Principal Data Engineer: Lead Data Pipelines (Hybrid)

National Highways; Leeds; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

National Highways is seeking a Principal Data Engineer to design, build, test and maintain data management systems, connecting operational data with analytics and BI platforms. You will lead complex data flows, ensure governance and security, and champion modern data approaches across the Digital Services Directorate.

This hybrid role requires two days per week in office at a National Highways location, working with business stakeholders to deliver reliable data services and drive data

Qualifications

• Proactive leader who drives smarter, more efficient data services.
• Collaborative team player with strong stakeholder relationships.
• Strong decision-making using evidence and technical expertise.
• Committed to professional and operational excellence in data projects.
• Strategic thinker aligning data work with business goals.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design and implementation of complex data flows and pipelines.
• Define and oversee verification and validation activities for data policies.
• Own end‑to‑end lifecycle management of data pipelines, promoting reuse and automation.
• Develop and advocate data engineering best practices and standards.
• Provide technical leadership and socialise best practices across the organisation.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Decision-making

Strategic thinking

Data engineering

Job description

National Highways is seeking a Principal Data Engineer to design, build, test and maintain data management systems, connecting operational data with analytics and BI platforms. You will lead complex data flows, ensure governance and security, and champion modern data approaches across the Digital Services Directorate.

This hybrid role requires two days per week in office at a National Highways location, working with business stakeholders to deliver reliable data services and drive data