Principal Data Engineer

At Places for People, we hire People, not numbers! So, if you like the sound of one of our jobs, please apply - you could be just who we're looking for! Of course, experience and track record are important, but we're more interested in hiring someone that embodies our People Promises. That's someone that does the right thing, is enthusiastic and motivated to grow, believes in Community spirit, is respectful and enjoys their work. As the UK's leading Social Enterprise, we don't discriminate based on any protected attribute. In fact, we're dedicated to creating inclusive and thriving Communities for both our Customers and Employees.   

So, what are you waiting for? Join a community that cares about you! 

More about the team

The Data and Platform Engineering team are the foundation for the Data Office function. Responsible for designing, building, and maintaining PfP's data platform we extract data from source, transform it into a usable format, load it into consumer models and marts and build and manage the infrastructure to do all this work.  

Data Engineering are transforming the way PfP consumes data, transitioning from On Premise to Google Cloud. This is an exciting time to join a growing business function and gain hands on experience working with market leading technology such as BIG Query, Looker, Data Flow, and more.

More about your role 

The Principal Data Engineer role is a leading role in the Data Engineering function reporting directly to the Head of Data & Platform Engineering.

With a solid understanding of Google Cloud Platform, the Principal Data Engineer is responsible for the ensuring that the design and build of all productionised data processes on the data platform are robust, performant and compliant. This includes, data ingestion, data quality / integrity, data modelling and warehousing, transformation, security and encryption, monitoring tools, batch management and more.

The Principal Data Engineer will identify opportunities for automation and process improvement, coach and mentor data engineers, set coding standards and best practices, implement and document data integrity and quality checks, optimise queries, and facilitate data engineering collaboration across the team.

The Principal Data Engineer will work hand in glove with the Principal Cloud Engineer and the Data Architect to ensure that data pipeline design is optimised and reliable within Google Cloud Platform, documenting the approach and explaining the solution to engineers and non-technical business users.

More about you 

You will have an extensive ETL / ELT background developing data pipelines, optimising queries, and enhancing overall database performance.

You will have excellent problem-solving skills, a rigorous approach to code checks / peer reviews and have the strength of character to drive high standards in the team.

You will have had a leading role in a Data Engineering function with responsibility for the directing the efforts of other data engineers though the design, build and deployment of complex data solutions.

You will be self-motivated with excellent leadership qualities, capable of driving innovation and mentoring data engineers.

Experience & Skills

• 7+ years Data Engineering


• 1+ years in a Lead / Principal Engineer role


• Extensive experience with SQL and Data Lake / Warehouse solutions


• Strong proficiency in languages such as SQL, Python, Java or Scala


• In-depth knowledge of query optimization techniques and experience in fine-tuning complex SQL queries.


• Strong understanding of Data Governance including Data Dictionaries, MDM, Lineage, Data Legislation and the handling of PII


• Strong understanding of Google's BigQuery platform


• Exceptional communication skills and the ability to work collaboratively with cross functional teams


• Experience of Agile / Scrum / SDLC

The benefits 

We are a large diverse and ambitious business, which will give you all the challenge you could wish for.

We know that there's always more we can do to make you smile, that's why we offer a comprehensive benefits package with each role, yours will include:

• Competitive salary, with a salary review yearly


• Pension with matched contributions up to 7%


• Excellent holiday package – up to 35 days annual leave with the option to buy or sell leave


• Essential car allowance to cover the wear and tear on your car for any travel associated with your role


• Cashback plan for healthcare costs – up to £500 saving per year


• A bonus scheme for all colleagues at 2%


• Training and development


• Extra perks including huge discounts and offers from shops, cinemas and much more

What's next?

If you meet the criteria and are ready to make the next step in your career then click apply. You will be redirected to our careers site where you can discover more about the role, read a full job description and apply directly to us.

If you are a Places for People customer and you're looking for support with your application, please contact our skills and employment team on #####.

If you are a recruitment agency please note we operate a PSL and do not take cold calls