Senior Data Migration Engineer

Cognizant; Sheffield; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Cognizant in the United Kingdom is seeking a Senior Data Migration Engineer to lead end-to-end data migration projects, with strong SQL and Azure Data Factory expertise.

The role is hybrid in Sheffield (3 days a week), hands-on with complex data models, data mapping, quality and validation, and collaboration with business and technical stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Strong experience in enterprise data migration and data engineering projects.
• Strong SQL skills, including complex queries, data analysis, transformation, validation and reconciliation.
• Hands-on experience with: Azure Data Factory (ADF), Python, Azure SQL DBs, Azure Data Lake and Lakehouse architectures, ETL and ELT pipeline development, Azure DevOps, Git and CI/CD practices, Microsoft Fabric (Good to have).
• Strong understanding of Data modelling, Metadata management, Data lineage, Master and reference data, and complex relational data structures.
• Proven experience across the full data migration lifecycle: strategy, discovery, quality, mapping, transformation, preparation, execution, validation, reconciliation.

Responsibilities

• Define the data migration strategy, scope, approach and delivery plan.
• Assess migration complexity, risks and dependencies.
• Support migration cutover and transition planning.
• Analyse source systems and identify data required for migration.
• Perform data discovery, profiling and inventory assessments.
• Understand source and target data models, metadata, relationships and dependencies.
• Define source-to-target data mappings and transformation rules.
• Work with business and technical stakeholders to validate mapping requirements.
• Handle complex relational and large-volume data structures.
• Assess data quality and implement cleansing and remediation activities.
• Establish data quality controls and validation rules.
• Design and build migration pipelines and processes.
• Execute trial migrations, production migrations and cutover activities.
• Monitor migration execution and resolve data-related issues.
• Maintain migration documentation and audit evidence.
• Define and execute data validation and reconciliation processes.
• Confirm completeness and accuracy of migrated data.
• Investigate and resolve data discrepancies.
• Produce migration reports and evidence of successful migration.

Skills

SQL proficiency

Data migration

Azure Data Factory

Python

Azure SQL DBs

Azure Data Lake

ETL/ELT pipelines

CI/CD practices

Data modelling

Metadata management

Data lineage

Stakeholder communication

Tools

Azure Data Factory

Python

Azure SQL DBs

Azure Data Lake

Lakehouse architectures

ETL/ELT pipelines

Azure DevOps

Git

CI/CD

Microsoft Fabric

Job description

Role: Senior Data Migration Engineer

Location: Sheffield (3 days a week)

Employment: Fulltime

Role Overview

We are seeking an experienced Data Migration Specialist to deliver complex enterprise data migration projects.

The successful candidate will have strong SQL and Azure Data Engineering expertise, with proven experience in planning and delivering end-to-end data migrations. This is a hands-on role requiring the ability to understand complex data models, metadata, data relationships and large-scale data structures.

Key Responsibilities

Data Migration Strategy & Planning

• Define the data migration strategy, scope, approach and delivery plan.
• Assess migration complexity, risks and dependencies.
• Support migration cutover and transition planning.

Data Discovery & Inventory

• Analyse source systems and identify data required for migration.
• Perform data discovery, profiling and inventory assessments.
• Understand source and target data models, metadata, relationships and dependencies.

Data Mapping & Transformation

• Define source-to-target data mappings.
• Develop data transformation rules and business logic.
• Work with business and technical stakeholders to validate mapping requirements.
• Handle complex relational and large-volume data structures.

Data Quality & Cleansing

• Assess data quality and identify inconsistencies, duplicates and missing data.
• Define and implement data cleansing and remediation activities.
• Establish data quality controls and validation rules.

Migration Preparation & Execution

• Design and build migration pipelines and processes.
• Execute trial migrations, production migrations and cutover activities.
• Monitor migration execution and resolve data-related issues.
• Maintain appropriate migration documentation and audit evidence.

Validation & Reconciliation

• Define and execute data validation and reconciliation processes.
• Confirm the completeness and accuracy of migrated data.
• Investigate and resolve data discrepancies.
• Produce migration reports and evidence of successful migration.

Skills & Experience

Essential

• Strong experience in enterprise data migration and data engineering projects.
• Strong SQL skills, including complex queries, data analysis, transformation, validation and reconciliation.
• Hands-on experience with:
  • Azure Data Factory (ADF)
  • Python
  • Azure SQL DBs
  • Azure Data Lake and Lakehouse architectures
  • ETL and ELT pipeline development
  • Azure DevOps, Git and CI/CD practices
  • Microsoft Fabric (Good to have)
• Strong understanding of:
  • Data modelling
  • Metadata management
  • Data lineage
  • Master and reference data
  • Complex relational data structures
• Proven experience across the full data migration lifecycle, including:
  • Migration strategy and scope
  • Data discovery and inventory
  • Data quality and cleansing
  • Data mapping and transformation
  • Migration preparation and execution
  • Validation and reconciliation
• Strong analytical, troubleshooting and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to communicate effectively with both business and technical stakeholders.

Preferred Experience

• Migration of legacy systems to Azure or Microsoft Fabric platforms.
• Previous experience of working on data migration for Governance, Risk and Compliance systems in a Financial Services organisation
• Experience working on large-scale cloud transformation programmes.
• Knowledge of data governance, data quality and metadata management frameworks.
• Experience working within complex or regulated organisations.
• Relevant Microsoft Azure or Fabric certification.