Data Engineer Jobs

The backbone of modern data infrastructure. Building, maintaining, and optimising the pipelines that power data-driven decisions.

Open roles
190
Salary range
£30k – £130k
Hiring companies
106

Data Engineers are the architects and builders of the data infrastructure that underpins modern businesses. They design, build, and maintain the data pipelines, warehouses, and lakes that enable organisations to store, process, and analyse vast amounts of data. Whether working in scaleups, research-heavy startups, or the larger consultancies, Data Engineers play a crucial role in ensuring that data is accessible, reliable, and secure.

What the role does

A typical day for a Data Engineer

A typical week for a Data Engineer is a mix of coding, testing, and collaboration with cross-functional teams.

  1. 01
    Design and implement data pipelines using tools like Apache Kafka and Apache Spark.
  2. 02
    Optimise data storage and retrieval processes for efficiency and scalability.
  3. 03
    Collaborate with data scientists and analysts to understand their data needs.
  4. 04
    Monitor and maintain data infrastructure to ensure high availability and performance.
  5. 05
    Document and communicate data architecture and processes to stakeholders.
  6. 06
    Troubleshoot and resolve data-related issues as they arise.
Salary on the board

£30k – £130k

Based on advertised midpoints across the 127 priced live listings on the board. Base salary only.

By seniority
£k base
Entry
30
38
1 job
Junior
35
41
2 jobs
Mid
35
113
56 jobs
Senior
40
100
37 jobs
Lead
40
110
12 jobs
Director
130
130
1 job
Career ladder

From Junior to Principal

A typical UK progression for data engineers. Years are guidance — strong people move faster, and many senior folks sidestep into research, product or management.

  1. Level 1

    Junior Data Engineer

    0–2 yrs

    Assists in building and maintaining data pipelines, with a focus on learning and supporting more senior team members.

  2. Level 2

    Data Engineer

    2–5 yrs

    Takes ownership of specific data pipelines and projects, ensuring they meet performance and reliability standards.

  3. Level 3

    Senior Data Engineer

    5–8 yrs

    Leads the design and implementation of complex data infrastructure, mentoring junior engineers and collaborating with cross-functional teams.

  4. Level 4

    Principal Data Engineer

    8+ yrs

    Strategises and oversees the entire data infrastructure, driving innovation and best practices across the organisation.

Pathway

How to become a Data Engineer

There's no single route, but most people follow some version of these steps.

  1. 1

    Learn the Basics

    Start with foundational skills in SQL, Python, and data storage systems. Gain experience with ETL processes and data warehousing.

  2. 2

    Build Pipelines

    Work on building and maintaining data pipelines using tools like Apache Kafka and Apache Spark. Focus on efficiency and scalability.

  3. 3

    Optimise Infrastructure

    Optimise data storage and retrieval processes to ensure high performance and reliability. Collaborate with data scientists and analysts.

  4. 4

    Lead Projects

    Take ownership of complex data infrastructure projects. Mentor junior engineers and ensure best practices are followed.

  5. 5

    Strategise and Innovate

    Strategise the overall data infrastructure, driving innovation and best practices. Oversee the implementation of new technologies and methodologies.

Live jobs

190 live roles

See all 190
Harnham - Data & Analytics Recruitment logo

Data Engineer (GCP/DBT)

This role involves building and scaling a modern data platform using GCP and dbt, focusing on data ingestion into BigQuery and developing analytics-ready models. You will work closely with BI Analysts to support company-wide reporting and self-serve analytics, contributing to the company's rapid growth and data-driven decision-making.

Harnham - Data & Analytics Recruitment Northampton, United Kingdom £65,000 – £70,000 pa
Remote Permanent
Harnham - Data & Analytics Recruitment logo

Data Engineer (GCP/DBT)

This role involves building and scaling a modern data platform using GCP and dbt, focusing on data ingestion into BigQuery and developing analytics-ready models. You will work closely with BI Analysts to support company-wide reporting and self-serve analytics, contributing to the organization's rapid growth and data-driven decision-making.

Harnham - Data & Analytics Recruitment Leeds, United Kingdom £65,000 – £70,000 pa
Remote Permanent
Harnham - Data & Analytics Recruitment logo

Data Engineer (GCP/DBT)

This role involves building and scaling a modern data platform using GCP and dbt, focusing on data ingestion into BigQuery and developing analytics-ready models. You will work closely with BI Analysts to support company-wide reporting and self-serve analytics, contributing to a high-growth education technology business.

Harnham - Data & Analytics Recruitment Manchester, United Kingdom £65,000 – £70,000 pa
Remote Permanent

Fabric Data Engineer

This role involves designing, building, and maintaining scalable data pipelines within Microsoft Fabric Lakehouse environments. You will develop and optimize data ingestion and transformation workflows, create Python and PySpark processes, and support Power BI reporting and semantic models. As a senior member of the BI and data team, you will guide development standards, mentor developers, and ensure data solutions are scalable and aligned with enterprise data governance practices.

Tenth Revolution Group Reading, United Kingdom £60,000 – £70,000 pa
Remote Permanent
Harnham - Data & Analytics Recruitment logo

Data Engineer (GCP/DBT)

This role involves owning and developing a modern data platform, building and maintaining data ingestion pipelines into BigQuery, and designing analytics-ready dbt models. You will work closely with the BI Analyst to support company-wide reporting and self-serve analytics, contributing to a high-growth education technology business.

Harnham - Data & Analytics Recruitment Nottingham, United Kingdom £65,000 – £70,000 pa
Remote Permanent

Fabric Data Engineer

This role involves designing, building, and maintaining scalable data pipelines within Microsoft Fabric Lakehouse environments. You will develop and optimize data ingestion and transformation workflows, support Power BI reporting, and ensure strong data quality and governance standards. As a senior member of the BI and data team, you will also mentor developers and guide development standards.

Tenth Revolution Group Oxford, United Kingdom £60,000 – £70,000 pa
Remote Permanent
Harnham - Data & Analytics Recruitment logo

Data Engineer (GCP/DBT)

This role involves owning and developing a modern data platform, building and maintaining data ingestion pipelines into BigQuery, and designing analytics-ready dbt models. You will work closely with the BI Analyst to support company-wide reporting and self-serve analytics, contributing to the company's rapid growth and data-driven decision-making.

Harnham - Data & Analytics Recruitment Wolverhampton, United Kingdom £65,000 – £70,000 pa
Remote Permanent

Lead Data Engineer

The Lead Data Engineer will develop mission-critical data solutions for National Security clients, working with cutting-edge technologies such as AI/DS, Cyber, Cloud, DevOps/SRE, and Platform Engineering. Responsibilities include designing and implementing sophisticated data pipelines, ensuring data quality and security, and leading agile teams to solve complex, high-stakes challenges.

Searchability NS&D Gloucester, United Kingdom £65,000 – £85,000 pa
Hybrid Permanent Clearance Required

Senior Data Engineer

This role involves managing and monitoring the ETL pipeline for financial reporting, driving the migration to a cloud-native data platform, and collaborating with IT and business stakeholders to fix data issues and gather requirements. The position offers the opportunity to shape the cloud architecture and improve the efficiency of the finance function.

Eden James Consulting Ltd London, United Kingdom £50,000 – £70,000 pa
On-site Permanent

Senior Data Engineer - Insurance

This role involves designing and building scalable cloud-based data platforms using Medallion Architecture, engineering data pipelines with Python and PySpark, and integrating data from multiple sources. The position offers the opportunity to work on complex data challenges in the London insurance market, collaborating with data architects, modellers, and business stakeholders to deliver modern cloud solutions.

Tenth Revolution Group London, United Kingdom £75,000 – £95,000 pa
Hybrid Permanent

Head of Data Engineering

This senior leadership role involves overseeing multiple teams of Data, DataOps, and MLOps Engineers. You will be responsible for defining and implementing a data engineering strategy, building AI-ready cloud-native data platforms, and driving large-scale data initiatives across the UK and Europe. The role focuses on strategic leadership, team development, and stakeholder engagement, with no hands-on technical work expected.

McGregor Boyall Manchester, United Kingdom £130,000 pa
Permanent

Data Engineer

As a Data Engineer, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the client's data landscape by integrating Fabric, designing scalable data solutions, and collaborating with various stakeholders. Your responsibilities include building and maintaining data ingestion pipelines, implementing ETL/ELT processes, and ensuring strong data governance.

Robert Walters Birmingham, United Kingdom £45,000 – £50,000 pa
Hybrid Permanent

Principal Data Engineer

As a Principal Data Engineer, you will lead the technical direction and architecture for a modern, domain-oriented Data Mesh on Google Cloud Platform. Your responsibilities include defining project approaches, designing scalable data pipelines, and mentoring senior engineers to maintain high standards. This role offers a unique opportunity to shape the long-term engineering strategy and influence the Data Mesh journey in a 100% cloud-native environment.

VIQU IT Recruitment London, United Kingdom £80,000 – £95,000 pa
Remote Permanent

Data Engineer

This role involves designing, developing, and maintaining secure, high-quality data pipelines to support trusted reporting, analytics, and future AI/ML development. You will work closely with the Head of Data & Analytics to influence architecture, engineering standards, and governance within a co-managed delivery model, focusing on structured and semi-structured data from various internal systems.

Sanderson Bristol, United Kingdom £45,000 – £48,000 pa
Permanent

Data Engineer

As a Data Engineer, you will lead the migration of existing data pipelines to Databricks, ensuring seamless and scalable data solutions. You will collaborate with team members to build and maintain robust data infrastructure, troubleshoot issues, and contribute to the strategic roadmap for data engineering.

Robert Walters Peterborough, PE1 1XH, United Kingdom £50,000 – £70,000 pa
Hybrid Permanent
FAQs

Common questions

  • Data Engineers commonly use tools like Apache Kafka, Apache Spark, SQL, Python, and data warehousing solutions such as Amazon Redshift or Google BigQuery.

  • Collaboration with data scientists is crucial. Data Engineers need to understand the data needs of data scientists to build effective data pipelines and infrastructure.

  • Key skills include proficiency in SQL, Python, and data storage systems, as well as a strong understanding of ETL processes, data warehousing, and big data technologies.

  • The typical career progression is from Junior Data Engineer to Data Engineer, then Senior Data Engineer, and finally Principal Data Engineer, with increasing levels of responsibility and leadership.

  • For specific salary information, please refer to the salary section on this page, which is updated with the latest data from live job listings.

Hiring data engineers?

Post your role in 90 seconds and reach the specialist audience that already reads this page.