Lead Data Engineer

ZipRecruiter; York; Hybrid; GBP 66,000 - 71,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in data transformation seeks a Lead Data Engineer for their York office. This role offers the chance to lead technical projects using AWS technologies, manage a data lake, and drive innovation across the organization. The successful candidate will have strong leadership skills and a deep technical background in data engineering.

Benefits

Supportive and flexible working environment

Continuous learning opportunities

Collaborate with AWS engineers

Qualifications

• Experience leading the delivery of data pipelines using AWS technologies.
• Proven leadership in developing high-performing data teams.
• Ability to write clear technical documentation.

Responsibilities

• Act as Technical Lead, ensuring delivery of scalable data pipelines.
• Manage AWS-based data lake and contribute to Data Centre of Excellence.
• Mentor data engineers and foster a strong data culture.

Skills

Leadership

SQL

AWS technologies

Communication

Stakeholder Management

Tools

Terraform

GitHub

VS Code

Alteryx

AWS Athena

Tableau

Power BI

Job description

Job Description

Job Title: Lead Data Engineer

Location: York (Once a month)

Department: Data & Business Intelligence

Salary: £66,000 - 71,000 + Excellent Benefits

Type: Full-Time, Permanent

About the Role

WRK Digital is proud to partner exclusively with a well-known, high-profile organisation on a transformative data journey.We are seeking a talented Lead Data Engineer to play a pivotal role in a major data transformation initiative. This is an exceptional opportunity to join a forward-thinking company as they build an intelligent data platform in close collaboration with AWS engineers.

In this role, you’ll lead cutting-edge data engineering efforts that will enable strategic decision-making, enhance operational efficiency, and support the deployment of AI, machine learning, and advanced analytics across the organisation.

We are looking for a hands-on, highly skilled individual who can set direction and bring technical leadership to a growing team. You'll be managing a cloud-based data lake, designing reusable data assets, and fostering a data-first culture in a dynamic and impactful environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as Technical Lead for the central Data Services team, ensuring delivery of high-quality, scalable data pipelines.
• Manage and evolve the organisation’s AWS-based data lake and catalogue.
• Champion and embed best practices in data ownership, reusability, and governance.
• Contribute to the organisation's Data Centre of Excellence and provide strategic input on data architecture.
• Prioritise and track data sourcing activities through JIRA and Confluence.
• Design delivery plans and oversee execution of data pipeline and asset development.
• Collaborate across business units to identify opportunities for data reuse, efficiency, and innovation.
• Mentor and upskill data engineers, analysts, and scientists across the business.
• Promote a strong data culture and engage with stakeholders to maximise the value of data assets.

Key Requirements

Essential:

• Demonstrable experience leading the delivery of robust and reusable data pipelines using AWS technologies such as S3, Glue, Lambda, and Lake Formation.
• Proficiency in Terraform, GitHub, and VS Code for pipeline deployment.
• Proven leadership in developing high-performing data teams.
• Strong SQL and familiarity with analytics tools such as Alteryx, AWS Athena, Quicksight, Sagemaker, Tableau, and Power BI.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to write clear technical documentation and define user stories with appropriate acceptance criteria.

Desirable:

• Experience in real-time data pipelines using AWS Kinesis / Firehose.
• Industry experience in rail, transport, or similar sectors.
• Involvement in data governance, literacy, and data ownership initiatives.
• Strong understanding of CI/CD workflows in a data engineering context.

Why Join?

• Be part of a cutting-edge data transformation initiative.
• Collaborate with AWS engineers on a modern data architecture.
• Make a tangible impact on revenue, cost savings, and customer experience.
• Enjoy a supportive, flexible working environment and continuous learning opportunities.

If you’re a data visionary with the technical expertise and leadership qualities to shape the future of data in a fast-moving business, we’d love to hear from you.

This role can be based anywhere in the UK with travel to York once a month.

Apply now to be part of a data-driven journey that’s just getting started.