Data Engineer

Howden; United States; Hybrid; USD 160,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Discretionary bonus

Hybrid work model

Competitive benefits

Job summary

Howden is building a new US Data team and seeks a Data Engineer to design, build, and maintain our data platform from scratch. You will pioneer our data strategy and core systems to drive analytics leadership across the business.

The ideal candidate brings 5+ years in data engineering, strong SQL and Python, and hands-on Databricks/Azure experience, with an entrepreneurial mindset for a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a technical or quantitative discipline or equivalent experience.
• 5+ years in data engineering or similar roles.
• Experience deploying/maintaining production workloads on Azure and/or Databricks.
• Hands-on with ETL/ELT pipelines and data modeling.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and maintain a scalable data platform.
• Create data pipelines transforming raw data into trusted products.
• Collaborate with global teams and stakeholders to meet business needs.
• Implement data validation, quality checks, and error handling.

Skills

SQL

Python

PySpark

Databricks

Azure

Data pipelines

Data governance

Data quality

Stakeholder collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in technical/quantitative field

Tools

Azure

Databricks

Job description

Who are we?

Howden is a global insurance group with employee ownership at its heart. Together, we have pushed the boundaries of insurance. We are united by a shared passion and no-limits mindset, and our strength lies in our ability to collaborate as a powerful international team comprised of 24,000 employees spanning over 56 countries.

People join Howden for many different reasons, but they stay for the same one: our culture. It’s what sets us apart, and the reason our employees have been turning down headhunters for years. Whatever your priorities – work / life balance, career progression, sustainability, volunteering – you’ll find like-minded people driving change at Howden.

Position: Data Engineer

Status: Full Time

Salary Range: $160,000 - $190,000

About the Job

Why Join Howden US?

At Howden, we’re not just building a business- We’re rewriting the rules of what a global insurance broker can be. And now, it’s your turn to be part of something extraordinary. From three people and a dog to over 22,000 employees across 56 countries, we’ve grown into a $4bn revenue powerhouse with bold ambition: to become a $13bn business with 40,000 people by 2030.

We’re launching our US retail platform with the same entrepreneurial spirit that’s driven our success worldwide-and we’re looking for trailblazers to help shape the future.

Why Howden?

• You’ll Own It
• With 6,000 employee shareholders owning 34% of the company, our unique ownership model means you’re not just joining a team—you’re building a business you truly own.
• You’ll Be Empowered
• We’re a destination for talent where people are trusted to look after their clients and grow together. You’ll have the freedom to lead, backed by global scale and local expertise.
• You’ll Be Part of Something Bigger
• Our integrated platform spans broking, reinsurance, and MGA capabilities—giving you access to everything you need to deliver for clients and build something remarkable

We have always been employee-owned and driven by entrepreneurial spirit. Right from the beginning, we've focused on employing talented individuals and empowering them to make a real difference to the company, whilst building successful and fulfilling careers at the same time. Simply put, we hire talented specialists and give them what they need to make a difference for clients. Always have, always will.

What is the role?

We are seeking a skilled and forward-thinking Data Engineer to design, build, and maintain our data platform, starting from scratch. As a founding member of the Howden US Data team, you will have the opportunity to pioneer our data strategy and build the core systems that will enable Howden to lead the industry in data and analytics.

The ideal candidate will bring strong expertise in data engineering, analytics architecture, and modern data technologies. You are entrepreneurial and comfortable working in a fast-paced environment where you will chart your own path.

What will you be doing?

Key Responsibilities

• Design, build, and maintain a scalable data platform for collecting, storing, and processing raw data.
• Build efficient, performant, and well-tested data pipelines that transform raw data from disparate sources into trusted data products.
• Collaborate with global data teams and business stakeholders to understand business requirements and design solutions that adhere to global best practices.
• Implement data validation, quality checks, and error handling processes.
• Document data architecture, pipelines, transformations, and processes for seamless data governance.
• Ensure compliance with data governance, security, and privacy standards.
• Stay up-to-date on emerging data engineering technologies and design patterns.
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Key Skills & Competencies

• Strong proficiency in SQL and a scripting language like Python; PySpark experience is preferred.
• Demonstrated building pipelines in Databricks.
• Knowledge of dimensional modeling and medallion architecture.
• Experience working with Azure services.Understanding of data quality, validation, and testing processes, including CI/CD.
• Awareness of data governance, security, and privacy best practices.
• Strong problem-solving, analytical thinking, and attention to detail.
• Ability to collaborate with technical and non-technical stakeholders to align the data platform with business needs.
• Experience working with insurance data is a plus.
• Practical experience using AI tools (e.g. Copilot, Claude, ChatGPT, Genie Code) to accelerate development and improve productivity.
• A track record of challenging existing processes and driving improvements rather than maintaining the status quo.
• Strong bias for action and ownership, able to get things done with minimal oversight.
• Data-driven mindset, backing recommendations and decisions with evidence and analysis rather than opinion.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a technical or quantitative discipline, or equivalent technical experience.
• 5+ years of experience in data engineering or similar data platform roles.Hands-on experience building and maintaining ETL/ELT pipelines and data models.
• Proven experience deploying and maintaining production workloads on Azure and/or Databricks.
• Willingness to wear multiple hats, and enough knowledge about data visualization, business intelligence, and project management to fill in the gaps as we build out this team.

What do we offer in return? A career that you define.

Our business succeeds by allowing our people to make a mark in the areas they care about most: personal development, volunteering, and fundraising for charity, or creating new insurance products that address society’s greatest challenges. And we know that separate home and work lives don't really exist. If you're happy and healthy at home, you're more likely to be happy and fulfilled at work – and vice versa. That's why we do our best to support our people in every aspect of their lives.

Diversity and Inclusion

At Howden we value diversity - there is no one Howden ‘personality type’. Instead, we’re looking for individuals who share the same values as us:

• Our successes have all come from someone brave enough to try something new
• We support each other, in the small everyday moments and the bigger challenges
• We are determined to make a positive difference, at work and beyond

We consider our people our chief competitive advantage and as such we treat colleagues, candidates, clients, and business partners with equality, fairness, and respect – regardless of age, disability, race, religion or belief, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, or family circumstances.

Our sustainability promise

• We’re on a life-long journey to become an ever-more sustainable group. It's a commitment to taking care of our people and the world we live in, to doing good business, and to making a positive impact wherever we can. Our governance processes, company policies, and review systems are all geared towards our goal of making a positive impact on the world. You can read more about our sustainability work here.

Compensation and Benefits

The expected base salary range for this role is $160,000 - $190,000; actual base salary will be determined based on factors including candidate experience and work location. This role is classified as exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

In addition to a competitive base salary, employees are eligible to receive a discretionary bonus. Howden also offers a variety of benefits and programs, subject to eligibility, including:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance, including healthcare savings and reimbursement accounts
• 401(k) retirement plan
• Flexible Paid Time Off and paid parental leave
• Life and Disability insurance

Reasonable adjustments

We're committed to providing reasonable accommodations at Howden to ensure that our positions align well with your needs. Besides the usual adjustments such as software, IT, and office setups, we can also accommodate other changes such as flexible hours* or hybrid working*.

Permanent