Data Engineer

First Central; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

1st Central is seeking a Data Engineer to design and build scalable data pipelines and governance across data lake, warehouse and BI environments. You’ll work on projects and long-term products, with ownership of data solutions and observability.

Strong PySpark, Python and SQL experience is required, along with Azure Data Factory/Synapse and CI/CD mindset. Flexible hybrid work across multiple sites, with a focus on delivering high-quality data solutions."

Qualifications

• Experience designing and building end-to-end data solutions (2-5 years).
• Engineering and database skills in SQL Server and/or Azure Data Factory/Synapse.
• Experience with large, event-based datasets in an enterprise environment.
• Experience with testing techniques and tools.

Responsibilities

• Develop low to high complexity, secure, governed data pipelines from varied data sources.
• Ensure data is cleansed, mapped, transformed and optimised for storage for business and technical use cases.
• Build data observability and data quality into pipelines with self-testing where possible.
• Create data lake, data warehouse, and BI reporting structures.
• Design physical data models to meet business needs and optimise storage.

Skills

Cloud & Data Engineering

Problem-Solving

Organisation & Delivery

Collaboration & Teamwork

Mentoring & Coaching

Tools

PySpark

Python

SQL Server

Azure Data Factory

Azure Synapse

Job description

At 1st Central, everything starts with our people.

As one of the UK’s leading motor and home insurers, we use smart technology, data and great service to make insurance fast, fair and simple for over 1.4 million customers. We’re proud to create an environment where people feel supported, trusted and able to grow - whether that’s developing new skills, taking on fresh challenges or making a real impact every day. If you’re looking for a role where you can make a difference, we’d love to hear from you.

We’re looking for a Data Engineer who thrives on building scalable, impactful solutions. Your work will power smarter decisions, unlock insights, and help us push the boundaries of what’s possible with data.

This is a hands‑on technical role where you’ll design and build data solutions for both projects and long‑term products. You’ll take ownership of developing and implementing data pipelines, designing and maintaining databases, and ensuring solutions align with our technical standards and data platform best practices.

We’re big on flexible hybrid working. Our teams are based across Haywards Heath (West Sussex) and Salford Quays (Manchester) and Guernsey. We primarily work from home but value collaboration, so we come together in person to keep ideas flowing, typically once a quarter. Prefer being in the office more often? That works for us too.

If you’ve strong experience with PySpark, Python and SQL, we’d love to hear from you.

Core skills we’re looking for to succeed in the role:

• Cloud & Data Engineering: You’ll bring expertise in modern cloud platforms, delivering scalable and robust data solutions, with engineering and database skills in PySpark, Python, SQL Server and/or Azure (Data Factory, Synapse) and the associated ETL technologies.
• Problem-Solving & Innovation: You’ll thrive on tackling complex challenges, finding creative solutions, and approaching every task with a proactive, optimistic mindset.
• Organisation & Delivery: You’ll balance multiple priorities with confidence, staying organised and focused. You’ll take pride in delivering high‑quality outcomes by following standards and designs, while suggesting improvements that raise the bar.
• Collaboration & Teamwork: You’ll thrive in a collaborative environment, working towards shared goals while supporting and mentoring less experienced engineers to achieve their potential.

What’s involved:

• You’ll develop low to high complexity, secure, governed, high quality, efficient data pipelines from a variety of on and off premise, internal and external data sources
• You’ll ensure that data is cleansed, mapped, transformed and optimised for storage to meet requirements for business and technical use cases
• You’ll build data observability and data quality by design into all Data pipelines, promoting self-testing pipelines that proactively identify processing issues or discrepancies
• You’ll build solutions that pipe transform data into data lake storage areas, physical database models and reporting structures across data lake, data warehouse, business intelligence systems and analytics applications
• You’ll build physical data models that are appropriately designed to meet business needs and optimise storage requirements, ensuring maximum re-use
• You’ll carry out unit testing of own code, and peer testing of others code to ensure appropriate quality
• You’ll maintain effective, and appropriate documentation that brings transparency and understandability to pipelines created and code created.
• You’ll follow coding standards, architectural principles, solution design/architecture and release management processes to ensure safe, high quality, compliant code
• You’ll coach and mentor Associate data engineers.
• You’ll create low to high complexity BI solutions including data mart, semantic layer, and reporting & visualisation solutions in recognised BI tools such as Power BI.

Experience & knowledge

• Requires experience of designing and building end to end data solutions (2-5 years).
• Engineering and database skills in SQL Server and/or Azure (Data Factory, Synapse) and the associated ETL technologies.
• Experience of working with large, event based, datasets in an enterprise environment.
• Experience of testing techniques and tools.
• Proven to be an excellent communicator with a desire to build rapport with others.
• Keen and active interest in the use of data, with active external networks.
• Brings ideas on how data can drive value for businesses.
• Good understanding of the full data lifecycle.
• Experience of Continuous Integration / Continuous Delivery (CI/CD)
• Experience of working in an agile environment and self-managing teams

Skills

• An excellent creative problem solver.
• Proactive and optimistic about what can be achieved
• Very good time management and organisation skills with the ability to prioritise multiple demands
• Supporting and enthusiastic team player focussed on delivering shared outcomes.
• Comfortable advising and supporting less experienced engineers.
• Energetic and proactive, and someone who motivates others by their “can do, will do” attitude.
• Able to follow, and make recommendations to improve, standards and designs, ensuring their work is of high quality.

Bring your PySpark and SQL skills to the next level— and discover an exciting career opportunity.

Ready to join us?

We’re looking for talented people who want to make a real impact for our customers, colleagues and business.

To find out more about careers at 1st Central, take a look here