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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
174
Salary range
£30k – £240k
Hiring companies
97
View 174 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

£30k – £240k

Based on advertised midpoints across the 293 priced listings posted in the last 12 months. Base salary only.

By seniority
£k base
Entry
30
38
1 job
Junior
30
45
8 jobs
Mid
30
113
113 jobs
Senior
44
240
96 jobs
Lead
40
240
37 jobs
Director
95
130
4 jobs
Skills & tools

What hiring managers ask for

% of 220 listings posted in the last 12 months that mention each skill, extracted from job descriptions.

SQL
70%
Python
70%
AWS
34%
Azure
32%
Data Modelling
31%
Data Pipelines
27%
CI/CD
26%
Data Governance
26%
ETL
25%
Databricks
23%
PySpark
19%
Data Warehousing
18%
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

174 live roles

See all 174 roles →

SC Cleared Senior Data Engineer

This role involves designing and building scalable data pipelines, working with large-scale data platforms and cloud environments, and collaborating with engineering and architecture teams. The position is part of a high-profile project in a secure environment, requiring active SC clearance and on-site presence 2 days per week in London.

Opus Recruitment Solutions London, United Kingdom £650 – £700 pd
Hybrid Contract Clearance Required

Senior Data Engineer

This role involves building and maintaining the data infrastructure for an AI-first education technology platform. Responsibilities include owning the ELT pipeline, developing custom Airbyte connectors, designing dbt models, and ensuring data quality and reliability. The team is mission-driven and remote-first, with a focus on high-quality engineering.

Opus Recruitment Solutions London, United Kingdom £60,000 – £70,000 pa
Remote Permanent Flexible

Junior Data Engineer (Azure)

This role involves building and maintaining data pipelines within an Azure Databricks Lakehouse environment, supporting CI/CD practices, and collaborating across engineering teams to develop scalable data solutions. The candidate will actively contribute to data engineering and modelling tasks while growing their expertise in a modern cloud data stack. It's a junior position offering hands-on experience in a growing data platform team within the legal sector.

Harnham - Data and Analytics Recruitment London, United Kingdom £35,000 – £45,000 pa
Hybrid Contract

Senior Data Engineer

The Senior Data Engineer will support the Data Engineering Lead and collaborate with the Data Management and Business Intelligence teams to build data pipelines, solutions, and plans using Azure Data Factory, DataBricks, and Python. The role involves developing scalable data engineering capabilities, ensuring data movement, and enhancing data governance.

Yolk Recruitment Bassaleg, Gwent, United Kingdom £50,000 – £58,000 pa
Hybrid Permanent Flexible

Lead Data Engineer

As a Lead Data Engineer, you will lead a small team in designing and building scalable, resilient data architectures and pipelines. You will work closely with the business to understand their data needs and ensure the data platform supports the company's strategy.

Tech4 Ltd Fenham, Tyne & Wear, NE4 9YL, United Kingdom £80,000 – £130,000 pa

Data Analyst / Data Engineer

Location: Perth, Sydney and Melbourne, Australia (Relocation support considered)About the RoleWe are seeking a Data Analyst or Data Engineer to support data-driven decision making across multiple business functions and industries in Australia.You will work with modern analytics tools and contribute...

The Digital Bench Ltd Australia £65,000 – £90,000 pa

Senior Data Engineer(North West / Yorkshire)

Design and build a cloud-based data warehouse on GCP, creating scalable data pipelines and integrating data from newly acquired companies. Collaborate with analytics and business teams to enable data-driven decision-making within a growing organisation undergoing significant change. Focus on modern data platform development in a greenfield environment.

Vaerdi Recruitment Limited Leeds, United Kingdom £70,000 – £80,000 pa
Hybrid Permanent

Senior Data Engineer

This role involves designing and implementing secure, scalable data pipelines using Elastic Stack and Apache NiFi. The Senior Data Engineer will focus on data architecture, real-time and batch processing, and ensuring compliance with strict security standards in a highly regulated environment.

Winsearch Gloucestershire, United Kingdom £68 ph
On-site Contract Clearance Required
See all 174 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
50 open

Manchester

Location
11 open

Birmingham

Location
7 open

Leeds

Location
6 open

Bristol

Location
3 open

Newcastle

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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