Principal Data Engineer - Cloud Platforms

Placements24; Kimberley; On-site; CAD 101,000 - 169,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive pay

Health benefits

Professional development

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Principal Data Engineer to lead cloud-based data infrastructure in Kimberley. You will architect scalable pipelines, optimize data storage, ensure governance, and mentor a team of engineers across AWS/Azure/GCP ecosystems.

You will collaborate with data scientists and business stakeholders to translate requirements into robust data solutions, driving strategic data initiatives and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• 8+ years in data engineering with 3+ years in lead role.
• Experience with cloud data services (AWS S3/Redshift/Glue; Azure Data Factory/Synapse; GCP BigQuery/Dataflow).
• Proficiency in SQL and Python or Scala; familiar with Spark, Hadoop, Kafka.
• Strong data modeling, warehousing, governance, and security practices.
• Excellent problem-solving and communication; eligible to work in SA.

Responsibilities

• Architect, design, and implement enterprise-level data solutions on cloud platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure, GCP).
• Develop, maintain, and optimize scalable ETL/ELT pipelines for large volumes of data.
• Design and manage data warehousing and data lake solutions.
• Ensure data quality, integrity, security, and governance across all data platforms.
• Collaborate with data scientists, analysts, and business stakeholders to understand data requirements.
• Mentor and guide junior data engineers, fostering technical excellence.
• Evaluate and adopt new data technologies and best practices.
• Troubleshoot and resolve complex data infrastructure issues.
• Contribute to the development of data strategy and roadmap.

Skills

Cloud data platforms

SQL

Python/Scala

Spark/Hadoop/Kafka

Data modeling

Data governance

Leadership/mentoring

Communication

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in CS/Engineering

Tools

AWS

Azure

GCP

Redshift

Glue

S3

BigQuery

Dataflow

Synapse

Data Factory

Job description

About the Role Our client is a leading financial services organization committed to leveraging big data and advanced analytics to drive business insights and innovation. We are seeking a highly experienced Principal Data Engineer to lead the design and implementation of our cloud-based data infrastructure in Kimberley, Northern Cape . This senior role will be responsible for architecting scalable, robust, and efficient data pipelines, optimizing data storage solutions, and ensuring data quality and accessibility across the enterprise. You will mentor a team of data engineers, collaborate with data scientists and analysts, and champion best practices in data engineering and cloud technologies. The ideal candidate possesses deep expertise in cloud platforms and big data technologies, with a proven ability to build and manage complex data ecosystems in Kimberley .

Key Responsibilities

• Architect, design, and implement enterprise-level data solutions on cloud platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure, GCP)
• Develop, maintain, and optimize scalable ETL/ELT pipelines for large volumes of data
• Design and manage data warehousing and data lake solutions
• Ensure data quality, integrity, security, and governance across all data platforms
• Collaborate with data scientists, analysts, and business stakeholders to understand data requirements
• Mentor and guide junior data engineers, fostering technical excellence
• Evaluate and adopt new data technologies and best practices
• Troubleshoot and resolve complex data infrastructure issues
• Contribute to the development of data strategy and roadmap

Requirements

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related quantitative field
• Minimum of 8 years of experience in data engineering, with at least 3 years in a principal or lead role
• Extensive experience with cloud data services (e.g., AWS S3, Redshift, Glue; Azure Data Factory, Synapse; GCP BigQuery, Dataflow)
• Proficiency in SQL and programming languages like Python or Scala
• Experience with big data technologies (e.g., Spark, Hadoop, Kafka)
• Strong understanding of data modeling, data warehousing concepts, and database design
• Experience with data governance and security best practices
• Excellent problem-solving, analytical, and communication skills
• Must be legally authorized to work in South Africa

Benefits

• Our client offers a highly competitive salary, comprehensive health and wellness benefits, retirement savings plans, and generous paid time off.
• We provide a stimulating work environment with access to advanced cloud technologies and opportunities for continuous learning and professional development.
• This role is based in Kimberley , offering a chance to lead critical data initiatives within a well-established financial institution.