Data Engineer (Java Skills)

LA International; City Of London; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

LA International is recruiting an experienced Data Engineer with strong Java skills to support a major technology programme in London. The role involves designing, building and maintaining scalable data solutions and services in a technical engineering environment.

Key responsibilities include developing Java-based applications, Kafka-based streaming solutions, Python data processing, and deploying in Kubernetes.

Qualifications

• Java hands-on development experience.
• Experience with Kafka-based messaging/streaming.
• Experience deploying/containerising with Kubernetes.
• Python-based data processing and automation.
• Strong software and data engineering fundamentals.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop and maintain scalable data engineering solutions and services.
• Develop robust applications and data-processing components using Java.
• Build and support event-driven and streaming solutions using Apache Kafka.
• Develop and maintain Python-based data processing, automation and integration solutions.
• Deploy and support applications and services within Kubernetes environments.
• Work with large datasets across distributed systems.
• Develop reliable data pipelines and integration services.
• Support data integration across applications and platforms.
• Troubleshoot issues across data pipelines, applications and infrastructure.
• Collaborate with software engineers, architects and DevOps teams.
• Contribute to technical design discussions and engineering best practices.
• Ensure scalability, security, and production readiness.

Skills

Java

Apache Kafka

Kubernetes

Python

Distributed Systems

Data Integration

Production Solutions

Troubleshooting

Agile

Stakeholder Communication

Docker

Tools

Docker

Job description

Job Details

Job title: Data Engineer (Java Skills)

Location: London - Hybrid

Contract: 6 months, with possibility of extension

Clearance: SC Cleared or eligible to obtain SC clearance

Summary

We are currently recruiting for an experienced Data Engineer with strong Java skills to support a major technology programme based in London.

The successful candidate will work within a technical engineering environment, helping to design, build and maintain scalable data solutions and services. The role requires strong hands‑on development experience, particularly across Java, Kafka, Kubernetes and Python.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, develop and maintain scalable data engineering solutions and services.
• Develop robust applications and data-processing components using Java.
• Build and support event‑driven and streaming solutions using Apache Kafka.
• Develop and maintain Python-based data processing, automation and integration solutions.
• Deploy and support applications and services within Kubernetes environments.
• Work with large and complex datasets across distributed systems.
• Develop reliable and maintainable data pipelines and integration services.
• Support the integration of data across applications, platforms and services.
• Troubleshoot technical issues across data pipelines, applications and infrastructure.
• Work closely with software engineers, architects, DevOps teams and other technical stakeholders.
• Contribute to technical design discussions and engineering best practices.
• Ensure solutions are scalable, secure, resilient and suitable for production environments.
• Support testing, deployment, monitoring and continuous improvement of engineering solutions.
• Produce and maintain appropriate technical documentation.

Essential Skills & Experience

• Candidates should have strong commercial experience across the following:
• Java - strong hands‑on development experience.
• Apache Kafka - experience developing or supporting Kafka‑based messaging, streaming or event‑driven solutions.
• Kubernetes - experience deploying, managing or supporting containerised applications.
• Python - experience developing scripts, applications, APIs or data‑processing solutions.
• Strong understanding of software and data engineering principles.
• Experience working with distributed systems and data integration.
• Experience developing reliable, scalable production solutions.
• Strong troubleshooting and problem‑solving skills.
• Experience working within Agile or collaborative engineering environments.
• Ability to communicate effectively with both technical and non‑technical stakeholders.

Desirable Experience

• Experience in any of the following would be beneficial:
• Cloud platforms such as AWS, Azure or GCP.
• Docker and containerised environments.
• CI/CD pipelines and automated deployment.
• REST APIs and microservices.
• SQL and relational or NoSQL databases.
• Data streaming and real‑time processing.
• Infrastructure‑as‑Code or DevOps tooling.
• Working within large‑scale enterprise or public‑sector technology programmes.

Additional Information

Due to the nature and urgency of this post, candidates holding or who have held high level security clearance in the past are most welcome to apply. Please note successful applicants will be required to be security cleared prior to appointment which can take a minimum 10 weeks.

We welcome applications from all individuals, regardless of background or identity, and we encourage candidates who may not meet every listed requirement to still apply.

Please Note: If a high volume of applications is received, only candidates shortlisted will be contacted.