Azure Data Platform Lead for AI-Driven R&D

Harnham; Newcastle upon Tyne; Hybrid; GBP 73,000 - 84,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Ownership over platform strategy

Exposure to AI initiatives

Job summary

Harnham is seeking a highly technical Data Platform Engineer to own a modern enterprise data platform within an exciting R&D environment in the UK. You will shape platform strategy, drive technical decisions, and enable AI and data product delivery across the business.

The role focuses on scalable Azure-based architectures, governance, and collaboration with Infrastructure, Security, and Network teams, with hands-on execution and strategic oversight.

Qualifications

• Strong experience with cloud-based data platforms.
• Expertise in Azure services and modern data architectures.
• Experience making architectural decisions and communicating rationale to stakeholders.
• Hands-on design, management and scaling of enterprise data platforms.
• Knowledge of governance, monitoring, security, and operational best practice.
• Experience with Azure Data Factory (ADF).
• Knowledge of Databricks or Microsoft Fabric beneficial.
• Exposure to Data Science or AI environments advantageous.
• Ability to operate strategically while remaining hands-on technically.

Responsibilities

• Lead technical decisions relating to the enterprise data platform.
• Design and oversee scalable platform architecture across Azure technologies.
• Support and enable Data Engineers to deliver reliable data solutions.
• Collaborate with Infrastructure, Architecture, Security, and Network teams.
• Manage platform performance, reliability, governance, and operational excellence.
• Identify and resolve technical challenges including performance bottlenecks.
• Drive best practices across platform operations, deployment processes, monitoring, and supportability.
• Contribute to delivery of AI and data-driven products within a growing R&D environment.
• Provide hands-on expertise across cloud platforms, data services, and modern engineering practices.

Skills

Cloud data platforms

Azure services

Architectural decisions

Data platform design

CI/CD

Infrastructure as Code

Databricks

Microsoft Fabric

AI environments exposure

Tools

Azure Data Factory (ADF)

Databricks

Infrastructure as Code tooling

CI/CD tooling

Job description

Harnham is seeking a highly technical Data Platform Engineer to own a modern enterprise data platform within an exciting R&D environment in the UK. You will shape platform strategy, drive technical decisions, and enable AI and data product delivery across the business.

The role focuses on scalable Azure-based architectures, governance, and collaboration with Infrastructure, Security, and Network teams, with hands-on execution and strategic oversight.