Technical Lead, Data Engineering & Architecture

Vml Map; Greater London; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading data engineering firm in Greater London is seeking a Principal Data Engineer to lead their Data Engineering practice. In this hands-on role, you will shape data solutions for top brands while mentoring a talented team. Responsibilities include defining standards for data architecture, advising clients on data infrastructure, and pioneering innovative solutions. The ideal candidate has expertise in modern data stacks such as dbt and Airflow, and excels in a client-facing environment.

Qualifications

• Extensive hands-on experience building production data pipelines and data warehouses.
• Deep expertise in dbt, Airflow, Terraform, and cloud data platforms.
• Strong architectural skills with understanding of data modeling, quality, and governance.
• Proficient in SQL, Python, and engineering workflows.
• Proven experience mentoring engineers and building trust.
• Commercial awareness, able to connect technical solutions to business value.
• Interest in developing service offerings and contributing to organizational capability.
• Ability to navigate ambiguity and organizational needs.
• Enthusiastic about exploring emerging technologies.
• Excellent communication skills in English.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with architects to define data pipeline standards.
• Ensure correct adoption of modern data stacks.
• Act as trusted technical advisor for clients.
• Pioneer emerging capabilities in data engineering.
• Mentor engineers through hands-on guidance.
• Shape practice direction and standards.

Skills

Hands-on data engineering experience

Deep expertise in modern data stack

Strong architectural skills

Proficiency in SQL and Python

Mentoring experience

Client-facing skills

Practice-building mindset

Intellectual curiosity

Excellent communication skills in English

Tools

dbt

Airflow

Terraform

GCP BigQuery

Snowflake

Job description

A leading data engineering firm in Greater London is seeking a Principal Data Engineer to lead their Data Engineering practice. In this hands-on role, you will shape data solutions for top brands while mentoring a talented team. Responsibilities include defining standards for data architecture, advising clients on data infrastructure, and pioneering innovative solutions. The ideal candidate has expertise in modern data stacks such as dbt and Airflow, and excels in a client-facing environment.