Data Engineer

VML Enterprise Solutions; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 600,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

VML Enterprise Solutions is seeking a Data Engineer, Marketing & Analytics, to design, build, and maintain data pipelines and infrastructure powering digital and media reporting for tier-one clients. You will work with a modern data stack—GCP, Matillion, Snowflake, and Rudderstack—ensuring high-quality data for analytics, AI/ML, and product analytics tools like Amplitude.

The role demands strong engineering practices, data quality discipline, and collaboration with cross-functional teams across

Qualifications

• Data Pipeline Development: Design scalable ETL/ELT pipelines with Matillion and GCP services.
• Data Ingestion & Integration: Manage streams from Rudderstack, APIs, and data feeds.
• Data Transformation & Modeling: Develop SQL transformations in Snowflake and design schemas.
• Infrastructure Management: Monitor and optimize data workflows.

Responsibilities

• Data Pipeline Development: Design scalable ETL/ELT pipelines with Matillion and GCP services.
• Data Ingestion & Integration: Manage streams from Rudderstack, APIs, and data feeds.
• Data Transformation & Modeling: Develop SQL transformations in Snowflake and design schemas.
• Infrastructure Management: Monitor and optimize data workflows.

Job description

Who We Are

WPP Enterprise Solutions designs, builds, and operates the growth systems that competitive businesses rely on. In a world where Al is reshaping how companies drive growth, we lead clients in business transformation and marketing modernization, connecting strategy directly to execution. Our 12,000 experts in engineering and platforms, commerce, consulting, content transformation, CRM, and CX work within a unified global operating unit across 40+ markets. WPP Enterprise Solutions works alongside best-in-class partners including Adobe, AWS, Braze, Google, Microsoft, Salesforce, and Shopify, as well as innovators in AI, to deliver growth solutions tailored to the needs of our clients’ businesses. VML, part of WPP, supports WPP Enterprise Solutions by helping brands activate transformation through creativity and experience.

At VML, we are architects of connected brands and experiences for a changing world. We believe in the powerful synergy of creativity, technology, data, and culture to build brands that not only grow faster but also resonate deeply and personally with their customers. We are experts in marketing transformation, marketing science, and advanced marketing automation and personalization, relentlessly pushing the boundaries of what's possible.

We power over 350 million personalized experiences between brands and their customers every day. We achieve this by applying our deep expertise, leveraging strategic partnerships with the biggest technology platforms in the world, and by harnessing cutting-edge advancements in Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Large Language Models. We work closely with our clients as true growth partners, helping them not just achieve their goals but redefine them for the future. This particular opportunity offers the chance to work directly with one of our tier‑one automotive clients, a global brand powerhouse, helping shape their digital future.

Our global team of 4,000+ data specialists serves more than 150 markets across the globe. We operate with unwavering integrity, a profound respect for data privacy, and complete transparency. We champion new ideas and diverse perspectives, fostering a culture of creative bravery, open listening, positivity, and collective strength in all that we do. We are constantly evolving, empowering our clients to stay ahead in a rapidly accelerating digital landscape.

Please note that UK working hours will be required for this role.

Overview

The Data Engineer, Marketing & Analytics, is a key technical contributor responsible for designing, building, and maintaining robust data pipelines and infrastructure that power VML's digital and media reporting and product analytics for our tier‑one clients. This role focuses on ensuring high-quality, reliable, and accessible data for analysis, reporting, and advanced analytical initiatives, including feeding platforms like Amplitude.

You will leverage a modern data stack including Google Cloud Platform (GCP), Matillion for ETL/ELT, Snowflake as our cloud data warehouse, and Rudderstack for customer data ingestion. Your work will directly enable our analytics and data science teams to derive critical insights, fuel AI/ML applications, and provide robust data to product analytics platforms like Amplitude. Beyond pipeline development, you will also be responsible for monitoring, troubleshooting, and optimizing data workflows. This position requires strong engineering principles, a meticulous approach to data quality, and a collaborative spirit to work with cross‑functional teams.

Responsibilities

As a Data Engineer, your duties will include, but will not be limited to, the following:

• Data Pipeline Development: Design, develop, and implement scalable and reliable ETL/ELT pipelines using Matillion and GCP services (e.g., Cloud Functions, Cloud Storage, Big Query, Composer/Airflow) to ingest, transform, and load digital and media data into Snowflake.
• Data Ingestion & Integration: Configure and manage data streams from various sources, including customer data platforms like Rudder stack, APIs (e.g., ad platforms, analytics tools), and other raw data feeds. Understand and integrate data from advanced omnichannel tagging and data collection systems, ensuring data readiness for tools like Amplitude.
• Data Transformation & Modeling: Develop complex SQL transformations within Snowflake to clean, enrich, and model data for optimal performance and usability by reporting tools (e.g., Tableau, Amplitude) and analytical applications. Design and implement data schemas (star, snowflake, data vault) to support business requirements.
• Infrastructure Management: Monitor,