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Data Engineer Jobs

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

Open roles
192
Salary range
£30k – £130k
Hiring companies
106
View 192 live roles → Get an alert

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 129 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

192 live roles

See all 192 →

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

Data Engineer

This role involves designing and implementing scalable data pipelines, optimizing databases, and ensuring data quality and compliance. You will collaborate closely with data scientists and analysts to deliver high-quality data for analytics and reporting, while also contributing to technical decision-making and best practices in data engineering.

Sanderson Surrey, United Kingdom £40,000 – £70,000 pa
On-site Permanent
Harnham - Data & Analytics Recruitment logo

Senior Data Engineer

This role involves designing, building, and owning end-to-end data pipelines for real-time and batch analytics. You will work on high-volume, low-latency data use cases, focusing on reliability and scalability. The position offers the chance to influence data engineering practices, collaborate with analytics and product teams, and contribute to a growing, modern data platform.

Harnham - Data & Analytics Recruitment Edinburgh, Alba / Scotland, United Kingdom £90,000 – £100,000 pa
Remote Permanent

Data Engineer

This Data Engineer role involves designing, building, and maintaining robust data pipelines using Microsoft Fabric. You will ensure data is ingested, transformed, and stored efficiently, securely, and reliably, while also collaborating with analysts and business stakeholders to meet their data needs. The role emphasizes creating scalable, resilient data infrastructure that supports regulatory requirements and enables informed decision-making across the organization.

Robert Walters Preston, United Kingdom £45,000 – £50,000 pa
Hybrid Permanent
Harnham - Data & Analytics Recruitment logo

Data Engineer (AWS & Kinesis/Kafka)

This role involves designing and maintaining large-scale data pipelines, optimizing AWS Redshift for performance and cost, and building ML-friendly datasets. You'll work on greenfield projects and integrate new data sources, directly impacting the company's machine learning and customer ROI.

Harnham - Data & Analytics Recruitment Manchester, United Kingdom £70,000 – £90,000 pa
Hybrid Permanent
HAYS Specialist Recruitment logo

Data Engineer (Fabric)

This role involves working closely with stakeholders across multiple regions to ensure data is accessible and used effectively for decision-making. Responsibilities include designing and optimizing data pipelines, building data models, and championing data innovation within a manufacturing environment. The position offers opportunities for technical growth and shaping the data platform's future.

HAYS Specialist Recruitment Sheffield, United Kingdom £40,000 – £55,000 pa
Hybrid Permanent
Harnham - Data & Analytics Recruitment logo

AWS Data Engineer

This role involves designing and maintaining scalable data systems on AWS, including data ingestion pipelines, ML-ready datasets, and data warehouse optimization. You will work closely with Data Science, Engineering, and Product teams to support real-time decision making and commercial outcomes, with a focus on cost, performance, and reliability.

Harnham - Data & Analytics Recruitment Manchester, United Kingdom £80,000 – £90,000 pa
Hybrid Permanent

Trading Data Engineer

This role involves building and maintaining high-availability data pipelines for energy market data using Python, SQL, and Spark. You will support data flows, design and manage Delta Lake tables and SQL databases, and develop monitoring dashboards to ensure data reliability and efficiency. The position offers a unique opportunity to work at the intersection of data engineering and energy trading, directly impacting trading operations.

Frossell Recruitment Abingdon, OX14 5BH, United Kingdom £55,000 pa
Hybrid Permanent

Data Engineer

This role involves hands-on work with data pipelines, ETL/ELT processes, and analytics platforms, specifically using Microsoft Fabric and Azure. You will support the development and maintenance of data workflows, collaborate with senior engineers, and work with analysts and stakeholders to meet data needs.

Harvey Nash Birmingham, United Kingdom
On-site Permanent

Data Engineer

The Data Engineer role involves designing and developing modern cloud solutions, primarily using Amazon Redshift and S3 Data Lake. Responsibilities include converting raw data into analytical assets, building and optimizing ETL/ELT pipelines, and working with stakeholders to deliver insights that transform client operations. The role offers a 35-hour work week with flexible hours and a strong focus on professional development.

Erin Associates West Yorkshire, United Kingdom £55,000 – £60,000 pa
Hybrid Permanent Flexible
Harnham - Data & Analytics Recruitment logo

Lead Data Engineer (Azure & Databricks)

This role involves leading the design, build, and optimization of a modern Azure Databricks Lakehouse platform. You will provide technical leadership, collaborate with engineers and stakeholders, and ensure the platform is scalable, secure, and reliable. Key responsibilities include developing and deploying the Lakehouse, managing Databricks administration, and implementing CI/CD pipelines and monitoring systems.

Harnham - Data & Analytics Recruitment Manchester, United Kingdom £80,000 – £85,000 pa
Remote Permanent
Harnham - Data & Analytics Recruitment logo

Data Engineer

This role involves taking ownership of SQL-driven data development and reporting, building and maintaining ETL pipelines using SSIS and Azure Data Factory, and developing Power BI dashboards. You will work closely with the Data Engineering Manager to deliver reliable data products and support the modernisation of the data warehouse and presentation layer.

Harnham - Data & Analytics Recruitment Liverpool, United Kingdom £30,000 – £38,000 pa
Hybrid Permanent

Data Engineer - Python, Spark, SQL

As a Data Engineer, you will work on cutting-edge data transformation projects, designing and developing robust data pipelines using Python, Spark, and SQL. You will contribute to the data architecture, ensuring high-performance and scalable solutions, and collaborate in a forward-thinking environment. The role involves working with modern technologies like Delta Lake, Medallion Architecture, and cloud platforms (Azure, AWS, or GCP).

Noir Milton Keynes, United Kingdom £70,000 pa
Hybrid Permanent

Delivery Manager - Data Engineering

You will lead a team of Data Engineers and drive the delivery of large-scale data platforms, ETL/ELT pipelines, and cloud-based solutions on AWS. Your role involves building and scaling data pipelines, ensuring data quality and governance, and collaborating with various stakeholders across engineering, analytics, and business teams.

Harvey Nash Manchester, United Kingdom £90,000 – £100,000 pa
Hybrid Permanent
See all 192 roles →
Top hirers

Companies hiring data engineers

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Hiring locations

Where this role is hiring

The locations with the most live listings for this role today.

London

Location
53 open

Manchester

Location
17 open

Birmingham

Location
10 open

Leeds

Location
7 open

Bristol

Location
5 open

Cardiff

Location
4 open
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.

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