AI Data Engineer

Client of Salt; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 240,000 - 480,000; Full time

Job summary

Client of Salt is seeking a hands-on AI Data Engineer in Abu Dhabi to design and build scalable data infrastructures and pipelines powering advanced AI and analytics initiatives.

The role involves collaborating with Software Engineering and AI/ML teams to ensure high-quality, reliable and accessible data across structured and unstructured datasets. You will implement governance, validation and lineage throughout the data lifecycle and optimise pipelines for performance and cost efficiency.

Qualifications

• 5 years of experience in Data Engineering, ETL development or Data Warehousing.
• Strong hands-on experience with Python and SQL.
• Experience with Airflow, dbt, Luigi or similar workflow orchestration technologies.
• Strong understanding of big data architectures and scalable data pipelines.
• Experience working with large-scale structured and unstructured datasets.
• Hands-on experience with at least one major cloud platform: Azure, AWS or GCP.
• Strong understanding of data quality, validation, monitoring and governance.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop and maintain robust ETL/ELT data pipelines across multiple data sources.
• Build and optimise scalable data workflows using technologies such as Airflow, dbt, Luigi or equivalent orchestration tools.
• Process and transform complex structured and unstructured datasets.
• Develop data solutions that support AI, ML and advanced analytics use cases.
• Implement data validation, testing, monitoring and quality frameworks.
• Diagnose data issues and proactively improve pipeline reliability and performance.
• Collaborate with AI/ML and Software Engineers to provide reliable and accessible data.
• Apply best practices around data governance, security, quality and lineage.
• Document data architectures, metadata and data flows to ensure transparency and reproducibility.
• Optimise data pipelines and infrastructure for scalability, performance and cost efficiency.

Skills

Python

SQL

Airflow

dbt

Luigi

Azure

AWS

GCP

Data governance

Data quality

Big data architectures

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering or a related technical discipline

Tools

Airflow

dbt

Luigi

Job description

About the Role

My client is looking for a hands‑on AI Data Engineer to design build and optimise scalable data infrastructure and pipelines that power advanced AI and analytics initiatives You will work closely with Software Engineering and AI ML teams to ensure high-quality reliable and accessible data across structured and unstructured datasets

Key Responsibilities

• Design develop and maintain robust ETL ELT data pipelines across multiple data sources
• Build and optimise scalable data workflows using technologies such as Airflow dbt or equivalent orchestration tools
• Process and transform complex structured and unstructured datasets
• Develop data solutions that support AI ML and advanced analytics use cases
• Implement data validation testing monitoring and quality frameworks
• Diagnose data issues and proactively improve pipeline reliability and performance
• Collaborate with AI ML and Software Engineers to provide reliable and accessible data
• Apply best practices around data governance security quality and lineage
• Document data architectures metadata and data flows to ensure transparency and reproducibility
• Optimise data pipelines and infrastructure for scalability performance and cost efficiency

Requirements

• 5 years of experience in Data Engineering ETL development or Data Warehousing
• Strong hands‑on experience with Python and SQL
• Experience with Airflow dbt Luigi or similar workflow orchestration technologies
• Strong understanding of big data architectures and scalable data pipelines
• Experience working with large-scale structured and unstructured datasets
• Hands‑on experience with at least one major cloud platform Azure AWS or GCP
• Strong understanding of data quality validation monitoring and governance
• Experience diagnosing complex data and pipeline issues
• Strong communication skills with the ability to work with both technical and non‑technical stakeholders
• Bachelor s degree in Computer Science Engineering or a related technical discipline
• 5+ years of experience in Data Engineering, ETL development or Data Warehousing.
• Strong hands‑on experience with Python and SQL.
• Experience with Airflow, dbt, Luigi or similar workflow orchestration technologies.
• Strong understanding of big data architectures and scalable data pipelines.
• Experience working with large-scale structured and unstructured datasets.
• Hands‑on experience with at least one major cloud platform: Azure, AWS or GCP.
• Strong understanding of data quality, validation, monitoring and governance.
• Experience diagnosing complex data and pipeline issues.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to work with both technical and non‑technical stakeholders.
• Bachelor s degree in Computer Science, Engineering or a related technical discipline.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate will be a production‑focused Data Engineer rather than a BI or analytics specialist with a strong engineering mindset and experience building data platforms that support modern AI ML environments Experience with Spark data lakes lakehouses streaming vector databases RAG pipelines or AI data platforms would be highly advantageous

The ideal candidate will be a production‑focused Data Engineer rather than a BI or analytics specialist, with a strong engineering mindset and experience building data platforms that support modern AI/ML environments . Experience with Spark, data lakes/lakehouses, streaming, vector databases, RAG pipelines or AI data platforms would be highly advantageous