Lead Data Engineer - Perm - AWS Migration

Lorien; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 85,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Lorien in Manchester is seeking a Lead Data Engineer who stays hands-on, sets the standard and leads by example. You will own the data platform migration to an AWS lakehouse and shape the real-time streaming architecture to slash report latency from hours to minutes.

As the senior technical authority, you’ll guide architecture, review code, mentor engineers, and partner with data scientists, analysts and senior stakeholders. This is a hybrid role with two days per week in central Manchester.

Qualifications

• Lead on a large-scale data platform or data warehouse migration.
• Hands-on AWS data stack including Glue, Lambda, S3, Redshift and EMR.
• Advanced Python, PySpark and SQL capabilities.
• Production experience with Kafka or MSK and Spark Streaming.
• Experience with Iceberg or Delta Lake data formats.
• Strong data modelling and lakehouse design.
• Proven ability to mentor engineers and set standards.

Responsibilities

• Act as the senior technical authority for the data platform.
• Drive migration from on-prem SQL Server to AWS lakehouse architecture.
• Design real-time streaming to reduce report latency to minutes.
• Set standards, review code, and guide design decisions.
• Collaborate with data scientists, analysts and other engineering leads.
• Communicate effectively with senior stakeholders and manage expectations.

Skills

Technical lead experience

AWS data experience

Python

PySpark

SQL

Data modelling

Terraform

CI/CD

Mentoring engineers

Stakeholder communication

Spark Structured Streaming

Apache Iceberg

Delta Lake

Kafka / MSK

Tools

AWS Glue

AWS Lambda

Amazon S3

Amazon Redshift

AWS EMR

Kafka / MSK

Spark Structured Streaming

Iceberg

Delta Lake

Terraform

CI/CD pipelines

Job description

Lead Data Engineer
Manchester (Hybrid, 2 days per week in central Manchester) | Permanent | £85,000 - £100,000 + bonus

An independent, high-profile betting and gaming business is looking for a Lead Data Engineer who's happy to stay hands-on, set the standard and still get stuck into the code.

You'll be the senior technical authority for the data platform, working as the hiring manager's technical number two. The immediate focus is the final stages of a large-scale migration from on-premises SQL Server to an AWS lakehouse, alongside designing the Real Time streaming architecture that will take report latency from around 24 hours down to minutes. You'll have real authority over architecture and standards, backed by code reviews, design guidance and leading by example. There are no direct reports, so your time goes on engineering rather than admin.

You'll work closely with data scientists, analysts and other engineering leads, and represent data engineering in architecture and planning conversations with senior stakeholders. Engineers across the business already use enterprise AI tooling, and there's room to go further.

What they're looking for:

• Previous experience as technical lead on a large-scale data platform or data warehouse migration (cutover, reconciliation, parallel running, decommissioning)
• Deep, hands-on AWS data experience: Glue, Lambda, S3, Redshift and EMR
• Advanced Python, PySpark and SQL
• Production experience with Kafka or Amazon MSK, including Spark Structured Streaming
• Hands-on experience with Apache Iceberg or Delta Lake
• Strong data modelling and lakehouse design (bronze, silver, gold)
• Terraform, CI/CD and pipeline orchestration
• A track record of setting standards and mentoring engineers through review, pairing and design sessions
• Confidence communicating with technical and non-technical stakeholders, and challenging constructively

Desirable:

• SQL Server or on-prem to cloud migration, Apache Flink, regulated industry experience

If you'd rather shape a platform than inherit a finished one, and want a seat at the table while you do it, this one's worth a conversation.