Lead Data Engineer

SR2; City Of London; Remote; GBP 111,000 - 115,000; Part time

Job summary

SR2 is seeking a Lead Data Engineer with active SC clearance to support a major Central Government programme. The role focuses on developing and maintaining core data pipelines, streaming data into downstream products, and leading engineering delivery.

You will design scalable data pipelines, lead technical delivery, establish engineering standards, mentor junior engineers, and ensure secure, reliable data solutions. Remote work with occasional onsite meetings is available.

Qualifications

• Strong experience in Java and Python for data engineering pipelines.
• Hands-on with Kafka, Kubernetes and AWS technologies.
• Experience using Terraform and CI/CD pipelines (Drone preferred).
• Proven leadership of data engineering teams across delivery cycles.
• Previous Central Government work and Active SC clearance.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop and maintain scalable data pipelines.
• Lead technical delivery and guide architectural decisions.
• Establish engineering standards and best practices.
• Mentor junior engineers while remaining hands-on with development.
• Deliver reliable, secure data solutions for government programmes.

Skills

Java

Python

Kafka

Kubernetes

AWS

Terraform

Drone CI/CD

Data engineering lead

SC clearance

Central Government experience

Job description

Lead Data Engineer - SC Cleared

Location: Primarily Remote (Occasional Onsite Meetings)
Contract: 5 Months Initially (Potential Extension)
Day Rate: £600-£625 per day
Start Date: ASAP
IR35 Status: Inside IR35
Clearance: Active SC Clearance Essential

Role Overview

We are seeking an experienced Lead Data Engineer to support a major Central Government programme. The role will focus on developing and maintaining core data pipelines, streaming data into downstream products and leading engineering delivery.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, develop and maintain scalable data pipelines.
• Lead technical delivery and support architectural decisions.
• Establish engineering standards and best practices.
• Mentor junior engineers while remaining hands-on with development.
• Support the delivery of reliable, secure data solutions.

Essential Skills & Experience

• Strong experience in Java and/or Python.
• Hands-on expertise with Kafka, Kubernetes and AWS.
• Experience with Terraform and CI/CD pipelines (ideally Drone).
• Proven experience leading data engineering teams.
• Previous Central Government experience.
• Active SC clearance.