Principal Data Engineer | Azure Data & Analytics Leadership
📍 Hybrid Working
📅 Initial 6-Month Contract | Long-Term Programme (Up to 2 Years)
Are you a visionary Data Engineering leader ready to shape the future of enterprise data and analytics?
We are seeking an experienced Principal Data Engineer to lead the design, delivery, and optimisation of a strategic Azure-based data platform. This is a high-impact opportunity to drive technical excellence, strengthen data governance, and build scalable analytics solutions supporting a major enterprise transformation initiative.
The Opportunity
As Principal Data Engineer, you will provide both strategic direction and technical leadership across a large-scale cloud data ecosystem. You'll be responsible for driving data platform maturity, establishing best practices, and enabling business-critical insights through modern data engineering capabilities.
Key Responsibilities
Architect, design, and implement scalable Azure Data Lake solutions
Lead the development of modern data pipelines using Databricks Delta Live Tables and Structured Streaming
Define technology roadmaps across Databricks, Unity Catalog, Qlik Replicate, and Azure services
Drive technical excellence, engineering standards, and solution quality
Optimise cloud resources to support high-volume data processing while maintaining cost efficiency
Establish and enhance enterprise data governance, lineage, metadata, and security practices
Monitor and improve production data pipelines and platform performance
Partner closely with business and technology stakeholders to align data initiatives with organisational goals
Translate technical challenges into clear business-focused recommendations for senior leadership
Mentor and develop engineering teams, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and innovation
Required Experience
15+ years of experience delivering enterprise-scale data and analytics solutions
Proven track record designing and implementing modern Data Lake architectures
Extensive experience leading cloud-based data transformation programmes
Strong background in large-scale data engineering and analytics platforms
Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related discipline
Azure Data Engineering and/or Databricks certifications preferred
Technical Skills
Azure Data Factory (ADF)
Azure Data Lake Storage (ADLS)
Azure Databricks
Delta Live Tables
Unity Catalog
Azure Stream Analytics
Azure Synapse Analytics
Advanced SQL
Python, Scala, and Spark-SQL
Enterprise ETL/ELT architecture and optimisation
Data migration (on-premises to cloud and cloud-to-cloud)
Data governance, metadata management, and data quality frameworks
Nice to Have
Hadoop, Kafka, and Spark
Power BI or Qlik Sense
AI/ML, NLP, and Generative AI exposure
Agile and Kanban delivery experience
About the Programme
You will play a key role in the evolution of the Products Data Exchange (PDE), a strategic Central Data Repository initiative supporting the organisation's Vision 2030 objectives.
This platform is designed to centralise and harmonise enterprise data, enabling improved accessibility, stronger governance, enhanced collaboration, and advanced analytics capabilities across the business.
Why Apply?
✅ High-profile enterprise transformation programme
✅ Strategic leadership opportunity
✅ Cutting-edge Azure and Databricks environment
✅ Hybrid working model
✅ Initial 6-month contract with strong likelihood of extension for up to 2 years