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Data Platform Engineer Jobs

Engineers who design, build, and maintain the foundational data infrastructure that powers modern data-driven organisations. A critical role in ensuring data is accessible, reliable, and scalable.

Open roles
4
Salary range
£50k – £100k
Hiring companies
4
View 4 live roles → Get an alert

Data Platform Engineers are the architects and custodians of an organisation's data infrastructure. They design, build, and maintain the systems that enable data to flow seamlessly from source to destination, ensuring that data is accessible, reliable, and scalable. This role is distinct from data science and machine learning engineering, focusing instead on the underlying data pipelines, data warehouses, and data lakes that support data-driven decision-making. Data Platform Engineers work closely with data scientists, analysts, and other stakeholders to ensure that the data infrastructure meets the organisation's needs.

What the role does

Inside the role of a Data Platform Engineer

A typical week for a Data Platform Engineer is a mix of designing and implementing new data pipelines, maintaining and optimising existing infrastructure, and collaborating with cross-functional teams.

  1. 01
    Design and implement new data pipelines
  2. 02
    Optimise and maintain existing data infrastructure
  3. 03
    Collaborate with data scientists and analysts
  4. 04
    Monitor and troubleshoot data flow issues
  5. 05
    Document and communicate system changes and improvements
Salary on the board

£50k – £100k

Based on advertised midpoints across the 31 UK listings priced in pounds in the last 12 months. Base salary only.

Salary visibility
74% of listings advertise a salary.
By seniority
£k base
Senior
55
100
11 jobs
Lead
69
85
10 jobs
Skills & tools

What hiring managers ask for

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

Terraform
75%
CI/CD
67%
Python
58%
SQL
58%
AWS
42%
Databricks
33%
PySpark
33%
Data Modelling
33%
IAM
33%
S3
33%
Data Governance
25%
Delta Lake
25%
Career ladder

From Junior to Principal

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

  1. Level 1

    Junior Data Platform Engineer

    0–2 yrs

    Assists in the design and implementation of data pipelines, with a focus on learning and supporting more senior engineers.

  2. Level 2

    Data Platform Engineer

    2–5 yrs

    Takes ownership of specific data pipelines and infrastructure components, ensuring they are reliable and scalable.

  3. Level 3

    Senior Data Platform Engineer

    5–8 yrs

    Leads the design and implementation of complex data infrastructure projects, mentoring junior engineers and driving best practices.

  4. Level 4

    Principal Data Platform Engineer

    8+ yrs

    Strategises and oversees the entire data infrastructure, influencing organisational data architecture and leading cross-functional initiatives.

Pathway

How to become a Data Platform Engineer

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

  1. 1

    Learn the basics

    Start by gaining a solid understanding of data engineering fundamentals, including ETL processes, data warehousing, and SQL.

  2. 2

    Build foundational skills

    Gain hands-on experience with data pipeline tools and technologies, such as Apache Kafka, Apache Spark, and cloud data services.

  3. 3

    Specialise in data infrastructure

    Focus on designing and implementing robust data platforms, including data lakes and data warehouses, to support data-driven applications.

  4. 4

    Lead projects and teams

    Take on leadership roles, managing complex data infrastructure projects and mentoring junior engineers.

  5. 5

    Influence organisational strategy

    Strategise and influence the overall data architecture of the organisation, driving innovation and best practices.

Live jobs

4 live roles

Data Platform Engineer

This role involves hands-on support, maintenance, and scaling of a modern Azure-based data platform. Responsibilities include monitoring performance, troubleshooting issues, managing CI/CD and production deployments, and improving automation and documentation. You will work closely with architecture, security, and infrastructure teams.

Harnham - Data and Analytics Recruitment Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom £75,000 – £84,000 pa
Hybrid Permanent

Staff Data Platform Engineer

This role involves taking technical ownership of a large-scale analytical data platform, leading platform architecture, driving performance improvements, and developing a scalable Data-as-a-Service offering. You'll work closely with ML engineers to build the data foundations for AI systems, ensuring robust security and reliability.

SoCode London, United Kingdom £100,000 – £130,000 pa

Senior Data Platform Engineer - Compliance Assurance

This role involves designing, building, and maintaining scalable data platforms for compliance assurance in a regulated environment. Responsibilities include developing data pipelines, integrating REST APIs, and implementing automated controls for data quality and auditability using Python, PySpark, Apache Kafka, and Apache NiFi.

Pontoon Chester, Cheshire, CH65 9HY, United Kingdom

AI, Data & ML Platform Engineering Opportunities

This role involves working on a large-scale technology programme, designing, building, governing, and operating data and ML platforms. Opportunities span various technical disciplines, including architecture, engineering, security, and operations, with roles for both hands-on specialists and technical leaders.

Experis United Kingdom £400 – £500 pd
Hiring locations

Where this role is hiring

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

London

Location
1 open
FAQs

Common questions

  • Data Platform Engineers commonly use tools like Apache Kafka, Apache Spark, AWS Redshift, Google BigQuery, and various cloud data services to build and manage data infrastructure.

  • A Data Platform Engineer focuses on building and maintaining the data infrastructure, ensuring data is accessible and reliable. A Data Scientist, on the other hand, uses this data to perform analysis and build models.

  • Key skills include strong programming abilities, knowledge of data storage and retrieval systems, experience with ETL processes, and the ability to design scalable and secure data pipelines.

  • The typical career progression includes moving from Junior to Senior, then to Principal Data Platform Engineer, with increasing responsibilities and leadership roles.

  • Salaries for Data Platform Engineers can vary widely based on experience, location, and industry. For more detailed salary information, please refer to the salary section on this page.

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