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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
35
Salary range
£55k – £100k
Hiring companies
29
View 35 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 119 priced listings posted in the last 12 months. Base salary only.

Salary visibility
32% of listings advertise a salary.
By seniority
£k base
Senior
52
100
93 jobs
Lead
65
113
26 jobs
Skills & tools

What hiring managers ask for

% of 108 listings posted in the last 12 months that mention each skill, extracted from job descriptions.

Python
73%
SQL
62%
Data Modelling
36%
AWS
34%
CI/CD
33%
Data Governance
31%
Azure
26%
Data Pipelines
24%
PySpark
24%
Databricks
22%
Data Engineering
21%
Airflow
20%
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

35 live roles

See all 35 roles →

Senior Data Engineer

This role involves building and maintaining scalable ETL/ELT pipelines on Azure, integrating diverse data sources, and delivering high-quality datasets for analytics and operational use. The engineer will collaborate with BI teams and stakeholders to enhance data platform performance, governance, and architecture. Work focuses on cloud-based data modelling, validation, and lineage within a regulated environment.

Jackson Hogg Sunderland, United Kingdom £50,000 – £60,000 pa
Hybrid Permanent

Senior Data Engineer

Design and build scalable data pipelines on a cloud platform using AWS/GCP and Snowflake, integrating diverse data sources to support investment decision-making. Develop automated, high-quality data solutions while mentoring two junior engineers. Work closely with finance and asset management teams in a fast-paced private equity real estate environment.

McGregor Boyall London, United Kingdom £90,000 – £100,000 pa

Senior Data Engineer

This role involves designing and building modern cloud-based data platforms, developing scalable ETL/ELT pipelines, and contributing to data architecture and strategy for enterprise clients. The Senior Data Engineer will work closely with architects and stakeholders to translate business requirements into technical solutions, while mentoring junior engineers and promoting best practices in data quality, governance, and security. The position offers a pathway to transition into a client-facing Data Architect role.

Lynx Recruitment Sw1E5Lb, SW1E 5LB, United Kingdom £60,000 – £100,000 pa
Hybrid Permanent

Senior Data Engineer

This role involves designing and building scalable ETL/ELT pipelines using Snowflake and AWS, with a focus on streaming data ingestion, automation, and data governance. The engineer will work closely with business stakeholders to translate technical solutions into real-world impact, while mentoring junior team members and driving cloud transformation initiatives.

Ikhoi Recruitment Ec2M1Jj, EC2M 1JJ, United Kingdom £80,000 – £94,000 pa
Hybrid Permanent

Senior Data Engineer

This role involves designing and building cloud-native data solutions, with a focus on Azure and Microsoft Fabric, to support scalable automated decision-making for clients. The Senior Data Engineer will work closely with architects and consultants to develop high-quality data products, manage data lake patterns, and ensure robust data governance. Emphasis is placed on technical excellence, collaboration, and delivering production-grade data platforms in regulated environments.

FSP Reading, United Kingdom
Hybrid Permanent Clearance Required

Senior Data Engineer

This role involves designing and building a modern, scalable data platform on Azure from the ground up, establishing data engineering best practices, and creating secure, governed solutions. The engineer will develop ETL/ELT pipelines using Databricks and Spark, optimise Power BI semantic models, and support analytics and future AI initiatives. It's a high-impact position with full technical ownership in a collaborative engineering environment.

Yolk Recruitment Cardiff, Cymru / Wales, CF10 2AF, United Kingdom £47,675 pa
Hybrid Permanent Clearance Required

Senior Data Engineer

This role involves architecting and evolving scalable data infrastructure to support decision-making in a fast-paced, analytics-focused environment at the intersection of sport and technology. You will lead technical design, mentor engineers, and work closely with cross-functional teams to deliver advanced data solutions and maintain data quality and security.

Tenth Revolution Group London, United Kingdom £65,000 – £75,000 pa
Hybrid Permanent

Senior Data Engineer / Modeller

Senior Data Engineer / Modeller | London | Outside IR35 | £400 - £500 | HybridThis is a hands-on role suited to someone who enjoys working across the full data lifecycle — from designing scalable platforms and pipelines to shaping...

Opus Recruitment Solutions London, United Kingdom £400 – £500 pd
See all 35 roles →
Top hirers

Companies hiring senior 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
15 open

Manchester

Location
2 open

Birmingham

Location
1 open

Leeds

Location
1 open

Cardiff

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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