Lead Data Engineer

JLA Resourcing Ltd; West Midlands Combined Authority; Hybrid; GBP 100,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading UK defence systems integrator is seeking a Lead Data Engineer to lead the design and development of data solutions for government projects. This hybrid role requires hands-on leadership in architecting scalable systems using AWS and Azure while mentoring a team. Ideal candidates will have extensive experience in data engineering and a strong technical background, with the opportunity for long-term career progression.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in data engineering with leadership responsibilities.
• Deep expertise in AWS and/or Azure data platforms and services.
• Proficiency with Pentaho BA for ETL processes and data workflows.

Responsibilities

• Leading and mentoring a team of data engineers.
• Architecting and building end-to-end data solutions.
• Designing and implementing data pipelines and ETL workflows.

Skills

Leadership

Data Engineering

Problem Solving

Communication

Agile Development

Python

Java

Power BI

Tools

Pentaho BA

AWS

Azure

Job description

Role – Lead Data Engineer
Location – Hybrid, 2 days onsite in Telford
Salary - £100,000 to £120,000
Start - ASAP

The Opportunity
We’re proud to be partnering with one of the UK’s leading defence systems integrators on a key recruitment drive to support a major UK Government programme. This is an exciting opportunity for a Lead Data Engineer to play a central role in the design, development, and leadership of high-impact data solutions across cutting-edge government and defence projects.

The role offers a hybrid working arrangement, with an initial expectation of 2 days per week on-site in Telford and the remainder worked remotely. Greater flexibility around remote working is anticipated as working patterns and stakeholder relationships mature.

Working in a collaborative and agile environment, this role will see you leveraging your technical expertise to solve complex data challenges, influence architectural direction, and mentor teams, all while enjoying hybrid working arrangements and long-term career progression.

The Role
As the Lead Data Engineer, you will provide strategic and hands-on technical leadership in architecting and maintaining robust, scalable data pipelines and infrastructure across AWS and Azure cloud platforms. You’ll work closely with delivery managers, external partners, and client-side teams to design and implement secure, high-performance data flows and analytics platforms.
Key responsibilities include:

• Leading and mentoring a team of data engineers, setting standards and best practices.
• Architecting and building end-to-end data solutions and streaming platforms.
• Designing and implementing data pipelines and ETL workflows using Pentaho BA.
• Creating engaging BI reports and dashboards using Power BI.
• Managing cloud-based data environments (AWS, Azure), ensuring scalability and resilience.
• Collaborating on project planning, risk management, and technical documentation.
• Driving innovation by evaluating emerging tools, technologies, and methodologies.
• Supporting systems integration, data migration, and analytics solution development.

The Person
We’re looking for a seasoned data engineering professional with proven leadership experience and strong technical capabilities in cloud environments.
Essential experience includes:

• 5+ years in data engineering with leadership responsibilities.
• Deep expertise in AWS and/or Azure data platforms and services.
• Proficiency with Pentaho BA for ETL processes and data workflows.
• Strong skills in Power BI, Python, and Java.
• Agile development experience and a pragmatic, team-first approach.
• Excellent problem-solving and communication skills, including the ability to convey complex concepts to non-technical stakeholders.

Desirable (but not essential):

• Experience with SSIS, AWS or Azure Data Factory.
• Familiarity with Hadoop, Jenkins, or DevOps practices including CI/CD.
• Cloud certifications (Azure or AWS).
• Knowledge of additional programming languages or ETL tools.

This is a fantastic opportunity to take a leadership role on meaningful, large-scale government programmes while continuing to develop your skills and experience in an inclusive, innovative environment.

If you would like to learn more about the role, please apply through the advert and we will be in touch to discuss the role in more detail.