Senior Data Engineer

Zepz; Greater London; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Unlimited annual leave

Healthcare benefits

London office

Employee discounts

In-person collaboration

Job summary

Zepz is seeking a highly skilled Senior Data Engineer to lead the development and management of our data platform. You will own data modeling, governance, and scalable ETL/ELT pipelines across our cross-border remittance tech stack.

Join a global team, design robust data models, implement metadata management, and mentor engineers while optimizing compute and costs in a cloud-first environment. You’ll collaborate with stakeholders to translate business needs into trusted data outcomes.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of data engineering experience with data platforms.
• Expertise in data ingestion, warehousing, and modeling.
• Proficient in SQL and one programming language (Python/Scala/Java).
• Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, Azure).
• Strong governance, metadata, and data cataloging practices.

Responsibilities

• Design and evolve data models for core datasets.
• Enforce data governance and data quality policies.
• Implement data cataloging and metadata management.
• Manage build/deploy lifecycle for data movement and ETL/ELT.
• Oversee compute resources and cost optimization.
• Provide mentoring to other data engineers.
• Evaluate new data technologies to improve the platform.

Skills

Data engineering

Data platforms

Data modeling

SQL

Python/Scala/Java

Airflow

ETL/ELT pipelines

AWS/GCP/Azure

Data governance

Communication

Tools

Databricks

Fivetran

Astronomer

Mode

Delta Lake

Job description

Join Zepz: Breaking Down Borders, Together

Our Meaningful Mission

At Zepz, we’re all about breaking down barriers for our customers and our teammates. Our purpose is deeply personal, we provide a lifeline and deliver opportunities to cross-border communities that need it most through cutting edge finance and tech. Zepz is the power behind WorldRemit and Sendwave , driven by the mission to celebrate the incredible impact migrants have, both at home and abroad. We're not just moving money; we're building a world that truly recognizes and supports global connections.

Who You'll Be Joining

We look for mission-driven builders who thrive in a fast-paced environment connected to a true purpose. We’re an always developing team of experts that enjoy problem solving and bring clarity to tough challenges. At Zepz, we are Relentless Learners, always seeking feedback, and Responsible Owners, treating company resources like your own. We depend on Transparent Communicators who keep the team aligned through open, honest talk.

Our Core Commitments — What We Live By

• Integrity: We always do the right thing. It’s simple, but it’s the foundation of everything we build for our customers and each other.
• Outcomes: We work for our customers. Their success and prosperity are the results we focus on delivering.
• Velocity: We are fast! We maintain high energy levels and make smart decisions quickly, keeping us nimble and ahead of the curve.

Perks of Joining Our Team

We believe in empowering colleagues because we genuinely trust our team. Our culture is founded on this high trust, which naturally encourages the high ownership that drives us to meet our shared high expectations and deliver high performance. While we have all the tools to work remotely, we value the purpose and benefits of in-person connections so we expect our teams to come to the office on a regular basis, and therefore be within a comfortable commutable distance from our London office. Alongside a great office environment, we offer unlimited annual leave , great healthcare benefits, and employee discounts. We want you to thrive and focus entirely on making your biggest impact! In turn, we expect you to bring high ownership and commitment to your work. This is a place where we value trust and high performance, and we'll provide the environment and support needed for you to excel.

About the Role

We are seeking a highly skilled and experienced Senior Data Engineer to lead the development and management of our data platform. This pivotal role will focus on supporting critical data needs and developing foundational data models that are essential for advancing our cross-border remittances business. You will leverage your expertise in data warehousing, transformation, and modeling to build robust and scalable data solutions. Your responsibilities will encompass the entire build and deployment lifecycle of data movement and transformation, including managing users, scaling compute resources, and ensuring the platform operates optimally and efficiently. A key focus will be on maintaining robust data governance, ensuring data is well-defined, searchable, and trusted across the entire organization.

What you'll own

Data Modeling & Management

• Design, implement, and evolve data models for core datasets, including creating new models and enhancing existing ones to meet business requirements.
• Collaborate with stakeholders across the organization to translate commercial objectives into trusted data outcomes and dependable solutions.
• Establish and enforce data governance policies to guarantee data quality, security, and compliance.
• Implement and maintain data cataloging and metadata management solutions for easy data discoverability and self-serve.

Platform Operations & Optimization

• Manage all aspects of the build and deployment lifecycle for data movement and transformation processes.
• Oversee user access and resource allocation for compute infrastructure, ensuring efficient scaling and utilization.
• Ensure effective use of platform tools and resources for efficient ETL/ELT processing, providing customized tooling where appropriate.
• Manage the costs associated with all data platform technologies through effective tooling.

Technical Leadership & Innovation

• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to other data engineers within the team.
• Evaluate and integrate new data technologies and tools to enhance the capabilities and efficiency of the data platform.

What you'll bring to the table

• Experience: At least 7 years of experience in data engineering, with a strong emphasis on developing data platforms, data modeling, and managing data assets.
• Data Platform Expertise: In-depth, hands‑on experience with technologies for data ingestion, job orchestration, data warehousing, and reporting.
• ETL/ELT: Proven ability to design, implement, and manage robust ETL/ELT pipelines using various tools (e.g., Spark, dbt).
• Cloud Platforms: Strong experience with cloud data platforms (e.g., AWS, GCP, Azure), including compute, storage, and database services.
• Programming: Proficient in SQL and advanced programming in at least one language (e.g., Python, Scala, Java).
• Orchestration: Experience with workflow orchestration tools (e.g., Astronomer, Apache Airflow).
• Data Governance: Solid understanding and practical experience with data governance principles, data cataloging, and metadata management.
• Performance Optimization: Demonstrated ability to optimize data platform performance and manage compute resources efficiently.
• Problem‑Solving: Excellent analytical and problem‑solving skills with meticulous attention to detail.
• Communication: Strong communication and interpersonal skills, capable of articulating complex technical concepts to both technical and non‑technical audiences.

Bonus Points

• Experience in the financial services or FinTech industry, specifically with cross-border payments.
• End-to-end experience building data platforms, connecting all components from ingestion to reporting, using industry-standard tools. These include: Fivetran (ingestion), Databricks (lakehouse), Astronomer/Apache Airflow (orchestration), and Metaplane/Datadog (observability).
• Proficiency in data modeling tools and techniques (e.g. dbt).
• Familiarity with modern data lake formats such as Delta Lake and Iceberg.
• Experience with real-time data processing and streaming technologies (e.g. Flink, Epsio).
• Experience with infrastructure as code (e.g., Terraform) for managing data platform resources.
• Familiarity with data observability and monitoring tools (e.g. Metaplane, Datadog).
• Proficiency in BI and data visualization tools; experience using Mode is preferred.
• Experience using Blackline or Autorek reconciliation software

AI Literacy & Tools

• A genuine curiosity about AI and how it can be applied in your area of work — from accelerating analysis and insight generation, to improving how we design and deliver processes and communications.
• Practical experience using AI tools in a professional context — whether to connect information, draft content, build frameworks, or create insights from data. We want people who actively use AI to increase productivity, not those who are waiting to be told to.
• Strong AI literacy — an understanding of what AI assistants can and cannot do, how to prompt effectively, and how to critically evaluate AI-generated output before using it.
• Awareness of the ethical considerations and responsible use of AI in the workplace, particularly in the context of sensitive data, customer experience, and compliance.
• Prior experience using Claude (Anthropic) is a nice-to-have but not essential — what matters most is that you are genuinely engaged with AI as a tool, comfortable experimenting, and eager to share what works with your wider team

Our global team of 800+ people is spread across six continents. We aspire to hire the best mix of people from former Olympians to YouTube influencers and we speak over twenty languages. This incredible diversity isn't a bonus; it's the engine that lets us serve the world.