Data Engineer

Somerset Council; Taunton; Hybrid; GBP 37,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government authority in Somerset is seeking a Data Engineer to build and manage data pipelines on Microsoft Fabric. The role involves designing data models, ensuring data quality, and collaborating with various teams for successful outcomes. Candidates should have expertise in Python, SQL, and understanding of data governance, with a degree in a relevant field. Flexible working arrangements are available, along with generous benefits including annual leave and gym discounts.

Benefits

Flexible working arrangements

Generous annual leave allowance

Staff discounts in gyms

Employee Assistance programs

Pension Scheme options

Flexible Benefits Scheme

Qualifications

• Experience building and maintaining data pipelines using Python, SQL, and JSON.
• Understanding of cloud platforms, lakehouses, and medallion architecture.
• Ability to translate business needs into technical solutions.

Responsibilities

• Build and run reliable data pipelines on Microsoft Fabric.
• Shape high-quality data models and products.
• Embed governance security and data quality from the start.

Skills

Building data pipelines

Python

SQL

JSON

Microsoft Fabric

Data governance

Education

Degree in Computer Science or Engineering

Cloud data engineering certification

Job description

Overview

We're working to improve the lives of people in Somerset - and you'll be a key part of that. Your day-to-day work will involve:

Responsibilities

• Build and run reliable data pipelines on Microsoft Fabric
• Design and operate repeatable ingestion patterns from our core business systems and trusted external sources. You will implement incremental loads, manage schema change, and orchestrate flows into OneLake across bronze, silver and gold style layers. You will write clean and well documented code, keep data moving on schedule, and resolve issues quickly so colleagues across the organisation can depend on timely data.
• Shape high quality data models and products
• Model entities and relationships, define clear data contracts, and publish curated tables and views that are easy to discover and reuse. You will build semantic models for Power BI with standardised definitions and measures so analysts and service teams can answer questions without rebuilding logic each time.
• Embed governance security and data quality from the start
• Implement validation rules for completeness accuracy and timeliness, monitor data quality, and document lineage in Microsoft Purview so teams can see how data flows from source to insight. You will apply role based access control, manage secrets with Key Vault, and follow information governance and GDPR requirements so sensitive data stays protected and useful.
• Work closely with analysts service leads and system owners to deliver outcomes
• Turn goals into technical work, iterate in small steps, and communicate progress clearly. You will collaborate across ICT analytics and operational services, contribute to shared engineering standards and reviews, and produce run books and handovers that help colleagues support and extend what you build.
• Modernise and improve the platform continuously
• You will help migrate legacy data flows and reports into Fabric, simplify overlapping pathways, and improve performance reliability and cost efficiency. You will automate testing and release through CI/CD, stay current with modern data practices, and share learning through our community of practice.

Qualifications

• Have experience building and maintaining data pipelines using Python, SQL, and JSON.
• Understand cloud platforms (especially Microsoft Fabric), lakehouses, and medallion architecture.
• Know your way around data governance, privacy regulations (GDPR), and secure-by-design principles.
• Can translate business needs into technical solutions across cross-functional teams.
• Hold a degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field - and ideally a cloud data engineering certification.

Benefits

• We offer great training and development opportunities, with supportive management. As well as this, we have some fantastic employee benefits available:
• We promote a healthy work-life balance and offer flexible working arrangements wherever possible, including working from home.
• Generous annual leave allowance, with the opportunity to purchase additional leave
• Staff discounts in gyms.
• Employee Assistance for the times you may need some support and a variety of employee wellbeing services.
• Auto enrolment onto our generous Pension Scheme and optional pension enhancement through our Additional Voluntary Contribution scheme.
• A Flexible Benefits Scheme via salary sacrifice to obtain a cycle for work and health screenings.
• My Staff Shop offering discounts in shops, online shopping, restaurants, cinema tickets, insurance benefits and more, The salary for this role is £37,280 - £41,771 per annum.