Lead Data Engineer

Aberdeen Standard Investments; City of Edinburgh; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading wealth management firm in Edinburgh is seeking an experienced Lead Data Engineer to design and deliver scalable data solutions. This role involves mentoring junior engineers and architecting data infrastructure to enhance analytics capabilities. Ideal candidates will have deep expertise in the Microsoft Azure Stack, strong proficiency in SQL and Python, and the ability to influence both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Benefits

40 days’ annual leave

16% employer pension contribution

Discretionary performance-based bonus

Private healthcare

Gym discounts

Qualifications

• Proven experience leading data engineering initiatives in complex environments.
• Deep expertise in modern data architecture.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design and delivery of scalable data models and pipelines.
• Architect data infrastructure for advanced analytics.
• Mentor junior engineers and analysts.

Skills

Data engineering

SQL

Python

Azure Data Factory

Data visualisation tools

Tools

Microsoft Azure Stack

Power BI

MS Fabric

Job description

Job Description

At Aberdeen, our ambition is to be the UK’s leading Wealth & Investments group.

Strengthening talent and culture is one of our strategic priorities. We strive to make Aberdeen a great place to work so that we can attract and retain the industry’s best talent.

Our people put our stakeholders at the heart of everything they do by helping us to make a positive difference to the lives of our clients, customers, colleagues, shareholders and society.

We are focused on growing our direct and advised wealth platforms and repositioning our specialist asset management business to meet client demand. We are committed to providing excellent client service, supported by leading technology and talent.

Aberdeen comprises three businesses, interactive investor (ii), Investments and Adviser, each of which focuses on meeting and adapting to our clients’ evolving needs:

• Interactive Investor, the UK’s second largest direct-to-consumer investment platform, enables individuals in the UK to plan, save and invest in the way that works for them.

• Our Adviser businessprovides financial planning solutions and technology for UK financial advisers, enabling them to create value for their customers.

• Our Investments businessis a specialist asset manager that focuses on areas where we have both strength and scale to capitalise on the key themes shaping the market, through either public markets or alternative asset classes.

About the Department

The Data Engineering team sits within the wider Data & Analytics function at Aberdeen, delivering high-quality reporting, analytics, and insights to key stakeholders. The team is focused on transforming raw data from source systems into trusted, integrated datasets that power decision-making and strategic planning across the business.

About the Role

We are seeking a dynamic and experienced Lead Data Engineer to spearhead the development of our centralised “single view” data model and lead the evolution of our data engineering capabilities. This role is ideal for someone who thrives in a fast-paced environment, enjoys mentoring others, and is passionate about shaping the future of data at Aberdeen.

As a Lead Data Engineer, you will play a pivotal role in architecting scalable data solutions, driving engineering best practices, and collaborating across multi-disciplinary teams to deliver impactful insights. You will be responsible for guiding the technical direction of the team, ensuring data quality and governance, and influencing the broader data strategy.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the design and delivery of high-quality, scalable, and impactful data models and pipelines.

• Architect and optimise data infrastructure to support advanced analytics, reporting, and AI initiatives.

• Champion data governance, security, and compliance across all engineering activities.

• Collaborate with stakeholders across technology, analytics, and business domains to understand data needs and translate them into robust solutions.

• Identify opportunities to enhance data capabilities and drive innovation through new tools, technologies, and methodologies.

• Mentor and coach junior engineers and analysts, fostering a culture of technical excellence and continuous learning.

• Own the delivery roadmap for data engineering initiatives, ensuring alignment with business priorities and timely execution.

About the Candidate

The ideal candidate will possess the following:

• Proven experience leading data engineering initiatives and teams in complex, data-rich environments.

• Deep expertise in the Microsoft Azure Stack and modern data architecture patterns.

• Experience with data & analytics platforms (e.g. MS Fabric).

• Strong proficiency in SQL, Python, and data orchestration tools (e.g. Azure Data Factory).

• Experience with data visualisation tools, ideally Power BI, and delivering data models that support self-service analytics.

• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence technical and non-technical audiences.

• Strong analytical thinking and problem-solving abilities, with a strategic mindset.

• Passion for continuous learning, innovation, and driving data maturity across the organisation.

We are proud to be a Disability Confident Committed employer. If you have a disability and would like to apply to one of our UK roles under the Disability Confident Scheme, please notify us by completing the relevant section in our candidate questionnaire. One of our team will reach out to support you through your application process.

Our benefits

There's more to working life than coming home with a good salary. We have an environment where you can learn, get involved and be supported.

When you join us, your reward will be one of the best around. This includes 40 days’ annual leave, a 16% employer pension contribution, a discretionary performance-based bonus (where applicable), private healthcare and a range of flexible benefits – including gym discounts, season ticket loans and access to an employee discount portal. You can read more about our benefitshere.

Our business

Enabling our clients to be better investors drives everything we do. Our business is structured around three distinct areas – our vectors of growth – focused on our clients’ changing needs. You can find out more about what we dohere.

An inclusive way of working

Whatever way you like to work, if you have the talent and commitment to join our team, we’d like to hear from you.

At Aberdeen we’ve adopted a ‘blended working’ approach. This approach combines the benefits of face-to-face collaboration, coaching and connecting in our offices with the flexibility of working from home. It enables colleagues to find a balance that works for their roles, their teams, our clients and our business.

An inclusive culture, where diverse perspectives drive our actions, is at the core of who we are and what we do. If you need assistance with your application, or a reasonable adjustment to your interview arrangements – for example, because you are neurodivergent, or have a physical, sensory, cognitive, mental, visible or invisible disability – please let us know and we’ll be happy to help.

We’re committed to providing an inclusive workplace where all forms of difference are valued and which is free from any form of unfair or unlawful treatment. We define diversity in its broadest sense – this includes but is not limited to our diversity of educational and professional backgrounds, experience, cognitive and neurodiversity, age, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, religion or belief and ethnicity and geographical provenance. We support a culture that values meritocracy, fairness and transparency and welcomes enquiries from everyone. If you need assistance or an adjustment due to a disability please let us know as part of your application and we will assist.