Principal Data Engineer (GCP)

VIQU IT; Lancashire; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

VIQU IT in the Northwest Hybrid is seeking a Principal Data Engineer to lead our data engineering capability after transitioning to a 100% cloud-based data platform. The role blends hands-on cloud work with technical leadership and mentoring across a team of data engineers in a Google Cloud environment.

You will shape platform design, enforce governance and best practices, drive CI/CD, and collaborate with architects to deliver robust data pipelines while navigating data governance and

Qualifications

• Extensive Data Engineering experience with lead/principal level.
• Strong background in cloud-native data platforms.
• Hands-on Google Cloud Platform experience preferred (AWS/Azure acceptable).
• Experience with Terraform, Docker and dbt.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership, coaching and mentoring to data engineers
• Define how data engineering projects are approached, delivered and governed
• Collaborate with architects to design and evolve the cloud data platform
• Ensure robust, scalable and compliant data pipelines across the platform
• Lead best practices around data ingestion, transformation, quality, security and monitoring
• Drive automation, CI/CD adoption and continuous improvement
• Challenge technical decisions and raise engineering standards

Skills

GCP leadership

Cloud data platform

Data engineering

Google Cloud Platform

Terraform

Docker

dbt

SQL

Python

Data governance

Agile/Scrum

Tools

Terraform

Docker

dbt

Job description

Principal Data Engineer (GCP)

Northwest Hybrid
Up to £100,000

VIQU are seeking a Principal Data Engineer to join a leading social enterprise that reinvests profits to create thriving, sustainable communities. Following a full transition to a 100% cloud-based data platform, the Principal Data Engineer will play a key part in shaping and leading the organisation s data engineering capability, with a strong focus on technical leadership, platform design and mentoring engineers within a Google Cloud environment.

Key Responsibilities of the Principal Data Engineer:

• Provide technical leadership, coaching and mentoring to data engineers
• Define how data engineering projects are approached, delivered and governed
• Work closely with architects to design and evolve the cloud data platform
• Ensure robust, scalable and compliant data pipelines across the platform
• Lead best practices around data ingestion, transformation, quality, security and monitoring
• Drive automation, CI/CD adoption and continuous improvement
• Challenge technical decisions and raise engineering standards across the team

Key Requirements of the Principal Data Engineer:

• Extensive experience in Data Engineering, with time spent in a Lead or Principal role
• Strong background working in a cloud-native data platform
• Hands-on experience with Google Cloud Platform is highly preferred, with consideration for AWS or Azure alongside some GCP
• Experience with Terraform, Docker and dbt
• Strong expertise in Data Lake / Data Warehouse solutions
• Advanced SQL and Python skills
• Proven experience optimising complex queries
• Strong understanding of Data Governance, including lineage, data legislation and PII
• Experience working within Agile / Scrum and the SDLC
• Willingness to undergo a DBS check

Principal Data Engineer (GCP)

Northwest Hybrid
Up to £100,000