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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
187
Salary range
£40k – £100k
Hiring companies
106
View 187 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

Inside the role of 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

£40k – £100k

Based on advertised midpoints across the 438 priced listings posted in the last 12 months. Base salary only.

Salary visibility
12% of listings advertise a salary — up from 0% the year before.
By seniority
£k base
Entry
27
36
5 jobs
Junior
30
45
11 jobs
Mid
40
85
172 jobs
Senior
50
100
139 jobs
Lead
40
110
51 jobs
Director
95
126
5 jobs
Skills & tools

What hiring managers ask for

% of 400 listings posted in the last 12 months that mention each skill, extracted from job descriptions.

Python
69%
SQL
68%
Data Modelling
37%
Data Pipelines
33%
AWS
32%
Azure
31%
ETL
30%
Data Governance
28%
CI/CD
26%
Databricks
22%
Data Warehousing
20%
Power BI
20%
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

187 live roles

See all 187 roles →

Data Engineer

Design and maintain ETL/data pipelines to support business-critical reporting and decision-making. Work within a collaborative team to improve data quality and build scalable data solutions using Python and SQL. Operate in a hybrid environment with a focus on on-site collaboration and data infrastructure development.

Gleeson Recruitment Group Coventry, United Kingdom £38,000 pa
Hybrid Permanent

Data Engineer

This role involves taking ownership of a critical finance data middleware layer that is currently unstable, stabilising it, and rebuilding it using modern data platforms such as Microsoft Fabric or Databricks. The engineer will then expand into developing executive-level reporting and aligning data hub and warehouse standards, working closely with senior stakeholders. The position requires untangling complex, undocumented systems and delivering reliable, scalable data solutions.

Asset Resourcing Gl11An, GL1 1AN, United Kingdom £55,000 – £60,000 pa

Data Engineer

Data EngineerManchester£45,000About the CompanyA fast-growing, family-oriented organisation operating across multiple locations in the UK with a strong focus on people, development and long-term career growth are looking for a Data Engineer to join their growing team.As their business continues to...

Tenth Revolution Group Liverpool, United Kingdom £40,000 – £45,000 pa

Data Engineer

This Data Engineer role involves building and maintaining scalable data pipelines within a modern Azure environment centred on Microsoft Fabric and medallion architecture. You'll work hands-on with technologies like Azure Data Factory, Delta Lake, and OneLake to ingest, transform, and govern data from diverse sources including APIs, databases, and event streams. The role requires close collaboration with data analysts, architects, and business stakeholders to deliver high-quality, governed data products that support both analytics and operational systems.

Oliver James Manchester, United Kingdom £55,000 – £60,000 pa
Hybrid Permanent

Data Engineer

This role involves designing and building scalable data pipelines and models in Snowflake to support investment analysis, regulatory reporting, and business decision-making within a financial services environment. The engineer will work closely with stakeholders to transform complex investment and portfolio data into robust data products, while contributing to a modern cloud data platform that integrates AI-assisted development tools. Emphasis is placed on data quality, governance, and the delivery of high-impact, business-critical solutions.

Hydrogen Group London, United Kingdom £70,000 – £100,000 pa
Hybrid Contract

Data Engineer

This role involves designing and building secure, scalable data pipelines on Microsoft Azure for clients in regulated financial services. The engineer will work with Azure Databricks, Data Factory, and Synapse to process and operationalise data workflows, while ensuring compliance with governance, security, and data modelling best practices. Responsibilities include pipeline orchestration, optimisation, and supporting data governance initiatives such as lineage and access control.

Claranet Tottenham Court Road, London, United Kingdom
Hybrid Permanent

Data Engineer

This role involves ensuring data accuracy, reliability, and trustworthiness across a large-scale enterprise data platform. The Data Engineer will design and implement data observability and validation frameworks, proactively monitor data health, and enforce quality standards across complex pipelines. Working closely with Data Engineering and Governance teams, the role focuses on shifting from reactive to proactive data reliability through automation, SLA/SLO management, and root cause analysis.

Ashdown Group London, United Kingdom £80,000 – £95,000 pa
Hybrid Permanent

Data Engineer

This role involves designing and maintaining data models, integrating new data sources, and ensuring reliable data operations within a modern data stack. You'll work with dbt Core, SQL, and cloud data warehouses to build and optimize data pipelines. The role emphasizes collaboration, technical problem-solving, and continuous improvement of data infrastructure.

Plumstead Consulting Hampshire, United Kingdom £50,000 – £55,000 pa
Hybrid Permanent
See all 187 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
58 open

Manchester

Location
11 open

Birmingham

Location
5 open

Leeds

Location
4 open

Southampton

Location
3 open

Milton Keynes

Location
3 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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