Job Description:

Staff Data Engineer | AWS | PySpark | Data Modernisation | London | Contract | Inside IR35

We're supporting a global, technology-led organisation undertaking a large-scale cloud data transformation programme.

This isn't a traditional Data Engineering role. The organisation is modernising hundreds of complex data pipelines, establishing reusable engineering patterns and embedding engineering excellence across its Data function.

As a Staff-level engineer, you'll combine deep hands-on technical expertise with organisation-wide technical influence, helping shape how modern Data Engineering is delivered across multiple engineering teams.

This is an opportunity to work on enterprise-scale data movement, cloud-native architectures and AI-assisted software engineering within a highly collaborative engineering culture.

You'll be responsible for

• Defining technical standards and engineering patterns for a large-scale Data Modernisation programme
• Re-engineering complex legacy data pipelines into production-grade PySpark
• Building scalable, reusable data movement frameworks across multiple engineering teams
• Driving best practice around AWS Glue, Apache Spark and Apache Airflow
• Designing high-quality testing frameworks covering performance, data quality and reliability
• Leveraging Agentic AI development tools to improve engineering productivity while maintaining code quality
• Coaching and influencing experienced engineers through technical leadership rather than line management
• Working closely with enterprise architecture and platform teams to improve how data is governed, managed and consumed

We're looking for someone with experience in

• Staff, Principal or Lead Data Engineering roles
• Python and expert-level PySpark
• AWS Glue
• Apache Spark
• Apache Airflow
• Cloud-native Data Engineering architectures
• Large-scale data pipeline modernisation
• Building reusable engineering patterns within enterprise environments
• Data testing, validation and observability
• AI-assisted software development using modern coding assistants
• Working within regulated or highly governed organisations

More important than any individual technology is your ability to combine hands-on engineering excellence with technical leadership, helping multiple engineering teams adopt consistent, scalable engineering practices.
Contract

• £750-900 per day (inclusive)
• Initial 6-month contract with significant programme runway
• Inside IR35
• London (3 days per week on-site)