Data Architect - 1 Year FTC (we have office locations in Cambridge, Leeds and London)

Company Description

Genomics England is a global leader in enabling genomic medicine and research, focused on creating a world where everyone benefits from genomic healthcare. Building on the 100,000 Genomes Project, we support the NHS’s world-first national whole genome sequencing service and run the growing National Genomic Research Library, alongside delivering numerous major genomics initiatives. By connecting research and clinical care at national scale, we enable immediate healthcare benefits and advances for the future.

Our mission is to provide the evidence and digital systems so that by 2035 genomics could play a role in up to half of all healthcare interactions, whilst securing the UK’s position as the best place to discover, prove and benefit from genomic innovations.

We are accelerating our impact and working with patients, doctors, scientists, government and industry to improve genomic testing, and help researchers access the health data and technology they need to make new medical discoveries and create more effective, targeted medicines for everybody.

Behind the Healthcare and Research outcomes, Genomics England delivers through designing, developing and operating complex healthcare software systems.

We're on the cusp of big changes with the real prospect of genomics becoming the fabric of everyday healthcare through the lifetime - from birth to old age.

Job Description

We’re seeking an accomplished Data Architect to shape how Genomics England designs, manages, and leverages data across the organisation.

This senior role reports to the Director of Architecture and lies within the Technology and Product Directorate. You’ll sit at the heart of defining and shaping standards, patterns, and principles while drawing on your deep architectural expertise to ensure data is secure, high quality, and accessible for both healthcare and research teams, fully aligned with our technology strategy and architecture vision.

In this critical role, you’ll act as a trusted architectural advisor to senior stakeholders, confidently leading the design and delivery of enterprise scale data solutions. You’ll drive best practices across data lifecycle management, metadata, integration, and analytics, and contribute to industry standards such as GA4GH, OMOP, or FHIR, keeping Genomics England at the very forefront of genomic research and healthcare.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the design and evolution of the organisation’s data architecture, including data models, metadata systems, and data integration platforms
• Ensure that data solutions meet business, research, security, and regulatory requirements, and are deliverable within the constraints of skills, resources, and budget
• Act as the subject matter expert on data management and modelling, providing guidance across projects and to other architects
• Develop and maintain data architecture standards, patterns, and reusable artefacts to streamline delivery and ensure consistency
• Communicate data strategy and roadmaps clearly to senior stakeholders, demonstrating how data architecture supports services, products, and organisational goals
• Oversee the management of data dictionaries, lifecycle policies, archiving, and decommissioning strategies
• Ensure squads are aware of and work to the standards set by Information Governance, Security, and the Architecture chapter
• Collaborate with technology partners and vendors to inform roadmaps and influence enterprise data solutions
• Contribute to shaping national and international standards relevant to genomics and research, including GA4GH, OMOP, or FHIR

Essential Skills and Experience:

• Proven experience designing and implementing enterprise-scale data architectures in complex or regulated environments
• Deep knowledge of data modelling, metadata management, lifecycle management, and governance practices and standards
• Strong experience engaging with senior stakeholders to influence and implement data strategy
• Expertise in documenting, communicating, and implementing data roadmaps and solutions
• Excellent interpersonal skills and a temperament that builds trust across technical and non-technical teams
• Ability to balance strategic and tactical considerations in architecture decisions
• Experience in bioinformatics, genomics, healthcare, or research domains
• Knowledge of cloud and hybrid data architectures, data platforms, or data warehouses
• Familiarity with GA4GH, OMOP, FHIR or other relevant industry standards
• Ability to establish data ownership, and design and implement data lifecycle management policies

Desirable Skills and Experience:

• Relevant certifications in data architecture, modelling, or enterprise architecture

If you’re a highly proven and motivated Data Architect who thrives on shaping strategy and delivering enterprise-scale solutions, this is your chance to use your experience and expertise to make a genuine impact here at Genomics England!

Additional Information:

Please Note: This is a 1 Year FTC (Fixed Term Contract)

Salary From: £88,600

Closing Date: Monday 23rd March at 23:00 (UK time)

Being an integral part of such a meaningful mission is extremely rewarding in itself, but in order to support our people, we’re continually improving our benefits package. We pride ourselves on investing in our people and supporting them to achieve their career goals, as well as offering a benefits package including:

• Generous Leave: 30 days’ holiday, plus bank holidays, plus additional leave for long service, and also the option to apply for up to 30 days of remote working abroad annually (approval required).
• Family-Friendly: Blended working arrangements, flexible working, enhanced maternity, paternity and shared parental leave benefits.
• Pension & Financial: Defined contribution pension (Genomics England double-matches up to 10%, however you can contribute more if you wish), Life Assurance (3x salary), and a Give As You Earn scheme.
• Learning & Development: Individual learning budgets, support for training and certifications, and reimbursement for one annual professional subscription (approval required).
• Recognition & Rewards: Employee recognition programme and referral scheme.
• Health & Wellbeing: Subsidised gym membership, a free Headspace account, and access to an Employee Assistance Programme, eye tests, flu jabs.

Culture

We have four key behaviours that represent what we would like Genomics England to feel like and the culture we want to encourage, in order for us to achieve our mission. These behaviours help us all work well together, deliver on our outcomes, celebrate our successes and share feedback with each other. You can read about these and other aspects of our culture here Culture | Genomics England

Blended working model

Genomics England operates a blended working model as we know our people appreciate the flexibility that hybrid working can bring. We expect most people to come into the office a minimum of 2 times each month. However, this will vary according to role and will be agreed with your team leader. There is no expectation that people will return to the office full time unless they want to, however, some of our roles require full time on site attendance e.g., lab teams, reception team.

Our teams and squads have, and will continue to reflect on what works best for them to work together successfully and have the freedom to design working patterns to suit, beyond the minimum. Our office locations are: Canary Wharf, Cambridge and Leeds.

Onboarding background checks

As part of our recruitment process, all successful candidates are subject to a Standard Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. We therefore require applicants to disclose any previous offences at point of application, as some unspent convictions may mean we are unable to proceed with your application due to the nature of our work in healthcare.