Lead Data Engineer

Forward Role; Cheltenham; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Forward Role is seeking a Lead Data Engineer for National Security programmes based in Cheltenham with hybrid working and an active eDV clearance. The role combines hands-on delivery with shaping technical direction and direct engagement with senior customer stakeholders, including C-level contacts.

You will own data platforms, design scalable pipelines, and drive modern data architectures using Python and AWS, with CI/CD and IaC underpinning delivery.

Qualifications

• Senior level (SFIA 5–6) with genuine ownership
• Active eDV clearance required
• Direct interaction with senior customer stakeholders/C-levels

Responsibilities

• Shape solutions and guide technical direction
• Work directly with senior customer stakeholders, including C-level contacts
• Own data platform design, architecture and pipelines
• Champion modern data practices (ETL/ELT, cloud-native services) and CI/CD
• Collaborate across teams to deliver secure, scalable data solutions

Skills

Python

AWS

Data modelling

ETL/ELT

Data architecture

CI/CD

Infrastructure as Code

Technical design

Job description

Lead Data Engineer (National Security)

Salary: £80,000–£120,000
Clearance: Active eDV required
Location: Cheltenham (hybrid working)

There comes a point where another pipeline isn’t enough.

You want to shape the technical direction, influence the customer and have a say in what actually gets built.

I’m supporting a specialist Data & Geospatial SME that has recently secured strategically important National Security work ahead of significantly larger competitors, largely on the strength of its technical capability and credibility in the space.

This is a senior role, operating around SFIA 5–6, with genuine ownership.

You won’t be disappearing into a large delivery team. You’ll be expected to shape solutions, guide technical direction and work directly with senior customer stakeholders, including C-level contacts.

What you’ll be working across

• Python AWS and cloud-native data services
• Modern data platforms ETL / ELT and scalable pipelines
• Data modelling and architecture
• Distributed data processing
• CI/CD and Infrastructure as Code
• Technical design and solution ownership

The role is still hands-on, but the value is in the influence you’ll have around it.

You’ll be close enough to the customer to understand the real problem, senior enough to challenge the approach, and technical enough to help shape the solution properly.

Why it’s worth a look

• Greater technical ownership
• Direct access to senior customer stakeholders
• More influence over architecture and delivery
• A specialist engineering environment rather than a huge prime
• Strong learning and development
• The chance to work on strategically important National Security programmes

The business is in a genuine growth phase, and this role sits close to that expansion rather than being another hire into an established delivery machine.

Clearance

Active eDV clearance is required for this opportunity due to the nature of the live programme.

If you’re already operating at Senior / Lead / Principal level and want a role where your technical judgement actually carries weight, this is well worth a conversation.