Data Engineer (Java Skills)

Free-Work; City of Westminster; Hybrid; GBP 96,000 - 144,000; Full time

Job summary

Free-Work in London is seeking an experienced Data Engineer with strong Java skills to design, build and operate scalable data pipelines for a major technology program. You will work across data ingestion, processing and integration, collaborating with software engineers, DevOps and architects in a hybrid London-based team.

The role requires hands-on Java development, Kafka streaming knowledge, Kubernetes deployment and Python scripting for data processing, with a focus on production-grade

Qualifications

• Strong commercial experience with Java and data engineering.
• Experience with Kafka-based messaging, streaming or event-driven solutions.
• Kubernetes experience deploying or managing containerised apps.
• Python scripting for data processing or automation.
• Understanding of software and data engineering principles.
• Experience with distributed systems and data integration.
• Experience delivering reliable, scalable production solutions.
• Strong troubleshooting and collaboration in Agile teams.
• Effective communication with technical and non-technical stakeholders.

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.

Skills

Java

Kafka

Kubernetes

Python

Distributed systems

Data pipelines

Troubleshooting

Agile

Stakeholder comms

Tools

Docker

CI/CD

REST APIs

SQL

NoSQL

Job description

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

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

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 programs.

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. LA International is an award-winning partner of choice for many of the world’s most influential companies and government organisations. Holding Enhanced Government Security Accreditation, we are recognised as the European market leader in the delivery of Security Cleared talent to organisations that demand the very highest levels of security, compliance and assurance.

An award-winning organisation, having secured the prestigious Queens Award for Enterprise: International Trade over multiple years.

We are committed to fostering an inclusive, equitable and accessible workplace where everyone feels valued and supported.

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.

If you require any adjustments or support during the recruitment process, please let us know and we will work with you to ensure a fair and accessible experience.

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