Junior Data Engineer

Sasso Consulting (Pty) Ltd; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 391,000 - 469,000; Full time

Job summary

Sasso Consulting (Pty) Ltd seeks a Junior Data Engineer in Blouberg, Cape Town to join a data-driven team. You will help build and maintain data infrastructure that supports BI, analytics and ML initiatives.

Responsibilities include developing ETL/ELT pipelines, designing data models, ensuring data quality, and collaborating with Data Scientists and Business Analysts. This role suits someone with a solid SQL foundation and a desire to grow technical capabilities.

Qualifications

• Relevant tertiary qualification in Computer Science, IT, Data Science or related discipline.
• Previous practical experience in a Data Engineering, Data Analytics, BI, Database or similar technical environment.
• Good working knowledge of SQL.
• Understanding of ETL/ELT concepts and data pipelines.
• Understanding of relational databases and database structures.
• Exposure to data warehousing concepts.

Responsibilities

• Build, maintain and monitor reliable ETL and ELT data pipelines.
• Assist with ingesting data from multiple source systems, including databases, APIs and third-party platforms.
• Monitor pipeline performance and identify potential failures or bottlenecks.
• Assist with improving the reliability, scalability and efficiency of existing pipelines.
• Support scheduled and automated data processing workflows.
• Assist with the design and maintenance of data models and database schemas.
• Create and maintain data warehouse tables to support analytics and reporting requirements.
• Work with dimensional modelling concepts, including star and snowflake schemas.
• Assist with structuring data to ensure it is accessible, consistent and suitable for downstream users.
• Support ongoing improvements to the organisation's data architecture.
• Implement data validation and quality checks across pipelines and datasets.
• Assist with automated testing of data processes.
• Monitor data accuracy, completeness and freshness.
• Investigate discrepancies and identify the source of data-quality issues.
• Help ensure that datasets delivered to downstream users are reliable and fit for purpose.
• Develop and maintain SQL queries used for data extraction, transformation and reporting.
• Troubleshoot slow-running or inefficient queries.
• Assist with query optimisation and database performance improvements.
• Refactor existing queries and code where required to improve efficiency and maintainability.
• Monitor existing pipelines and investigate failures.
• Troubleshoot data integration and processing issues.
• Assist with resolving production data incidents.
• Refactor and improve existing code as the data environment evolves.
• Support ongoing maintenance of the organisation's data infrastructure.
• Work closely with Data Scientists and Business Analysts to understand their data requirements.
• Translate reporting, analytics and machine-learning requirements into reliable datasets.
• Assist stakeholders with understanding available data sources and structures.
• Participate in technical discussions relating to data architecture, pipelines and data quality.
• Maintain clear technical documentation for data pipelines and processes.
• Maintain data dictionaries and definitions.
• Document data models, schemas and transformations.
• Record relevant architectural decisions and changes.
• Ensure documentation remains accurate as systems and processes evolve.

Skills

SQL

Data pipelines

ETL/ELT

Data modelling

Data warehouse concepts

Dimensional modelling

Collaboration

Documentation

Performance optimisation

Education

Relevant degree in Computer Science / IT / Data Science

Job description

Junior Data Engineer

Location: Blouberg, Cape Town
Employment Type: Permanent
Salary: R35,000 – R42,000 per month
Level: Junior

About the Role

An exciting opportunity is available for a Junior Data Engineer to join a growing, data-driven environment based in Blouberg, Cape Town.

The successful candidate will form part of the data team and assist in building, maintaining and improving the data infrastructure that supports business intelligence, reporting, analytics and machine learning initiatives.

This is an excellent opportunity for an ambitious Data Engineer who already has a solid foundation in SQL, data pipelines, ETL/ELT processes and data modelling and is looking to further develop their technical capabilities within a collaborative environment.

You will work closely with Data Scientists, Business Analysts and other technical stakeholders to ensure that reliable, accurate and well-structured data is available across the organisation.

Key Responsibilities

Data Pipeline Development

• Build, maintain and monitor reliable ETL and ELT data pipelines.
• Assist with ingesting data from multiple source systems, including databases, APIs and third-party platforms.
• Monitor pipeline performance and identify potential failures or bottlenecks.
• Assist with improving the reliability, scalability and efficiency of existing pipelines.
• Support scheduled and automated data processing workflows.

Data Architecture & Modelling

• Assist with the design and maintenance of data models and database schemas.
• Create and maintain data warehouse tables to support analytics and reporting requirements.
• Work with dimensional modelling concepts, including star and snowflake schemas.
• Assist with structuring data to ensure it is accessible, consistent and suitable for downstream users.
• Support ongoing improvements to the organisation's data architecture.

Data Quality & Testing

• Implement data validation and quality checks across pipelines and datasets.
• Assist with automated testing of data processes.
• Monitor data accuracy, completeness and freshness.
• Investigate discrepancies and identify the source of data-quality issues.
• Help ensure that datasets delivered to downstream users are reliable and fit for purpose.

SQL & Performance Optimisation

• Develop and maintain SQL queries used for data extraction, transformation and reporting.
• Troubleshoot slow-running or inefficient queries.
• Assist with query optimisation and database performance improvements.
• Refactor existing queries and code where required to improve efficiency and maintainability.

Maintenance & Troubleshooting

• Monitor existing pipelines and investigate failures.
• Troubleshoot data integration and processing issues.
• Assist with resolving production data incidents.
• Refactor and improve existing code as the data environment evolves.
• Support ongoing maintenance of the organisation's data infrastructure.

Collaboration

• Work closely with Data Scientists and Business Analysts to understand their data requirements.
• Translate reporting, analytics and machine-learning requirements into reliable datasets.
• Assist stakeholders with understanding available data sources and structures.
• Participate in technical discussions relating to data architecture, pipelines and data quality.

Documentation

• Maintain clear technical documentation for data pipelines and processes.
• Maintain data dictionaries and definitions.
• Document data models, schemas and transformations.
• Record relevant architectural decisions and changes.
• Ensure documentation remains accurate as systems and processes evolve.

Minimum Requirements

• Relevant tertiary qualification in Computer Science, Information Technology, Data Science, Software Engineering, Information Systems or a related discipline would be advantageous.
• Previous practical experience in a Data Engineering, Data Analytics, BI, Database or similar technical environment.
• Good working knowledge of SQL.
• Understanding of ETL/ELT concepts and data pipelines.
• Understanding of relational databases and database structures.
• Exposure to data warehousing concepts.