Data Platform Engineer

Starling; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days holiday plus public holidays

Life insurance at 4x salary

Private medical insurance

Perkbox membership for discounts

Cycle to Work initiative

Job summary

Starling is seeking a talented data engineer to be part of a pioneering team focused on building a robust cloud-native data environment. You will lead the design and implementation of scalable solutions while collaborating with cross-functional teams.

The role requires strong expertise in Kubernetes, along with coding skills in Python or Java. Starling offers a dynamic culture and benefits including 25 days holiday, private medical insurance, and the ability to work hybrid. Join us in revolutionizing the banking experience!

Qualifications

• Solid expertise with Kubernetes, Operators, and Helm for managing application lifecycles.
• Proficiency in Python or Java, and a passion for writing clean, efficient code.
• Experience refining and deploying green-field, Kubernetes-native open-source projects.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design and implementation of a cloud-native data warehouse and machine-learning platform.
• Dive deep into Kubernetes, using Operators and Helm to automate complex data workflows.
• Use Terraform to manage and document our entire data infrastructure as code.

Skills

Kubernetes expertise

Python or Java programming

Cloud provider proficiency (AWS or GCP)

Infrastructure as code (Terraform)

Tools

Kubernetes

AWS

GCP

Job description

Starling is the UK’s first and leading digital bank dedicated to fixing banking. With a focus on fast technology, fair service and honest values, we aim to make banking simpler, quicker and more transparent for everyone.

Hybrid Working

We ask that technology staff attend the office at least one day per week and that candidates are based within commuting distance of one of our London, Southampton, Cardiff or Manchester offices.

Our Data Environment

Our Data teams support Banking Services & Products, Customer Identity & Financial Crime and Data & ML Engineering. They deliver actionable insights to the business and the customer, leveraging cloud-native platforms and modern data engineering practices.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Building for Scale – lead the design and implementation of a cloud‑native data warehouse and machine‑learning platform that is robust, secure and scalable.
• Mastering Orchestration – dive deep into Kubernetes, using Operators and Helm to automate complex data workflows and platform management.
• Bridging the Clouds – improve existing tooling and enable seamless integrations between our AWS and GCP environments.
• Defining Our State – use Terraform to manage and document our entire data infrastructure as code, ensuring reproducibility and transparency across the stack.

Requirements

• Solid expertise with Kubernetes, Operators and Helm for managing application lifecycles.
• Proficiency in Python or Java, and a passion for writing clean, efficient code to solve infrastructure challenges.
• Comfortable working with at least one major cloud provider (AWS or GCP) and an understanding of how to optimally use their managed services.
• Experience refining and deploying green‑field, Kubernetes‑native open‑source projects.

Bonus Points If You Have

• Experience with SQL‑based transformation workflows (e.g., dbt within BigQuery).
• Familiarity with streaming and ingestion technologies such as Kafka or Debezium.
• A background in Linux administration or data‑management best practices.

Interview Process

Interviewing is a two‑way conversation. It typically proceeds through the following stages:

• Stage 1 – 30‑minute chat with a team member.
• Stage 2 – Take‑home challenge.
• Stage 3 – 60‑minute technical interview with two team members.
• Stage 4 – 45‑minute final interview with two data executives.

Benefits

• 25 days holiday (plus public holidays); an extra day off for your birthday.
• Annual leave that increases with length of service and the option to buy or sell up to five extra days.
• 16 hours paid volunteering time per year.
• Salary sacrifice, company‑enhanced pension scheme.
• Life insurance at 4× your salary and group income protection.
• Private medical insurance (including mental‑health support and cancer care); partner discounts with Waitrose, Mr & Mrs Smith and Peloton.
• Generous family‑friendly policies.
• Perkbox membership for retail discounts, wellness platform, and weekly perks.
• Access to initiatives such as Cycle to Work, salary‑sacrificed gym partnerships and electric‑vehicle leasing.

About Us

We are open to candidates who may not tick every box and welcome people of all backgrounds and experiences. Our culture is fast, collaborative and focused on innovation, with a flat structure that empowers you to make decisions and build impactful products.

Starling Bank is an equal‑opportunity employer. We consider all individuals for employment without regard to race, religion, national origin, age, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, medical condition, ancestry, disability or veteran status. Information you provide is processed in accordance with our Privacy Notice and used for recruiting purposes.