At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a team of Data Engineers on complex AI projects while delivering hands-on technical work.
- Company: Cognite, a leader in industrial digitalisation and AI solutions.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, professional development, and a chance to shape the future of data engineering.
- Other info: Join a dynamic team with high visibility and growth opportunities in a supportive culture.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by developing talent and driving innovation in a fast-paced environment.
- Qualifications: Hands-on data engineering experience with Python, SQL, and cloud-native development.
The predicted salary is between 80000 - 100000 £ per year.
Cognite operates at the forefront of industrial digitalization, building AI and data solutions that solve the world’s hardest, highest-impact problems. With unmatched industrial heritage and a comprehensive suite of AI capabilities, Cognite accelerates the digital transformation to drive operational improvements.
About The Role: Cognite's European Delivery organisation is growing in both scale and technical ambition. As Manager of Data Engineering, you will lead, develop, and retain a team of Data Engineers operating across some of the most complex industrial AI engagements in the market — ensuring they are technically strong, professionally developed, and set up to deliver at the standard our customers expect. This is not a pure people-management role. You will carry a meaningful delivery commitment — approximately 50% billable capacity — working on customer projects alongside your team.
Ownership
- Own the professional development of your Data Engineers spanning junior to seasoned Data Engineers, running structured 1:1s, calibrated performance reviews, and growth conversations grounded in the Data Engineering framework.
- Provide technically specific coaching — not generic management feedback.
- Identify and address skill gaps proactively, before they surface as delivery problems on customer engagements.
- Build a team culture of ownership, technical rigour, and AI-first delivery.
Delivery Accountability
- Carry approximately 50% billable capacity on customer projects.
- Review Statements of Work (SOWs) before your engineers are committed to them: assess scope fit, identify skill gaps, and flag delivery risks before they become customer problems.
- Champion your team's interests in staffing decisions.
- Act as an escalation point when delivery gets hard.
Profession & Team Building
- Contribute to standardising delivery practices across Value Delivery Europe.
- Organise and lead professional development sessions relevant to the team's growth areas and project landscape.
- Collect, prioritise, and elevate product feedback from your engineers and customers.
- Lead or contribute to hiring for your team.
AI-First Leadership
- Model and reinforce AI-first delivery practices across your team.
- Stay current on AI tooling relevant to industrial data engineering.
What we are looking for
- Proven hands-on data engineering background — production-grade Python, SQL, REST APIs, and cloud-native pipeline development.
- At least one year of meaningful association with Cognite's platform and products.
- Demonstrated ability to develop people — not just manage tasks.
- Customer-facing confidence.
- Strong operational judgement.
Strong Advantage
- Formal or informal people-management experience.
- Deep Cognite Data Fusion expertise.
- Experience working in a Value Delivery or professional services environment.
- Track record of hiring.
Why This Role
- High visibility within Cognite's European Delivery organisation.
- Meaningful influence over how Data Engineering is practised and developed across VD Europe.
- Ownership of a team at a critical growth stage.
Equal Opportunity
Cognite is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment at work and is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive the same level of consideration for employment.
Data Engineering Leader employer: Cognite
Cognite is an exceptional employer that champions innovation and professional growth within the dynamic field of industrial digitalization. With a strong commitment to employee development, a culture of ownership, and a focus on AI-first delivery practices, team members are empowered to tackle complex challenges while contributing to meaningful projects. Located in a vibrant European hub, Cognite offers high visibility and influence within its growing organisation, making it an ideal place for those looking to make a significant impact in their careers.
