Senior Data Engineer

Potentia; Christchurch; On-site; NZD 129,000 - 203,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Wellbeing Discovery Sessions

Welcome Packs

Hnry discount

Exclusive invites to industry events

Optional PI/PL Insurance

Job summary

Potentia is seeking an experienced Senior Data Engineer for a 6-week contract based in Christchurch. You will design, build and support scalable data solutions within a modern Databricks environment, delivering robust data pipelines and collaborating with developers, data specialists and business stakeholders.

The role requires 5+ years in data engineering with strong Databricks expertise (Delta Lake, Unity Catalog, Workflows), Python/PySpark and SQL, plus CI/CD experience.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of data engineering experience.
• Strong Databricks experience including Delta Lake Unity Catalog and Workflows.
• Advanced Python/PySpark and SQL skills and data pipeline design experience.
• Experience with CI/CD and development workflows.

Responsibilities

• Design, build and support scalable data solutions in a Databricks environment.
• Develop data pipelines with ingestion, transformation, processing, quality and storage.
• Collaborate with stakeholders and data specialists to deliver quality outcomes.
• Troubleshoot Databricks jobs, optimize performance and tune clusters.
• Produce technical documentation and share knowledge with the team.

Skills

Databricks

Python/PySpark

SQL

Data pipelines

Troubleshooting

Tools

Azure DevOps

GitLab

CI/CD

Job description

Jora New Zealand will close on 9th September 2026. Thank you for being with us, we are cheering you on as you continue your career journey.

Christchurch | 6-week contract | Mid-September start

The Opportunity

We’re looking for an experienced Senior Data Engineer to join an established data team on an initial six-week contract, supporting a key data project in Christchurch.

This is a hands‑on role suited to someone who can quickly get up to speed, work independently and contribute to the design, development and support of modern data products and services.

You’ll be working within a collaborative, multidisciplinary environment alongside developers, data specialists and business stakeholders. The engagement will also include knowledge transfer and handover support around a planned period of leave.

About the Role

You’ll be responsible for designing, building and supporting scalable data solutions across a modern Databricks environment.

This will include:

• Developing and supporting robust data pipelines and data products
• Data ingestion, transformation, processing, quality and storage
• Working extensively with Databricks, Delta Lake, Unity Catalog and Databricks Workflows
• Developing solutions using Python/PySpark and SQL
• Troubleshooting Databricks jobs and clusters, including performance tuning and optimisation
• Working with stakeholders, developers and data specialists to deliver quality outcomes
• Contributing to CI/CD practices and development workflows
• Producing clear technical documentation and sharing knowledge with the wider team

About You

You’ll bring 5+ years’ experience in data engineering and strong hands‑on experience working across modern data platforms and practices.

Ideally, you’ll have:

• Strong Databricks experience, including Delta Lake, Unity Catalog and Workflows
• Advanced Python/PySpark and SQL skills
• Experience designing and supporting scalable data pipelines and data products
• Strong troubleshooting, monitoring and performance optimisation skills
• Experience with CI/CD, using tools such as Azure DevOps, GitLab or similar
• Experience working in Agile delivery environments
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to work effectively with both technical and business stakeholders
• A collaborative approach, with the confidence to share knowledge and mentor others
• The ability to quickly understand new business processes, data domains and requirements
• Experience supporting machine learning, AI or MLOps initiatives would be advantageous

Contract Details

• 6-week contract
• Start: 14 September 2026
• End: 23 October 2026
• Location: Christchurch

Why This Role?

This is a great opportunity for a senior contractor who enjoys getting stuck into a project, solving complex data challenges and making an immediate impact within an established team.

If you’re a strong Databricks Data Engineer who can hit the ground running, we’d be keen to hear from you.

Contractor benefits (via Potentia)

• Wellbeing Discovery Sessions
• Welcome Packs
• Hnry discount
• Exclusive invites to industry events
• Optional Pay-As-You-Go PI/PL Insurance

Note: We review all CV's manually and you will be contacted if your skills and experience meet the requirements of any of our clients. You must have valid working rights for NZ.