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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

This role involves leading and mentoring a team of Data Engineers while developing and enhancing Azure-based data pipelines, data warehouse solutions, and reporting environments. You will work closely with stakeholders to drive continuous improvement and best practices in a modern data platform.

Tenth Revolution Group Southampton, United Kingdom £75,000 – £90,000 pa

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 Quantexa Data Engineer - Birmingham

Design and implement robust data pipelines using Quantexa, Spark, and Databricks while configuring platform components and supporting client engagements. Lead technical development of data engineering solutions with opportunities for training and career growth. Work in a hybrid setup with a focus on scalable, cloud-based data integration.

Noir Birmingham, United Kingdom £60,000 – £75,000 pa
Hybrid Permanent

Senior Quantexa Data Engineer - Manchester

Design and implement data pipelines using Quantexa, Spark, and Databricks, with responsibility for configuring Quantexa components and supporting client projects. Work within a hybrid environment, contributing to technical leadership and client solution delivery using modern data engineering practices and cloud-based technologies.

Noir Manchester, United Kingdom £60,000 – £75,000 pa
Hybrid Permanent

DV Cleared Data Engineers Wanted - Mid to Senior AWS Data Platforms

Design and build end-to-end data pipelines and platforms within secure, regulated environments using AWS and modern data architectures. Work across ingestion, processing, and consumption layers, contributing to technical design and implementation decisions. Engage directly with clients and architects to deliver scalable, high-impact data solutions on complex programmes.

Avanti Recruitment Bristol, Bristol (county), United Kingdom £55,000 – £80,000 pa

Senior & mid-level Data Platform Engineers

Design and maintain a scalable, secure data platform on Azure and Snowflake, using Terraform for infrastructure-as-code and Azure DevOps/GitHub Actions for CI/CD. Implement observability, security, and automation practices while mentoring junior engineers and collaborating with data science and business teams. Focus on platform engineering rather than data pipeline development.

ITSS Recruitment Manchester, United Kingdom £70,000 – £100,000 pa
Databricks logo

Senior Forward Deployed Engineer (Technical Data Architect)

This role involves working with customers to build and productionize data and AI solutions using the Databricks platform. Responsibilities include leading architecture and design decisions, implementing end-to-end systems, and providing technical guidance to ensure customers achieve their data and AI goals.

Databricks London, United Kingdom
Databricks logo

Senior Solutions Engineer (Technical, Presales, Data & AI, DNB)

This role involves working closely with sales teams and customers to demonstrate the technical capabilities of the Databricks Data Intelligence Platform, focusing on data, analytics, and AI use cases. The engineer will design custom solutions, deliver technical presentations, and support clients through hands-on evaluations and proof-of-concept projects. Engagement includes building reference architectures, leading technical workshops, and contributing to the broader data and AI community through events and knowledge sharing.

Databricks London, United Kingdom
Hybrid Permanent
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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