasis is on controlled mobilisation, procedural quality, knowledge gap remediation, service continuity, and stable early-life operations following service transition.

Essential job duties and responsibilities

· Mobilisation and transition readiness: Participate in mobilisation, knowledge transfer, shadowing, reverse shadowing and readiness activities, ensuring SQL Server operational knowledge, dependencies and evidence are captured and validated before ownership transfer.

· SQL Server operations and support: Administer, maintain and support production, test and development SQL Server environments, including performance tuning, troubleshooting, database configuration, user administration, maintenance tasks and reporting systems support.

· Service resilience and recovery: Support backup supervision, disaster recovery planning and testing, Business Continuity controls, monitoring of database health and rapid service restoration for mission-critical database platforms.

· Application and data flow support: Collaborate with application and development teams to review SQL, stored procedures, database structures and processes, and support reliable integrations and automated data flows between business systems.

· Operational procedures and service improvement: Review and create SOPs, runbooks and knowledge articles, identify automation and optimisation opportunities, and work within ITIL-aligned Incident, Problem, Change and Configuration Management processes.

Skills, Knowledge & Experience

Essential:

• Proven experience as a Microsoft SQL Server Database Administrator in complex environments.
• Experience supporting mission-critical databases, including performance tuning, fault diagnosis, service restoration and operational maintenance.
• Strong knowledge of T-SQL, stored procedures, database structures, security controls and user administration.
• Experience with database backup and recovery, disaster recovery, business continuity and database monitoring.
• Experience working within IT support or service operations, ideally in a pressured or 24/7 environment.
• Ability to produce clear technical and operational documentation and contribute to knowledge transfer and service transition activities.
• Knowledge of Oracle databases, or willingness to develop skills in Oracle Database Administration.
• Demonstrable understanding of IT Service Management principles.

Desirable:

• Experience with SQL Server 2012 or later, including formal SQL Server administration training or certification.
• Experience with SQL Server clustering, Service Broker and Reporting Services.
• Experience with capacity planning, capacity audits, database automation or operational optimisation.
• Familiarity with Microsoft Azure and cloud/hybrid database environments.
• Experience with PowerShell scripting.
• ITIL/service management experience, particularly involvement in mobilisation or Early Life Support programmes.

Qualifications

Essential:

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, Natural Sciences or a related discipline.
• Relevant Microsoft SQL Server administration experience, training or certification.
• Demonstrable understanding of IT Service Management principles.

• Holidays: 25 days per annum + 8 days bank holidays (options to buy/sell days).
• Pension – 4% employee and 4% employer.
• Private medical insurance (including dental & optical).
• Life assurance.
• Income protection.
• Employee assistance programs.
• Flexible/remote working options.
• Charitable initiatives.
• Social events (formal & informal).
• Learning and development programs.
• Innovative & collaborative work environment.

Indra is an equal employment opportunity employer. Applicants are considered without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, origin, disability or other characteristics protected by law.