Principal Data Engineer: AI-Driven Geospatial & Automation

Mott MacDonald; Cardiff; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Private medical insurance

Life assurance 4x salary

Pension contributions match 4.5–7%

Annual bonus schemes

Employee ownership

Flexible benefits

Holiday entitlement 33–35 days

Job summary

Mott MacDonald seeks a highly experienced Principal GIS/Data Engineering Consultant to join the Data Engineering & Automation team. You will lead geospatial, data and digital solutions, advancing AI-driven workflows and scalable automations across major projects in the UK.

You will mentor colleagues, shape digital capability, and drive bids while collaborating with cross-disciplinary experts on cutting-edge technologies in a hybrid working structure across Bristol, Birmingham, and Cardiff.

Qualifications

• Essential: proven geospatial, data, automation and digital expertise with strong UK experience
• Essential: leadership across geospatial, data engineering, automation, and innovative digital solution development
• Essential: delivering large-scale data, geospatial and automation projects with budgeting and resourcing
• Essential: interest or capability in AI-enabled automations and emerging AI practices
• Essential: degree in GIS, geospatial, data engineering, data science, software engineering, or related
• Essential: experience developing orchestration and integration pipelines, automating complex spatial workflows, ETL and data validation
• Essential: strong FME expertise and enterprise-scale automations in FME
• Essential: ArcGIS, Python, and database development incl. PostGIS, schemas, metadata, and data standards
• Essential: excellent communication, business development mindset, innovation drive
• Essential: willingness to undergo BPSS or SC clearance
• Desirable: AI/ML solutions experience
• Desirable: cloud-native geospatial solutions
• Desirable: Azure cloud services and DevOps
• Desirable: remote sensing data analytics including LiDAR
• Desirable: interest in AI agents, digital twins, IoT, AR
• Desirable: advanced programming (JavaScript; Python; Arcade; C#) with ArcGIS APIs
• Desirable: Fellow of RGS and Chartered Geographer (GIS)

Responsibilities

• Design and develop high-value digital solutions; lead data engineering, automation and geospatial capabilities
• Scale productivity with AI and automation; create reusable blueprints
• Plan and quantify value; co-create Digital Value Plans with project teams
• Integrate digital ecosystem; connect platforms using FME, Python, SQL, Azure, APIs, GIS/BIM connectors; employ Esri, Autodesk, Bentley, Moata
• Deliver securely at global scale; collaborate across regions and ensure governed AI with information & cyber security
• Lead multidisciplinary delivery; manage complex projects end-to-end; translate user needs to outcomes
• Grow capability and future services; mentor colleagues; support bids and new opportunities

Skills

Geospatial expertise

Data engineering

Automation

AI-enabled automation

ArcGIS

Python

FME

PostGIS

SQL

Azure

Software integration

Education

Geospatial / data engineering degree

Tools

FME

ArcGIS

Python

SQL

PostGIS

Esri

Autodesk

Bentley

Moata

Job description

Mott MacDonald seeks a highly experienced Principal GIS/Data Engineering Consultant to join the Data Engineering & Automation team. You will lead geospatial, data and digital solutions, advancing AI-driven workflows and scalable automations across major projects in the UK.

You will mentor colleagues, shape digital capability, and drive bids while collaborating with cross-disciplinary experts on cutting-edge technologies in a hybrid working structure across Bristol, Birmingham, and Cardiff.