Principal Data Engineer

Hippo Digital Limited; United Kingdom; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading digital solutions provider is seeking a Principal Data Engineer to join their innovative team. In this role, you will drive technical deliverables, maintain client relationships, and lead the engineering efforts. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in Python, SQL, and cloud services, along with proven leadership abilities. This position offers a competitive salary, flexible working arrangements, and opportunities for professional development.

Benefits

Contributory pension scheme

25 days holiday plus UK public holidays

Cycle-to-work scheme

Qualifications

• Proven ability to build reliable data pipelines.
• Data modeling experience is highly desirable.
• Experience working in an Agile environment.

Responsibilities

• Act as a technical SME within the Hippo engineering community.
• Collaborate with colleagues to explore, design, and deliver solutions.
• Lead recruitment efforts for engineers.

Skills

Extensive experience delivering in Python

Strong experience with SQL

Solid experience with cloud providers

Experience working with Snowflake and dbt

Excellent communication skills

Proven leadership on complex projects

Tools

AWS

Azure

GCP

Job description

About The Role

Hippo is recruiting for a Principal Data Engineer to join our Hippo Herd. Principal Data Engineers work in multi-disciplinary teams that build, support & maintain user-centered digital solutions that offer real value and work for everyone.

Hippo's Principal Data Engineers are experts in their field. You will act as a principal consultant providing technical expertise in data engineering practices both internally and to our clients. You will drive the team's technical deliverables, maintain client relationships, and be passionate about developing and upskilling others.

Please note, we are looking for candidates seeking growth at this level (principal). The advertised salary band is at the lower end of our full banding for this position, allowing for progression.

Your role in a nutshell:

• Act as a technical SME within the Hippo engineering community, ensuring user-centered software development based on business requirements and best practices.
• Collaborate with colleagues to explore, design, and deliver solutions to client problems.
• Maintain client relationships and troubleshoot issues collaboratively.
• Design and manage software development and deployment pipelines, resolving issues and bottlenecks proactively.
• Review and prioritize the delivery team's workload, anticipating realignment with operational priorities and complex work streams.
• Communicate effectively, presenting prototypes, solutions, and progress to stakeholders clearly and concisely.
• Build strong relationships with your team and stakeholders, addressing challenges proactively.
• Lead recruitment efforts for engineers and support the professional development of colleagues.
• Ensure Hippo's Data and Engineering communities contribute strategically to the business.
• Lead on new business opportunities, including writing technical bids and proposals.
• Promote Hippo's Data Herd externally through blogs, workshops, seminars, or conferences.

Skills and experience needed

• Extensive experience delivering in Python and at least one other core language.
• Strong experience with SQL and relational databases; NoSQL experience is desirable.
• Solid experience with cloud providers such as AWS, Azure, or GCP.
• Experience working with Snowflake and dbt.
• Familiarity with different data formats like CSV, JSON, and XML.
• Proven ability to build reliable data pipelines.
• Data modeling experience is highly desirable.
• Broader IT knowledge, including security and networking.
• Experience working in an Agile environment.
• Knowledge of TDD and BDD methodologies.
• Experience with CI/CD processes.
• Proven leadership on complex projects, stakeholder management, and influencing decisions.
• Coaching and guiding others towards optimal solutions.
• Excellent communication skills, capable of articulating technical and non-technical concepts.
• Technical leadership and mentoring experience.
• Ability to define working procedures and methodologies for teams.

What makes us great

Alongside a competitive salary, we offer benefits such as:

• Contributory pension scheme (Hippo 6%, employee 2%)
• 25 days holiday plus UK public holidays
• Perkbox discounts
• Critical illness cover
• Life assurance and death in service cover
• Volunteer days
• Cycle-to-work scheme
• Electric vehicle salary sacrifice scheme
• Season ticket loans
• Wellbeing sessions
• Flexible benefits including private health and dental, extra holidays, wellbeing contributions, charity donations, and tree planting.

Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging at Hippo

We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace that values diversity. We encourage applications from underrepresented groups and provide accommodations to ensure an equitable recruitment process. We are a Disability Confident Employer, Mindful Employer, Endometriosis Friendly Employer, and part of the Armed Forces Covenant.

About Hippo

We design with empathy and build for impact through data, human-centered design, and software engineering. Our agile methodology supports innovation and continuous improvement, aiming to deliver real results that serve humanity and solve complex problems.

Locations

Headquartered in Leeds with offices across the UK, including Glasgow, Manchester, Birmingham, London, and Bristol. We welcome applications nationwide and offer relocation support of up to £8k. Candidates may work on-site or remotely, depending on client needs and preferences.