Data Engineer

Understanding Recruitment; Greater London; On-site; GBP 144,000 - 176,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

Job summary

Understanding Recruitment is seeking a Lead Data Engineer for an AI startup in London. You will own data architecture and build scalable infrastructure to support a rapidly growing AI platform. This senior role offers direct collaboration with founders and a chance to shape the data engineering function from the ground up.

The ideal candidate has strong Python and SQL skills, plus experience with Spark, Airflow, or Kafka, and a track record in data pipelines and distributed systems.

Qualifications

• Strong experience with Python.
• Excellent SQL knowledge.
• Experience with Apache technologies (Spark, Airflow or Kafka).
• Proven experience designing and building scalable data pipelines.
• Strong understanding of data architecture and distributed systems.
• Experience working within a start-up or fast-paced environment would be beneficial.

Responsibilities

• Own the company data architecture and design scalable data infrastructure.
• Build and optimize data pipelines to support the AI platform.
• Collaborate with founders and engineering teams to shape data strategy.
• Drive data governance and quality across the stack.
• Champion best practices in distributed systems and reliability.

Skills

Python

SQL

Data architecture

Distributed systems

Tools

Apache Spark

Apache Airflow

Kafka

Job description

Lead Data Engineer | AI Start-up | London | Up to £160,000 + Equity

Are you an experienced Data Engineer looking for an opportunity to build something from the ground up?

We're currently working with an exciting, fast-growing AI start-up that is looking for a Lead Data Engineer to join its expanding engineering team.

The company is developing an innovative AI-powered platform designed to revolutionise the property management industry, using intelligent automation to transform how businesses operate.

As the Lead Data Engineer, you'll be the first senior Data Engineering hire, taking ownership of the company's data architecture and building scalable data infrastructure to support its growing AI platform.

This is a fantastic opportunity to work directly with the founders, influence technical decisions and play a key role in shaping the future of the engineering function.

• Strong experience with Python
• Excellent SQL knowledge
• Experience with Apache technologies (Spark, Airflow or Kafka)
• Proven experience designing and building scalable data pipelines
• Strong understanding of data architecture and distributed systems
• Experience working within a start-up or fast-paced environment would be beneficial

Opportunity: Join an early-stage AI business where you'll have genuine technical ownership, work with cutting-edge technology and help build a data engineering function from the ground up.

If you're a Senior / Lead Data Engineer who enjoys solving complex technical challenges and wants to make a real impact within an ambitious AI company, I'd love to hear from you!

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