Principal Data Engineer | Digital Services

Lancashire County Council; Preston; Hybrid; GBP 51,000 - 56,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Local Government Pension Scheme

Job summary

Lancashire County Council is seeking a Principal Data Engineer to lead the design and delivery of modern data solutions that improve services for Lancashire residents. This high-visibility role shapes the Digital Services transformation and requires strong leadership and a track record of building scalable data platforms.

The role combines strategic leadership with hands-on architectural delivery, emphasizing Azure-based cloud data architectures, data governance, and cross-functional

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in data engineering and cloud platforms (Azure preferred).
• Strong experience with ETL/ELT pipelines and data lakes.
• Advanced SQL and data modelling skills.
• Experience building APIs and integration services.
• Proven leadership and mentoring capability.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a team of data and integration engineers.
• Design and deliver scalable data platforms and pipelines.
• Own end-to-end data engineering solutions.
• Drive modern cloud data architecture using Azure technologies.
• Collaborate with architects, analysts, and service teams.
• Champion best practice in data engineering and governance.

Skills

Leadership

Azure

ETL/ELT pipelines

SQL

Data modelling

APIs & integration

Tools

Azure Data Factory

Job description

Description Salary £51,356 - £55,612 Per Annum (Pay Award Pending) | Permanent | Full time, 37 hours per week | Hybrid working

Shape the Future of Data in Lancashire

We are looking for an exceptional Principal Data Engineer to lead the design and delivery of modern data solutions that directly improve services for residents across Lancashire.

This is a key leadership role at the heart of our Digital Services transformation, driving innovation through data.

Please note that we are unable to offer sponsorship for this role

What You’ll Be Doing

• Lead and mentor a team of data and integration engineers
• Design and deliver scalable data platforms and pipelines
• Own end-to-end data engineering solutions
• Drive modern cloud data architecture using Azure technologies
• Collaborate with architects, analysts, and service teams
• Champion best practice in data engineering and governance

About You

• Extensive experience in data engineering and cloud platforms (Azure preferred)
• Strong experience with ETL/ELT pipelines and data lakes
• Advanced SQL and data modelling skills
• Experience building APIs and integration services
• Proven leadership and mentoring capability

Why Join Us

• Work on meaningful projects that impact public services
• Be part of a large-scale digital transformation
• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements
• Generous Local Government Pension Scheme and benefits

Closing date

27 September 2026

Local Government Reorganisation

The Government has confirmed that local government across Lancashire will be reorganised, with the current 15 councils being replaced by four new unitary councils covering North, South, East and West Lancashire from April 2028.

If you are successful in your application, you will initially join Lancashire County Council. However, as part of the planned transition, your employment will transfer to one of the new unitary councils from April 2028, subject to the implementation of the reorganisation and relevant employment legislation.

Throughout this period, our focus remains on delivering excellent services to our communities. By joining us now, you'll play an important role in shaping the future of local government and helping to build a strong new organisation that will serve residents for years to come.