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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 137 priced listings posted in the last 12 months. Base salary only.

By seniority
£k base
Entry
30
38
1 job
Junior
35
41
2 jobs
Mid
35
113
57 jobs
Senior
40
100
39 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 roles →

Data Engineering Lead

This role involves leading a team of data engineers in a growing specialist bank, focusing on building and maintaining a modern cloud data platform using Snowflake. Responsibilities include designing scalable data pipelines, improving platform tooling, and ensuring data quality and performance. The role requires hands-on technical expertise and leadership skills.

McGregor Boyall London, United Kingdom £100,000 pa
Hybrid Permanent

Senior Data Engineer

As a Senior Data Engineer, you will design and build scalable data infrastructure to support renewable energy systems. Your key responsibilities include developing and optimizing ETL pipelines, ensuring data quality, and mentoring team members in a collaborative, agile environment.

VIQU IT Recruitment London, United Kingdom £80,000 – £90,000 pa
Hybrid Permanent
Harnham - Data & Analytics Recruitment logo

Data Engineer

As a Data Engineer, you will play a key role in shaping the data infrastructure of a high-growth SaaS company in the digital advertising space. Your responsibilities will include designing and managing data ingestion pipelines, building and maintaining data pipelines for machine learning and analytics, and working closely with Data Science and Platform Engineering teams to productionise models and improve data foundations.

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

Data Engineer

This role involves designing, building, and maintaining data ingestion pipelines to support high-volume, real-time data processing. You'll work closely with Data Science and Engineering teams to productionize models and optimize the AWS Redshift data warehouse for performance and cost efficiency. The position offers opportunities to shape the data foundations of a fast-growing adtech scale-up and tackle greenfield projects.

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

Senior Data Engineer

As a Senior Data Engineer, you will work within a high-calibre team to build and evolve core ETL pipelines, focusing on reliable and scalable data assets. You will use AWS, Snowflake, Python, and SQL to create data ingestion and modelling processes, and manage data orchestration with tools like Terraform and Airflow.

Harnham - Data & Analytics Recruitment Manchester, United Kingdom £80,000 – £100,000 pa
Remote Permanent

Data Engineer

Data EngineerNcounter is partnering with a highly specialised consultancy delivering advanced engineering and data-driven capabilities into secure Government and Defence programmes. We are looking for an SC Cleared Data Engineer to join a growing technical team focused on building scalable,...

Ncounter London, United Kingdom £90,000 – £100,000 pa
Permanent

Data Engineering Manager

This role involves leading a team of Data, DataOps, and MLOps Engineers to deliver scalable, cloud-based data solutions. Responsibilities include designing and optimizing data architecture, ensuring data quality and governance, and translating business needs into technical solutions. The role has a strong management focus with some hands-on work possible.

McGregor Boyall Manchester, United Kingdom £100,000 pa
Permanent
Harnham - Data & Analytics Recruitment logo

Senior Data Engineer

As a Senior Data Engineer, you will work within a high-calibre team to build and evolve core ETL pipelines, focusing on reliable and scalable data assets. You will use AWS, Snowflake, Python, and SQL to create data ingestion and modelling processes, and orchestrate data workflows with tools like Airflow or Dagster.

Harnham - Data & Analytics Recruitment Birmingham, United Kingdom £80,000 – £100,000 pa
Remote 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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