Data Architect / Lead Data Engineer – Azure, Databricks & Snowflake

Arc IT Recruitment Limited; Greater London; Remote; GBP 100,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Arc IT Recruitment Limited is seeking a hands‑on Data Architect for a fast‑growing fintech client. You will own the data platform design and also implement pipelines, acting as the go‑to data engineering expert across the business.

Responsibilities include building scalable pipelines on Azure Databricks, shaping lakehouse architecture with Spark and Delta Lake, and refining Snowflake environments for performance and cost. Remote-first with UK emphasis and monthly London meetups.

Qualifications

• Strong Azure background with data platforms in Azure environments.
• Hands-on engineering skills; you still write code.
• Deep expertise with Databricks, Spark, Delta Lake and Lakehouse.
• Snowflake architecture and optimisation experience.
• Experience with Azure Data Factory, ADLS Gen2, Synapse and/or Fabric.
• Data modelling across Kimball, Inmon and Data Vault.
• Strong SQL, Python, Spark and Snowflake SQL skills.
• Experience with CI/CD and IaC tools like Terraform, ARM or Bicep.
• Knowledge of governance and cataloguing tools (Microsoft Purview).
• Confidence to own design decisions as data expert.

Responsibilities

• Own data architecture while staying hands-on as a senior data engineer.
• Be the go-to expert for data engineering questions, standards and decisions.
• Lead design of data solutions from conceptual models to physical implementation.
• Build and maintain scalable pipelines and lakehouse solutions (Azure Databricks, Spark, Delta Lake).
• Design and optimise Snowflake environments for performance, scale and cost.
• Support batch, streaming, real-time data processing at high volumes.
• Embed governance, lineage, metadata and data quality practices.
• Drive automation via CI/CD and Infrastructure as Code.
• Collaborate with engineering, analytics and data science teams as the trusted data voice.
• Evaluate new technologies and shape long-term platform roadmap.

Skills

Azure

Databricks

Spark

Delta Lake

Snowflake

SQL

Python

CI/CD

Infrastructure as Code

Terraform

ARM/Bicep

Purview

Data modeling

Governance

Tools

Azure Data Factory

ADLS Gen2

Synapse Analytics

Microsoft Fabric

Job description

Remote First (UK) | Monthly London Meetups | £100,000–£110,000

A fast-growing international fintech organisation is looking for a genuinely hands‑on Data Architect who’s just as comfortable building pipelines as designing platforms. This is a two‑hats role: you’ll be both the architect behind the data platform and the engineer who gets it built, acting as the go‑to person for all things data engineering across the business.

You’ll be central to every data design decision, shaping how data flows, is modelled, and is used across a modern Azure, Databricks and Snowflake ecosystem. If you enjoy setting the direction and rolling your sleeves up to deliver it, rather than handing designs over to someone else, this role is built for you.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Wearing two hats: owning the data architecture while staying hands‑on as a senior data engineer
• Acting as the go‑to expert for all data engineering questions, standards and decisions
• Leading the design of all data solutions, from conceptual and logical models through to physical implementation
• Building and maintaining scalable pipelines and lakehouse solutions using Azure Databricks, Spark and Delta Lake
• Designing and optimising Snowflake environments for performance, scalability and cost
• Supporting batch, streaming and real‑time data processing, including high‑volume transactional data
• Embedding best practice across governance, lineage, metadata and data quality
• Driving automation through CI/CD and Infrastructure as Code
• Working closely with engineering, analytics and data science teams as the trusted data voice in the room
• Evaluating new technologies and shaping the long‑term platform roadmap

What You’ll Bring

• A strong Azure background, with experience designing and building data platforms in Microsoft Azure environments
• Hands‑on, current engineering skills: you still write the code, not just the diagrams
• Deep expertise with Azure Databricks, Spark (PySpark/Scala), Delta Lake and Lakehouse architecture
• Strong Snowflake architecture and optimisation experience
• Experience with Azure Data Factory, ADLS Gen2, Synapse Analytics and/or Microsoft Fabric
• Solid data modelling knowledge across Kimball, Inmon and Data Vault
• Strong SQL, Python, Spark and Snowflake SQL skills
• Experience with CI/CD and IaC tools such as Terraform, ARM or Bicep
• Knowledge of governance and cataloguing tools such as Microsoft Purview
• The confidence to own design decisions and be the person others turn to for data expertise

Highly Desirable

• Experience working with payments systems or payments data (e.g. transaction processing, settlement, reconciliation)
• Background in fintech or financial services
• Certifications such as Azure Data Engineer Associate, Azure Solutions Architect Expert, Databricks Associate/Professional or SnowPro Core

If you’re a hands‑on data architect who wants to own the design and still build the thing, and you’d like to be the go‑to data expert in a growing fintech, we’d love to hear from you.

Location: Remote first (UK), with monthly London meetups