Data Engineer

Yoto Limited; United Kingdom; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - GBP 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading innovative children’s audio company in the UK is seeking a Mid-Level Data Engineer to build robust data pipelines and optimize data models. This role involves using tools like Dagster and dbt while collaborating with diverse teams to ensure data quality. The company promotes a flexible hybrid work model with a commitment to diversity and inclusion, alongside competitive benefits. Ideal candidates will have strong SQL and Python skills, along with experience in data engineering practices.

Benefits

Hybrid working

Life Assurance

Private Medical Insurance

25 days holiday plus bank holidays

Volunteer days

Employee referral bonus

Qualifications

• Proven experience in a data engineering and/or analytics engineering role.
• Experience with orchestration tools like Dagster or Airflow.
• Excellent SQL and strong Python expertise.
• Experience with core git workflows and version control.
• Experience working cross-functionally with data users.
• Comfortable with ambiguity in decision-making.

Responsibilities

• Build robust and scalable data extraction pipelines.
• Create and optimize data models for reporting and analytics.
• Work with Dagster for pipeline management.
• Partner with data scientists for dataset integrity.
• Establish data governance principles.

Skills

SQL

Python

Data Engineering best practices

Git workflows

Cross-functional collaboration

Tools

Dagster

dbt

APIs

Job description

Overview

We’re looking for a Mid-Level Data Engineer to join our team to design, build, and maintain the data pipelines, models, and platforms that power insights and decision-making across Yoto.

About Yoto

Yoto is a screen-free interactive audio platform for kids. We make carefully connected audio players that kids control, with no microphones, cameras or ads. We have a catalogue of audio that inspires creative play and learning with 1,000+ titles in our card store from top creators, publishers and labels - think Disney, Marvel, Roald Dahl and Universal Music. We also create Yoto Originals like this one.

• Voted the 14th fastest-growing private software technology company in Britain in The Sunday Times 100 Tech 2025; and named the 94th fastest-growing company in Europe in the prestigious FT1000.
• Ranked 9th in Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies in 2024; and featured in the Sifted 100 fastest-growing startups across the UK & I by revenue growth.
• Featured in Bloomberg’s 25 UK startups to watch in 2023; and ranked second fastest growing tech company in the UK in the Deloitte Fast50.
• Named one of TIME Magazine’s Top 100 Inventions of 2020.
• We’re over 200 employees spread across the world.. and growing!

We’re on a mission to be the soundtrack of childhood, and help families on their own unique adventures. By creating products that inspire independent play, we help families discover and grow with an inspiring world of audio - and we would like you to help us achieve it!

Yoto’s Data Team

We’re a growing team at the heart of all the decisions Yoto makes. We tackle a broad range of problems, from developing cutting edge data solutions to building and maintaining data pipelines, query and orchestration platforms, our work spans across all the key strategic projects throughout the company. We supercharge growth by providing self-service tools, valuable insights and advanced data science solutions. We work in a high-trust environment with a lot of independence. Everyone can contribute ideas and be part of the decision making process.

What you’ll be doing

• Building robust and scalable data extraction pipelines using dlthub, getting data from our diverse sources (e.g. internal platform, third- and first-party APIs, etc.) into our existing pipeline infrastructure
• Creating, maintaining and optimising data models using dbt, turning data into usable, enriched datasets for internal self-service reporting and analytics use
• Working with Dagster as our orchestration platform to manage pipeline dependencies, scheduling, and monitoring
• Partnering with data scientists and analysts to make sure that datasets are meaningful, intuitive and relevant for their use cases, particularly for consumption via Lightdash (our BI tool)
• Creating clear data governance principles and practices, being an advocate for high quality data creation and usage across the business
• Contributing to data platform infrastructure management and optimisation

What you’ll bring

• Proven experience in a data engineering and/or analytics engineering role, with a track record of having sustained impact
• Experience with modern orchestration tools (Dagster preferred, Airflow or similar also welcome) for managing complex data workflows
• Excellent SQL and strong Python expertise - you’ll be writing custom data assets in Dagster and contributing to dbt pipelines
• Experience with core git workflows and version control best practices
• Experience working cross-functional and building strong relationships with data users of varying degrees of data literacy
• Comfortable with ambiguity and excited by the opportunity to shape how data drives decision-making at Yoto

Salary

£60,000 - £70,000 based on experience

What you can expect from Yoto

• Flexibility: Hybrid working - expectation of 1 day a week on average in our London office, but you are welcome to come in more than this. How you meet the minimum expectation is up to you, to ensure you're happy and productive in your role whilst also getting that vital face time with your colleagues. Take advantage of our ‘work from anywhere’ policy to work from a different location for up to 6 weeks every year. Summer Hours policy to use between the months of June and August.
• Financial: Receive Income Protection, covering long term sickness for up to 2 years and company sick pay that increases with length of service. Life Assurance cover from day one of your service. Workplace Pension offering up to 3% employer contributions, following probation. Generous employee referral bonus scheme.
• Health & Wellness: Private Medical Insurance via Aviva, or a Wellbeing Allowance to be used for memberships, subscriptions, treatment or therapy. Access to 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) through WeCare and unlimited access to Dental advice and guidance via Toothfairy. Bike to work scheme to promote healthier lifestyles.
• Time Off: 25 days of holiday per year, plus bank holidays. On top of this, you also receive your birthday off, plus 1 extra day of holiday for every year worked after you hit your 2 year anniversary, up to 5 extra days. After 4 years of service, you are also eligible for our sabbatical policy offering up to 3 months' of unpaid sabbatical.
• Helping Families: Variety of family-friendly leave, including enhanced maternity, paternity, adoption, fertility, pregnancy loss and carers leave. Unlock savings with our workplace nursery scheme, designed to support parents of preschool-aged children.
• People & Planet: Up to 2 volunteer days a year. A Book Allowance of up to £50 a year to contribute to your professional development.
• Fun Perks: You receive your very own Yoto player and starter pack of cards! Regular company socials and celebrations, including our annual YotoFest!

Equity and Diversity

At Yoto, we love creating a world where childhood is rich with discovery and joy. We’re also passionate about building a workplace where everyone can thrive -both professionally and personally. We value flexibility and give our team the freedom to balance life and work in ways that suit them.

We're committed to fostering a safe, diverse, and inclusive environment where all individuals, regardless of their background, feel valued and supported. Our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion group holds bi-monthly forums to elevate diverse voices and perspectives, ensuring everyone at Yoto feels heard, respected, and appreciated.

We don’t just embrace differences -we celebrate them. We share audio content from a vibrant and diverse community of creators, and we are building a team that reflects that same diversity. We invite candidates from all walks of life to explore opportunities with us and join a company that champions flexibility, equity, and inclusion.

Please only apply or engage with Yoto jobs posted on our careers page. All correspondence from our Talent team will only come through Teamtailor, our application tracking system.