Principal Data Engineer

ITV; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

An innovative firm is seeking a Principal Data Engineer to lead a dynamic team in a fast-paced environment. This role involves defining data engineering processes and implementing scalable solutions that impact millions. You will be at the forefront of transforming data practices, guiding your team in best practices, and collaborating with cross-functional teams. Join a company that values growth and offers a fun working environment where your contributions are recognized and celebrated. If you're passionate about data and leadership, this is your chance to make a significant impact.

Qualifications

• Strong leadership in data engineering with team management experience.
• Proficiency with Databricks, Hadoop, and Spark for data solutions.

Responsibilities

• Manage a small team of data engineers and promote knowledge sharing.
• Design and implement scalable data pipelines and infrastructure.

Skills

Leadership in Data Engineering

Team Management

Databricks

Hadoop

Spark

ETL Processes

Production-grade Coding

Automated Testing

CI/CD Tools

Cloud Platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP)

Data Modelling

SQL Optimization

Tools

Tableau

QuickSight

Looker

ThoughtSpot

Job description

Workplace: London, White City - expectation is 2 days in the office.

The team

Millions of people use the products we build. We're customer focused, informed by data and have a product mindset, using state-of-the-art cloud-first technology. Iterating and evolving daily. In a fast-changing world, we not only make sure our systems work effectively but our Technology teams are spearheading the transformation to a digital-first business. There’s never been a more exciting time to join us.

As part of the Advanced Advertising Technology team, the focus is on data analytics, monetisation and financial governance. When you join us, you enter a fun working environment with opportunities to learn, to grow and make a real difference. Small enough that your impact’s felt in the business, but big enough that your impact reaches millions of people.

The role

As a Principal Data Engineer, you will be recognized as a technical authority and champion of data engineering delivery. You will define and nurture our data engineering processes, own initiatives to improve our competency and culture, and support team development. You are expected to work independently and collaboratively.

You will guide your team in adopting best practices, collaborate with cross-functional teams to implement scalable and secure data solutions, and lead technical decision-making.

This leadership role involves managing a small team of data engineers, with responsibilities including:

1. Recruiting, mentoring, and developing team members
2. Making key technical platform and tool decisions
3. Designing and implementing process improvements and scalable infrastructure
4. Promoting knowledge sharing within the ITV community
5. Supporting budget and forecasting processes
6. Delivering secure, scalable data pipelines
7. Collaborating with commercial teams and data product owners
8. Leading architectural activities and establishing standards
9. Resolving design and technical issues
10. Monitoring and optimizing data workflows
11. Defining automated quality assurance processes
12. Managing data governance and compliance
13. Ensuring observability and incident reduction
14. Upholding team ways of working

Skills you’ll need (minimum criteria)

• Strong leadership in a data engineering environment
• Experience in team management, career development, and delivery
• Proficiency with Databricks, Hadoop, Spark
• Experience building enterprise data pipelines and ETL processes
• Proficiency in production-grade coding and automated testing
• Experience with CI/CD tools, distributed frameworks, and cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP)
• Knowledge of data modelling, databases, and SQL optimization

Other things we’re looking for (key criteria)

• Understanding of UK broadcast & OTT advertising markets
• Knowledge of digital marketing & advertising
• Leadership, inspiration, and influence skills
• Strong communication, decision-making, and problem-solving skills
• Self-motivated with industry awareness
• Familiarity with data design, architecture disciplines, and data governance principles
• Knowledge of data management tools and visualization solutions like Tableau, QuickSight, Looker, ThoughtSpot