Lead Solutions & Data Engineer (Kroger)

Retail Insight; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible hybrid work

25 days annual leave

Learning & development

Private medical insurance

Volunteer days

Car purchase scheme

Gym discounts

Equal opportunity employer

Job summary

Retail Insight is seeking a Lead Solutions Engineer in the US to design and deliver cloud-based data solutions for enterprise retailers. This hands-on leadership role blends engineering, solution architecture, and client partnership to evolve the data platform for analytics, automation, and AI-driven use cases.

You will guide cross-functional delivery, mentor engineers, and work with Product, Delivery, and Customer Success teams to set standards, improve performance, and accelerate delivery.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in data engineering and modern data platforms.
• Background in solution architecture and designing production-ready data solutions.
• Demonstrable expertise in T-SQL and Python.
• Hands-on experience with Databricks and cloud-based data ecosystems.
• Experience delivering complex projects across multiple stakeholders.
• Confidence working directly with customers and influencing senior decision makers.
• The ability to thrive in fast-moving environments where priorities evolve.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design, delivery, and optimisation of end-to-end data solutions.
• Build and oversee large-scale data pipelines and analytics solutions.
• Partner with clients to translate business challenges into practical technical solutions.
• Guide delivery across complex projects, balancing quality, speed, and long-term sustainability.
• Champion best practices across data engineering, governance, security, and platform reliability.
• Evaluate emerging technologies and identify opportunities to improve performance and accelerate delivery.
• You'll be a technical leader both internally and externally, helping to raise standards, develop talent, and strengthen client relationships.
• Mentor and coach engineers, fostering a collaborative, high-performing culture.
• Work closely with Product, Delivery, and Customer Success teams to shape solutions.
• Define and uphold engineering and architectural standards.
• Support the growth and development of the engineering team.
• Act as a trusted advisor to clients and a bridge between commercial and technical teams.

Skills

Data engineering

Solution architecture

T-SQL

Python

Databricks

Cloud data platforms

Tools

Databricks

Job description

At Retail Insight, we help retailers turn complex data into smarter decisions. As our US business continues to grow, we're looking for a Lead Solutions Engineer to play a key role in designing and delivering the next generation of cloud-based data solutions.

This is a hands-on leadership role that combines engineering, solution architecture, and client partnership. You'll work directly with enterprise retail clients, helping them solve complex challenges while guiding the evolution of our data platform to support analytics, automation, and AI-driven use cases.

What you'll be doing;

We're looking for potential and impact, not perfection. If your experience aligns with much of what we describe, we'd encourage you to apply.

• Lead the design, delivery, and optimisation of end-to-end data solutions.
• Build and oversee large-scale data pipelines and analytics solutions.
• Partner with clients to translate business challenges into practical technical solutions.
• Guide delivery across complex projects, balancing quality, speed, and long-term sustainability.
• Champion best practices across data engineering, governance, security, and platform reliability.
• Evaluate emerging technologies and identify opportunities to improve performance and accelerate delivery.
• You'll be a technical leader both internally and externally, helping to raise standards, develop talent, and strengthen client relationships.
• Mentor and coach engineers, fostering a collaborative, high-performing culture.
• Work closely with Product, Delivery, and Customer Success teams to shape solutions.
• Define and uphold engineering and architectural standards.
• Support the growth and development of the engineering team.
• Act as a trusted advisor to clients and a bridge between commercial and technical teams.

We'd love to hear from you if you have:

• Proven experience in data engineering and modern data platforms.
• A background in solution architecture and designing production-ready data solutions.
• Demonstrable expertise in T-SQL and Python.
• Hands-on experience with Databricks and cloud-based data ecosystems.
• Experience delivering complex projects across multiple stakeholders.
• Confidence working directly with customers and influencing senior decision makers.
• The ability to thrive in fast-moving environments where priorities evolve.

Kudos if you also have;

• Experience building data platforms that support AI or machine learning workloads.
• Exposure to additional modern data tools, frameworks, or programming languages.

Some of our extras...

Flexible Working – Enjoy a hybrid work model (typically 2 days in the office) with flexibility based on business needs, plus a work from anywhere policy to give you freedom to explore.

Time Off – 25 days annual leave (+ bank holidays), increasing with length of service, plus an extra day off for your birthday! We also operate summer hours so you can make the most of the sunshine.

Learning & Development – Access a vast range of courses through our learning platform and benefit from structured career progression plans to support your growth.

Health & Wellbeing – Private Medical Insurance, a healthcare cash plan, and mental health support via Help@Hand. Plus, we’ll ensure you have a safe and productive home setup with a workspace assessment.

Giving Back – Take paid volunteer days to support your local community, donate to your chosen charity through salary sacrifice (we’ll match it!), and make a difference with Give as You Earn.

Extra Perks – A car purchase scheme to make buying a new car easier, plus access to additional benefits through our online platform, including gym discounts.

Plus much more!

Be your authentic self - Retail Insight is committed to promoting equal opportunities in employment. All employees and any job applicants will receive equal treatment. We actively seek to create an environment where everyone feels respected, supported, and encouraged to contribute their best work.