At a Glance
- Tasks: Design and build cloud-native data solutions for the UK's largest public service department.
- Company: Join a pivotal engineering team transforming data for over 22 million citizens.
- Benefits: Hybrid work model, competitive salary, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Collaborative agile environment with excellent career advancement opportunities.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on national data-driven decision-making with cutting-edge technology.
- Qualifications: Experience with Microsoft Azure Fabric, data pipelines, and strong coding skills in PySpark and SQL.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 75000 £ per year.
This is a pivotal engineering role at the heart of one of the most significant data transformation programmes in the largest public service department. You will be joining a strategic engagement programme to design, build, and operationalise a cloud-native data lakehouse on Microsoft Azure Fabric. This platform will directly underpin data-driven decision-making at national scale.
You will take a leading role in the design and delivery of data pipelines, data transformation layers, and lakehouse infrastructure using Microsoft Fabric, Azure Data Factory, and related Azure-native technologies. You will work in agile squads alongside architects, analysts, and DevOps engineers, contributing to private beta builds, public beta expansion, and full platform operationalisation.
Key responsibilities:
- Design, build, and optimise data pipelines using Microsoft Fabric (Data Factory, Dataflows Gen2) and Azure Data Factory to ingest data from legacy systems and third-party sources.
- Develop and maintain the Bronze, Silver, and Gold layers of the lakehouse architecture using OneLake, Delta Lake, and Apache Spark within Fabric.
- Implement data transformation logic using PySpark, SQL, and Fabric Notebooks; ensure data quality, lineage, and cataloguing via Microsoft Purview.
- Collaborate with Technical Architects and Infrastructure Engineers to support CI/CD pipelines, infrastructure-as-code, and platform automation.
- Contribute to knowledge transfer workshops, running instructions, and documentation to build internal capability.
- Support governance compliance including Digital Design Authority reviews, Red Lines Assessments, and security controls.
Essential requirements:
- Strong experience with Microsoft Azure Fabric (Lakehouses, Data Pipelines, Dataflows Gen2, Fabric Notebooks).
- Strong experience with Azure Data Factory (ADF) for orchestration and data movement.
- Strong proficiency in PySpark, SQL, and Python for large-scale data transformation.
- Strong experience with Delta Lake, Apache Spark, and OneLake architecture.
- Good knowledge of Microsoft Purview for data governance, cataloguing, and lineage.
- Good experience with Azure DevOps, Git-based version control, and CI/CD pipelines.
- Good understanding of data lakehouse architecture (medallion architecture – Bronze/Silver/Gold).
- Good knowledge of Azure storage services (ADLS Gen2, Azure Blob Storage).
Nice to have skills:
- Experience with Azure Synapse Analytics or migration from Synapse to Fabric.
- Familiarity with Databricks or equivalent distributed processing platforms.
- Experience in UK public sector or government data environments.
- Understanding of SC clearance requirements and government security classifications.
- Knowledge of DDAT frameworks and GDS delivery standards.
Qualifications:
- Relevant degree in Computer Science, Data Engineering, or related discipline (or equivalent experience).
- Microsoft Certified: Azure Data Engineer Associate (DP-203) – desirable.
- Microsoft Fabric Analytics Engineer (DP-600) – desirable.
Data Engineer in Slough employer: Cognizant
As a Data Engineer within the UK's largest public service department, you will be part of a transformative team dedicated to enhancing data-driven decision-making for over 22 million citizens. Our hybrid work culture promotes flexibility and collaboration, while our commitment to employee growth is evident through continuous learning opportunities and involvement in cutting-edge projects using Microsoft Azure technologies. Join us in making a meaningful impact on public services, all while enjoying a supportive environment that values innovation and excellence.
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