Principal Data Engineer

Ippon Australia; City of Melbourne; On-site; AUD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Ippon Australia is looking for a Principal Data Engineering Consultant in Melbourne, Victoria to serve as an advisor for clients, focusing on delivering complex data solutions leveraging Snowflake. Candidates should have a degree in Computer Science or a related field and substantial hands-on experience with Snowflake and cloud data architectures. The role demands strong communication, leadership capabilities, and the ability to work across teams to ensure high-quality data outcomes.

Qualifications

• 3+ years hands-on Snowflake experience.
• Proven consulting capability in data solutions.
• Strong capability in building and managing ETL/ELT pipelines.

Responsibilities

• Serve as an advisor to clients and define strategic goals.
• Drive end-to-end delivery of scalable data platform solutions.
• Present reports to clients and internal stakeholders.

Skills

Snowflake expertise

Cloud-based data architectures

ETL/ELT pipelines management

Excellent communication

Analytical thinking

Leadership and mentoring

Education

Degree in Computer Science or related discipline

Data Engineering Certification

Tools

Apache Airflow

Databricks

AWS

Azure

Job description

Role Overview

The Principal Data Engineering Consultant will serve as an advisor to our clients, seamlessly transitioning between pre‑sales meetings, delivering complex technical architectures, and defining strategic goals and roadmaps for the business. We look for someone to help improve our data management offerings, leveraging Snowflake to position our organization for long‑term success with data‑driven clients.

Responsibilities and Qualifications

• Degree in Computer Science or a related discipline, or equivalent practical experience
• Preferred Data Engineering Certification including certifications in Snowflake, Azure, or Databricks
• 3+ years hands‑on Snowflake experience
• Deep expertise in designing and delivering cloud‑based data architectures, with a strong focus on modern data warehousing
• Advanced proficiency in Snowflake, including data modelling, performance tuning, security and data sharing
• Strong capability in building and managing ETL/ELT pipelines using tools such as Apache Airflow, dbt, or similar
• Proven consulting capability—translating client needs into scalable, value‑driven data solutions
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to convey complex concepts to both technical and non‑technical audiences
• Strong analytical thinking and problem‑solving mindset
• Adaptable and forward‑looking, with a passion for evolving technologies and practices in data engineering
• Collaborative approach, working effectively across multidisciplinary teams
• Strong organisational and time management skills, with the ability to balance multiple priorities
• Demonstrated leadership in guiding teams and influencing stakeholders
• High attention to detail, ensuring data quality, integrity, and accuracy across solutions
• Drive end‑to‑end delivery of modern, scalable data platform and warehouse solutions for clients
• Design and architect robust data ecosystems using technologies such as Snowflake, AWS, Azure, and Databricks, ensuring performance, scalability, and maintainability
• Provide strong hands‑on technical leadership—guiding teams, setting engineering standards, and mentoring consultants to uplift capability across projects
• Engineer, optimise, and govern data pipelines, models, and storage layers to support high‑quality, reliable data outcomes
• Partner closely with Data Governance and Reporting Principals to align architecture with enterprise data strategy and best practices
• Contribute to solution design, scope technical engagements, and support pre‑sales activities by shaping pragmatic, value‑driven client proposals
• Work collaboratively with cross‑functional teams including data scientists, analysts, and business stakeholders to deliver impactful solutions
• Translate complex technical concepts into clear, meaningful insights for both technical and non‑technical audiences
• Present confidently to clients and internal stakeholders through structured, concise reports and storytelling
• Collaborate with project managers to ensure delivery remains on track, within scope, and aligned to budget expectations