Data Engineer (SC Cleared)

Fortice; England; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A fast-growing AI and data engineering scale-up is hiring a Forward Deployed Data Engineer in the London Area. In this hands-on client-embedded role, you'll engage directly with clients to design and build data pipelines and workflows that solve operational challenges. Ideal candidates have strong experience in Python, SQL, and TypeScript, as well as a solid grounding in data engineering principles. This position offers the opportunity to work on impactful projects and long-term career progression within a supportive culture.

Qualifications

• Strong experience in Python, SQL, and TypeScript.
• Solid grounding in data engineering, ETL pipelines, and workflow orchestration.
• Experience with enterprise data platforms used in operational settings is a plus.
• Comfort operating in complex, high-pressure client environments.
• Interest in applied AI / machine learning with a practical mindset.

Responsibilities

• Work directly alongside stakeholders to understand operational challenges.
• Break down poorly defined problem spaces and design scalable architectures.
• Build and maintain ETL pipelines that support operational and analytical use cases.
• Create decision-support tools and operational workflows.
• Collaborate on deploying AI and ML models that solve real problems.
• Deliver clean, reliable, maintainable software across the stack.
• Mentor peers and contribute to internal best practices.
• Earn credibility with clients through delivery and consistency.

Skills

Python

SQL

TypeScript

Data Engineering

ETL Pipelines

Workflow Orchestration

Applied AI / Machine Learning

Clear communication

Tools

Palantir

Job description

This range is provided by Fortice. Your actual pay will be based on your skills and experience — talk with your recruiter to learn more.

Base pay range

Direct message the job poster from Fortice

Founder @ Fortice and Forza Consulting | Headhunter for UK & EU Defence Tech, AI & National Security | Building High-Trust Teams

About the Opportunity

Fortice are recruiting on behalf of a fast-growing AI and data engineering scale-up operating on complex, mission-critical programmes for government and enterprise clients.

The business sits at the intersection of data engineering, advanced analytics, and applied AI, delivering solutions that support real operational decision‑making in high‑stakes environments. The company has recently entered its next phase of growth following a strategic acquisition by a global consulting and technology partner, bringing scale and long‑term programme stability while retaining an engineering‑led, delivery‑focused culture.

The Role

Forward Deployed Data Engineer (security cleared)

We are hiring Forward Deployed Data Engineers across multiple levels (Junior through Senior Manager).

This is a hands‑on, client‑embedded engineering role. You will work close to operational users, helping them solve messy, ambiguous problems by designing and building robust data pipelines, workflows, and decision‑support tooling.

You are not just “building data platforms” in isolation; you are deploying engineering capability directly into client environments and adapting solutions to real constraints.

What You’ll Do

• Buddy up with clients: Work directly alongside stakeholders to understand operational challenges and translate them into technical solutions.
• Design under ambiguity: Break down poorly defined problem spaces and design pragmatic, scalable architectures.
• Engineer data pipelines: Build and maintain ETL pipelines that support operational and analytical use cases.
• Develop workflows: Create decision‑support tools and operational workflows that real users rely on.
• Apply AI where it counts: Collaborate on deploying AI and ML models that solve real problems, not experiments.
• Write production code: Deliver clean, reliable, maintainable software across the stack.
• Raise standards: Mentor peers, contribute to internal best practice, and help set the engineering bar.
• Build trust: Earn credibility with clients through delivery, judgment, and consistency.

What We’re Looking For

• Strong experience in Python, SQL, and TypeScript.
• Solid grounding in data engineering, ETL pipelines, and workflow orchestration.
• Experience with enterprise data platforms used in operational settings (Palantir experience is a strong plus, but not mandatory).
• Comfort operating in complex, high‑pressure client environments.
• Interest in applied AI / machine learning with a practical mindset.
• Clear communicator who can bridge technical and non‑technical audiences.
• Curious, adaptable, and delivery‑focused.

Why This Role

• Work on mission‑critical programmes with real operational impact.
• Be trusted to operate close to the problem, not shielded from it.
• Build rare experience as a forward‑deployed engineer, not a back‑office implementer.
• Access large‑scale programmes and long‑term career progression through a globally backed organisation.
• Join a culture that values engineering judgement, accountability, and hard work over hype.

Seniority level

Associate

Employment type

Full‑time

Job function

Consulting, Engineering, and Analyst

Industries

Software Development, Public Safety, and IT Services and IT Consulting

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