Principal Data Engineer

Qantasgroup; Sydney; Hybrid; AUD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Staff travel benefits from day one

Hybrid work options

Job summary

Qantas is seeking a Principal Data Engineer to lead enterprise data platforms and engineering practices at our Mascot Campus. You will shape cloud-based data solutions, drive architecture decisions and mentor engineers to deliver scalable, secure data products across the organisation.

You will partner with Architects, Delivery Leads and senior stakeholders to translate business requirements into robust data platforms, focusing on reliability, cost-effectiveness and observability.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in data engineering within large enterprise environments.
• Proven experience leading enterprise-scale data engineering initiatives and influencing technical strategy.
• Expert-level knowledge of Snowflake architecture, data modelling, security and performance optimisation.
• Advanced experience with AWS and cloud-native data architectures (data, storage, integration).
• Deep expertise in dbt, SQL and Python with strong software engineering and DevOps practices.
• Experience with orchestration/workflow tools such as Apache Airflow.
• Strong knowledge of infrastructure-as-code and platform engineering (Terraform).
• Proven FinOps leadership including cost attribution, forecasting and optimisation for cloud/data platforms.
• Experience integrating complex enterprise ecosystems (SaaS, APIs, networking, security).
• Strong data quality, observability and data contract framing; experience leading incident response.

Responsibilities

• Define technical direction and translate business requirements into scalable cloud-based data solutions.
• Lead architecture reviews and mentor engineers to a culture of technical excellence.
• Drive lifecycle management of data platforms and ensure reliability and cost-efficiency.
• Collaborate with Architects, Delivery Leads and stakeholders across the organisation to shape enterprise data initiatives.
• Help shape the strategic roadmap for data engineering at Qantas.

Skills

Leadership

Snowflake

AWS

dbt

SQL

Python

Apache Airflow

Terraform

FinOps

Data governance

Observability

Stakeholder engagement

Tools

Datadog

Alation

Cloudability

Snowflake OpenFlow

Job description

Exciting opportunity within our Data & Analytics team

Permanent, full-time roles working at our Mascot Campus (hybrid working options available)

Staff Travel Benefits from Day One!

The Principal Data Engineer plays a critical leadership role in shaping the future of Qantas' enterprise data platforms and engineering capabilities. Leveraging deep technical expertise and extensive experience in modern data architectures, you will drive the design, delivery and evolution of scalable, secure and cost-effective data solutions that enable trusted insights and business outcomes across the organisation. Working across the full lifecycle of our data platforms and products, you will influence strategic technology decisions, establish engineering standards that keep our data platforms reliable, observable and cost-effective

You will partner closely with Architects, Delivery Leads, Product Owners and senior business stakeholders to define technical direction, translate complex business requirements into scalable cloud-based solutions and drive enterprise-wide data initiatives. As a recognised technical leader, you will mentor engineers, conduct architecture and design reviews, and foster a culture of engineering excellence, continuous improvement and knowledge sharing across the Data & Analytics community.

Drawing on your experience with enterprise data platforms, cloud technologies and modern engineering practices, you will help shape the strategic roadmap for data engineering at Qantas while remaining close to the technology and guiding the adoption of emerging tools, platforms and capabilities that enhance our data, analytics and AI ecosystem.

What You'll Bring

• Extensive experience in data engineering, data platforms or related technology disciplines within large and complex enterprise environments.
• Proven experience leading enterprise-scale data engineering initiatives and influencing technical strategy.
• Expert-level knowledge of Snowflake, including architecture, data modelling, security, governance and performance optimisation.
• Advanced experience with AWS and cloud-native data architectures, including data, storage and integration services.
• Deep expertise in dbt (core), SQL and Python, supported by strong software engineering, testing and DevOps practices.
• Extensive experience working with modern orchestration and workflow management technologies such as Apache Airflow.
• Strong knowledge of infrastructure-as-code, automation and platform engineering practices using Terraform or similar tools.
• Proven FinOps leadership, including establishing cost attribution, forecasting and optimisation practices for cloud and data platform consumption across multiple business domains.
• Demonstrated experience setting the integration approach for complex enterprise ecosystems, including SaaS platforms, APIs, networking, security and legacy source system
• Experience assuring engineering delivery across internal and partner teams, including setting acceptance criteria, reviewing designs and determining production readiness.
• Demonstrated experience establishing data quality, observability and data contract frameworks, and operating production platforms to agreed service levels, including leading incident response and root cause analysis. Exceptional stakeholder engagement and communication skills, with the ability to influence both technical and non-technical audiences. The ability to work through ambiguity and make sound, well-reasoned technical decisions, clearly documenting trade-offs and the options considered.
• A track record of mentoring and developing engineers while driving a culture of technical excellence and continuous improvement.

Highly Regarded

• Experience with Snowflake Openflow and Snowflake DCM.
• Experience with Apache Kafka and event-driven architectures.
• Experience with observability, governance and FinOps tools such as Datadog, Alation and Cloudability.
• Exposure to AI, machine learning or advanced analytics platforms.

Why Qantas?

You'll join a team where creativity and passion are encouraged. Our people come together to allow us to dream big and deliver successfully.

There are many different opportunities across our team, which means you'll be able to grow both personally and professionally at Qantas. Your development is a priority for us - so that you can maintain the high standards our customers have come to expect and can continue to develop over time. You'll be supported from day 1 with on the job training and coaching as well as our formal training opportunities. While you may start in this role, we've got a great track record of supporting our people to take our career in so many different directions, the destinations are endless.

The Qantas employee benefits program offers amazing benefits that extend well beyond travel:

We love to travel: Enjoy heavily discounted air travel within Australia and across the globe, both for you and your family and friends, as well as exclusive deals on accommodation and holidays