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Senior Data Engineer Jobs

Experienced professionals who design, build, and maintain the data infrastructure that powers modern businesses. A critical role in ensuring data is accessible, reliable, and scalable.

Open roles
39
Salary range
£55k – £100k
Hiring companies
25
View 39 live roles → Get an alert

Senior Data Engineers are the backbone of data infrastructure in organisations. They design, build, and maintain the systems that enable data to be collected, processed, and stored efficiently. These professionals work closely with data scientists, analysts, and other stakeholders to ensure that data is accessible and reliable. They are responsible for creating robust data pipelines, optimising data warehousing solutions, and implementing DataOps practices to streamline data operations. Whether in scaleups, research-heavy startups, or the larger consultancies, Senior Data Engineers play a crucial role in driving data-driven decision-making.

What the role does

Inside the role of a Senior Data Engineer

A typical week for a Senior Data Engineer is a mix of hands-on technical work and collaboration with cross-functional teams.

  1. 01
    Design and implement data pipelines for ETL/ELT processes.
  2. 02
    Optimise data warehousing solutions for performance and scalability.
  3. 03
    Collaborate with data scientists and analysts to understand data requirements.
  4. 04
    Monitor and maintain data infrastructure to ensure reliability and security.
  5. 05
    Document and communicate data architecture and processes.
  6. 06
    Stay updated with the latest data engineering tools and technologies.
Salary on the board

£55k – £100k

Based on advertised midpoints across the 169 UK listings priced in pounds in the last 12 months. Base salary only.

Salary visibility
42% of listings advertise a salary — up from 0% the year before.
By seniority
£k base
Senior
51
100
136 jobs
Lead
66
120
33 jobs
Skills & tools

What hiring managers ask for

% of 107 listings posted in the last 12 months that mention each skill, extracted from job descriptions.

Python
73%
SQL
63%
Data Modelling
36%
CI/CD
34%
AWS
34%
Data Governance
32%
Azure
25%
PySpark
24%
Data Pipelines
24%
Databricks
22%
Airflow
21%
Data Engineering
21%
Career ladder

From Junior to Principal

A typical UK progression for senior 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 the design and implementation of data pipelines and basic data warehousing solutions.

  2. Level 2

    Data Engineer

    2–5 yrs

    Takes ownership of specific data pipelines and contributes to the overall data infrastructure design.

  3. Level 3

    Senior Data Engineer

    5–8 yrs

    Leads the design and implementation of complex data infrastructure, ensuring scalability and reliability.

  4. Level 4

    Principal Data Engineer

    8+ yrs

    Strategic leader in data infrastructure, driving innovation and best practices across the organisation.

Pathway

How to become a Senior Data Engineer

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

  1. 1

    Learn the Fundamentals

    Start with a strong foundation in data engineering principles, including ETL/ELT processes, data warehousing, and SQL.

  2. 2

    Gain Practical Experience

    Work on real-world projects to build and maintain data pipelines, and collaborate with data scientists and analysts.

  3. 3

    Specialise in Advanced Topics

    Deepen your expertise in areas like big data processing, DataOps, and cloud data infrastructure.

  4. 4

    Lead Projects and Teams

    Take on leadership roles, managing data engineering projects and mentoring junior team members.

  5. 5

    Drive Strategic Initiatives

    Influence the organisation's data strategy, driving innovation and best practices in data infrastructure.

  6. 6

    Become a Thought Leader

    Contribute to the broader data engineering community through speaking engagements, writing, and open-source contributions.

Live jobs

39 live roles

See all 39 roles →

Senior Data Engineer

The role involves designing and maintaining cloud-based data platforms using Azure technologies, with a focus on ETL/ELT workflows, data warehousing, and ensuring data quality and scalability. The engineer will collaborate with cross-functional teams to translate business needs into technical solutions, automate CI/CD pipelines, and support regulatory-compliant reporting. Work includes Python scripting, Power BI integration, and modernising legacy systems in an Agile environment.

Tech4 Ltd Oxford, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom £60,000 – £65,000 pa

Senior Data Engineer

This role involves designing and building scalable data pipelines on Azure and Databricks, using Delta Lake and Medallion architecture. You'll own data models across multiple layers, implement CI/CD via Azure DevOps, and support integration with Microsoft Fabric and OneLake. The position emphasizes technical leadership, engineering best practices, and end-to-end ownership of a modern data platform.

Head Resourcing Glasgow, City Of Glasgow, G2 1AL, United Kingdom £65,000 – £75,000 pa

Senior Data Engineer

Design and build scalable data pipelines using Databricks, PySpark, and Delta Lake while shaping enterprise data architecture and enabling self-service data access across departments. Partner with cross-functional stakeholders to solve business challenges and mentor junior engineers in a growing data team. Work in a high-impact role with ownership over platform strategy and data governance.

hireful London, United Kingdom £75,000 – £85,000 pa

Senior Data Engineer

Design and build data pipelines for an enterprise ERP migration project, focusing on ETL development, SQL optimization, and Python-based automation within an AWS environment. Work iteratively using Jira to support data engineering tasks aligned with SAP/S4 HANA integration. Contribute to evolving automation initiatives as the project progresses.

Brio Digital Leeds, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom £500 – £550 pd

Senior Data Engineer

As a Senior Data Engineer, you will design and build modern machine learning and AI services, develop and optimize data pipelines, and integrate data from varied sources. You will work collaboratively in multi-functional agile squads, maintain data components, and promote high coding and data practice standards.

Ageas Insurance Limited Eastleigh, Hampshire, United Kingdom £70,000 – £85,000 pa

Senior Data Engineer

Design and maintain scalable data pipelines using Databricks, PySpark, and Delta Lake, while shaping enterprise data architecture and enabling self-service data access across departments. Collaborate with cross-functional stakeholders and mentor junior engineers in a high-impact role during the early stages of the company's DataOps evolution. Focus on data quality, governance, and modern platform practices in a cloud-first environment.

hireful Manchester, United Kingdom £75,000 – £85,000 pa

Senior Data Engineer

The role involves building and optimising production-grade data pipelines at scale using AWS and Snowflake. The engineer will focus on performance tuning, modular data modelling, and CI/CD practices within an engineering-led environment. Collaboration with cross-functional product and data teams is key, with regular onsite presence required in London.

Vallum Associates London, United Kingdom £430 – £500 pd

Senior Data Engineer

As a Senior Data Engineer, you will design, build, and scale robust data platforms using AWS, Snowflake, and dbt. You will lead the development of data pipelines, models, and architecture, ensuring performance, reliability, and scalability while collaborating with cross-functional teams.

Bionic Bishopsgate, City And County Of the City Of London, EC2M 3UE, United Kingdom
See all 39 roles →
Hiring locations

Where this role is hiring

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

London

Location
10 open

Manchester

Location
5 open

Leeds

Location
2 open

Bristol

Location
2 open

Oxford

Location
2 open

Birmingham

Location
1 open
FAQs

Common questions

  • Key skills include expertise in ETL/ELT processes, data warehousing, SQL, and cloud data infrastructure. Strong problem-solving abilities and collaboration skills are also essential.

  • Common tools include Apache Kafka, Apache Spark, AWS Redshift, Google BigQuery, and Snowflake. Familiarity with programming languages like Python and SQL is also important.

  • The typical progression is from Junior Data Engineer to Data Engineer, then Senior Data Engineer, and finally Principal Data Engineer. Each step involves increasing responsibility and leadership.

  • For specific salary information, please refer to the salary section on this page.

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