Databricks Lead Engineer (Contract)
Databricks Lead Engineer (Contract)

Databricks Lead Engineer (Contract)

Freelance 60000 - 80000 ÂŁ / year (est.) Home office (partial)
BMLL Technologies

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead the migration to Delta Lake and enhance data architecture for high-performance analytics.
  • Company: Join BMLL, a leading FinTech innovator in market data and analytics.
  • Benefits: Enjoy a hybrid work environment, team lunches, and social activities.
  • Why this job: Make a real impact on large-scale projects in a cutting-edge tech space.
  • Qualifications: Experience with Databricks, Delta Lake, and strong problem-solving skills required.
  • Other info: Dynamic team culture with opportunities for professional growth.

The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 ÂŁ per year.

About BMLL: BMLL is the leading independent provider of harmonised Level 3, 2 and 1 historical data and analytics across global equities, ETFs, futures and US equity options. We provide market participants with immediate access to granular T+1 order book data and advanced analytics, enabling them to accelerate research, optimise trading strategies, and better understand market behaviour. BMLL was acquired in 2025 by Nordic Capital, alongside minority shareholder Optiver, marking a joint commitment to accelerate the company’s next phase of growth. We offer an inclusive and collaborative culture, a hybrid working environment that includes regular days in our London office, weekly team lunches, and a variety of out‑of‑hours social activities.

About the Role: BMLL transforms financial exchanges’ raw market data into an accessible and normalised view for customers across multiple use‑cases. We hold over 10 years of full‑depth market data across approximately 100 venues, this currently consists of about 1.5 billion HDF5 files (~1.5 PB) stored on S3 and catalogued in Postgres. These are partitioned by date, venue, and instrument. While this structure has served us well, the enormous number of small files, with the Postgres catalogue in separate storage, is now the main constraint on how we evolve, back‑up/recover, and share data. Our strategic direction is to migrate this processed layer to Delta Lake for both data and catalogue. In addition we are migrating our Data Products which currently sit in Snowflake over to Iceberg‑compatible Delta Tables in order to leverage benefits of performance, cost and manageability.

We are looking for an experienced Databricks Lead Engineer and Architect to join and support the Delta Lake and Delta Table re‑engineering projects. This is a hands‑on role and with direct contribution to the project. The goal is not merely format migration, but addressing key architectural objectives for high‑cardinality data:

  • Implement a Delta Lake architecture for large scale.
  • Model and partition L2/L3 order book data in Delta lake.
  • Implement metadata, compaction, and versioning.
  • Design a system that supports multiple delivery models downstream.
  • Implement a viable backup strategy at this scale with a 1 day RTO.

This is an opportunity for an experienced engineer to join a cutting‑edge FinTech company and make an impact on a critical and large‑scale re‑engineering project.

ESSENTIAL:

  • Industry experience with Databricks
  • Delta Lake
  • Unity Catalog
  • Delta Tables
  • Delta UniForm (Universal Format)
  • Industry experience with Apache iceberg.
  • AWS, S3 Tables, Lake formation.
  • Industry experience in developing on a Linux platform.
  • Experience with industry‑standard development methodologies such as source code control, unit testing and continuous integration.
  • A self starter with the ability to self‑organise.
  • Strong problem‑solving skills.
  • Strong communication skills.

DESIRABLE:

  • Industry experience with Snowflake.
  • Industry experience with petabyte scale data volumes.
  • Industry experience with Python.
  • Experience working with financial data.

Databricks Lead Engineer (Contract) employer: BMLL Technologies

BMLL is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic and inclusive work culture that fosters collaboration and innovation. With a hybrid working environment based in London, employees enjoy regular team lunches and engaging social activities, alongside opportunities for professional growth in the rapidly evolving FinTech sector. Joining BMLL means being part of a forward-thinking team dedicated to transforming financial data analytics, where your contributions directly impact critical projects.
BMLL Technologies

Contact Detail:

BMLL Technologies Recruiting Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫

We think this is how you could land Databricks Lead Engineer (Contract)

✨Tip Number 1

Network like a pro! Reach out to folks in the industry on LinkedIn or at meetups. A friendly chat can sometimes lead to opportunities that aren’t even advertised yet.

✨Tip Number 2

Show off your skills! If you’ve got a portfolio or any projects related to Databricks or Delta Lake, make sure to highlight them during interviews. Real-world examples can set you apart from the crowd.

✨Tip Number 3

Prepare for technical interviews by brushing up on your problem-solving skills. Practice coding challenges and be ready to discuss your thought process. We want to see how you tackle real-world problems!

✨Tip Number 4

Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are genuinely interested in joining our team.

We think you need these skills to ace Databricks Lead Engineer (Contract)

Databricks
Delta Lake
Unity Catalog
Delta Tables
Apache Iceberg
AWS
S3
Linux Development
Source Code Control
Unit Testing
Continuous Integration
Problem-Solving Skills
Communication Skills
Python
Financial Data Experience

Some tips for your application 🫡

Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the Databricks Lead Engineer role. Highlight your experience with Delta Lake, Databricks, and any relevant projects you've worked on. We want to see how your skills align with what we're looking for!

Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you're passionate about this role and how your background makes you a perfect fit. Don’t forget to mention your problem-solving skills and experience with large-scale data.

Showcase Relevant Projects: If you've worked on projects involving Delta Lake or similar technologies, make sure to showcase them in your application. We love seeing real-world examples of your work and how you've tackled challenges in the past.

Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply through our website for the best chance of getting noticed. It’s super easy, and you'll be able to provide all the necessary information we need to consider your application!

How to prepare for a job interview at BMLL Technologies

✨Know Your Databricks Inside Out

Make sure you brush up on your Databricks knowledge before the interview. Understand how Delta Lake works, and be ready to discuss your experience with it. They’ll want to hear about specific projects where you’ve implemented Delta Tables or worked with Apache Iceberg.

✨Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills

Prepare to share examples of complex problems you've solved in previous roles, especially those involving large-scale data. Think about challenges related to data architecture or performance issues and how you tackled them. This will demonstrate your strong problem-solving skills.

✨Familiarise Yourself with Their Data Strategy

Dive into BMLL's approach to data management and their strategic direction for migrating to Delta Lake. Being able to discuss their current challenges and how you can contribute to their goals will show that you’re genuinely interested in the role and the company.

✨Communicate Clearly and Confidently

Since strong communication skills are essential for this role, practice explaining technical concepts in a clear and concise manner. You might be asked to explain your thought process during a project, so being articulate will help you stand out.

Databricks Lead Engineer (Contract)
BMLL Technologies

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