At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead complex data engineering projects and design scalable data solutions.
- Company: Join Loop Horizon, a dynamic consultancy transforming brands with data-driven strategies.
- Benefits: Enjoy 25 days holiday, private healthcare, and flexible working options.
- Other info: Be part of a vibrant team with excellent growth opportunities and regular social events.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by leveraging AI and automation in data engineering.
- Qualifications: Proven experience in data engineering and strong client management skills.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
Loop Horizon is a boutique marketing, data, and technology consultancy helping world-leading brands transition to a truly data-driven future. Our team is predominantly ex-client side, which means we understand the realities our clients face - from legacy platforms and organisational constraints to regulatory pressure and skills gaps. We focus on outcome-based delivery, enabling clients with sustainable data and technology capability while supporting their teams through strategy, design, delivery, and new ways of working.
Due to continued growth, we are looking for a Lead Data Engineer to play a pivotal role in delivering high-impact data solutions while scaling our engineering capability through AI, automation, and reusable assets.
Role Overview
As a Lead Data Engineer, you will be responsible for leading the technical delivery of complex data engineering projects while remaining hands-on. You will act as a force multiplier — using AI, automation, and junior resources to increase delivery speed, quality, and scalability. This is not a traditional management role. Instead, you will combine deep technical expertise, delivery leadership, and modern engineering practices to help Loop Horizon scale its data capability.
Key Responsibilities
- Technical Leadership & Delivery
- Own end-to-end delivery of data products from discovery and design through to build and release
- Design and implement scalable, secure data pipelines (batch and near real-time)
- Architect data platforms and models for marketing, customer analytics, and digital behavioural use cases
- Act as the senior technical lead on client engagements
- AI-Augmented Engineering & Scaling
- Leverage AI tools and automation to accelerate development, testing, and documentation
- Define and embed best practices for AI-assisted engineering across the team
- Break down complex work into deliverable components and guide junior engineers
- Review and assure quality of outputs across pipelines, models, and code
- Capability Development
- Build reusable frameworks, templates, and accelerators (e.g. dbt starters, pipeline templates, CI/CD patterns)
- Establish best practices across data architecture, modelling, testing, and deployment
- Contribute to building Loop Horizon’s data engineering capability and delivery standards
- Client & Stakeholder Management
- Act as a senior technical partner to clients
- Translate business objectives into scalable technical solutions
- Support pre-sales activity including solution design, estimates, and technical input into proposals
- Build trusted client relationships through high-quality delivery
Skills and Qualifications
- Proven experience as a Senior or Lead Data Engineer in a complex delivery environment
- Strong hands-on experience designing and building scalable data pipelines and platforms
- Experience with cloud data platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP) and modern data stacks (e.g. Databricks, BigQuery, Snowflake)
- Strong understanding of data modelling for analytics and customer use cases
- Experience with workflow orchestration tools (e.g. Airflow, Step Functions)
- Experience leveraging AI tools or automation to improve engineering productivity
- Strong client-facing and stakeholder management skills
- Deep understanding of data modelling for analytics and marketing use cases
- Consultancy or agency experience
- Experience with digital data i.e. GA4, Adobe Analytics
- Exposure to privacy, consent, and regulatory considerations (e.g. GDPR)
- Experience working with partners and third-party vendors
Our Commitment to You
- 25 days holiday, plus an additional 3 days leave between Christmas and New Year
- Pension scheme and life assurance
- Private Healthcare for you (and your spouse/children at extra cost)
- Flexible benefits scheme including electric car leasing scheme, cycle to work, gym discounts, discounted vouchers
- Shares in company after one years’ service
- Hybrid working – we believe in a balance between spending time face-to-face with colleagues and our clients, as well as enabling working from home
- Excellent opportunities to grow and develop
- Vibrant, friendly, dynamic team with calendar of regular social activities and team events
Lead Data Engineer employer: Loop Horizon Limited
Loop Horizon is an exceptional employer that fosters a vibrant and dynamic work culture, where innovation meets collaboration. As a Lead Data Engineer, you will not only lead impactful data projects but also benefit from a flexible working environment, generous holiday allowance, and opportunities for professional growth within a supportive team. With a focus on AI and automation, you'll be at the forefront of transforming data capabilities while enjoying a range of employee benefits, including private healthcare and a unique shares scheme after one year of service.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Lead Data Engineer
✨Get Involved in Data Science Meetups
Tap into local data science meetups or workshops to connect with fellow enthusiasts and professionals. These events are goldmines for networking, and sometimes even lead directly to job openings at companies like Loop Horizon Limited!
✨Show Off Your Projects
Start building a public portfolio showcasing your data science projects on platforms like GitHub or personal websites. Highlight unique analyses or models you've developed. This not only demonstrates your skills but also gets your name out there for roles like Lead Data Engineer at Loop Horizon Limited.
✨Leverage Professional Networks
Join professional bodies related to data science, like the Data Science Society or similar organisations. Getting involved can lead to mentorship opportunities and insider knowledge about full-time positions at companies like Loop Horizon Limited.
✨Apply Directly through Our Website
When you find a suitable opening like Lead Data Engineer at Loop Horizon Limited, make sure to apply directly through our website. It gives you an edge and shows you're keen to join our team. Plus, who doesn’t love a direct application? It’s easier than navigating through job boards!
We think you need these skills to ace Lead Data Engineer
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Projects:In the world of data science, your projects can speak volumes about your skills. Make sure to showcase a few key projects in your CV or portfolio, especially those that highlight your ability to work with data sets, build models, or use relevant tools like Python, R, or SQL. Don’t forget to include links to any GitHub repositories if applicable!
Quantify Your Achievements:Employers love numbers! When drafting your CV, highlight your achievements with quantifiable results. For instance, mention how your data analysis led to a certain percentage increase in efficiency or revenue at a previous job or project. These details can really make your application pop!
Craft a Tailored Cover Letter:For a full-time role at Loop Horizon Limited, your cover letter should reflect your passion for data science and your excitement about the specific projects or values of the company. Dive into why you’re a good fit, how your skills align with their needs, and any unique perspectives you can bring to the team.
Stand Out with Relevant Courses and Certifications:Although experience talks, relevant courses or certifications can be your ticket to impressing hiring managers at Loop Horizon Limited. Mention any standout courses you've completed that equipped you with essential skills, such as machine learning certifications or data visualisation courses. This shows your commitment to continuously developing your skills in the field!
How to prepare for a job interview at Loop Horizon Limited
✨Brush Up on Your Statistics
For a data science role, we need to seriously sharpen our statistics skills. Get ready to tackle technical questions on probability distributions, hypothesis testing, and regression analysis. These are often the bread and butter of data science interviews, so don't just skim over them!
✨Showcase Your Projects
Prepare a killer portfolio showcasing your data science projects. We should include details about the datasets used, the tools and techniques applied, and the impact of your findings. If we can walk them through a particularly challenging project or a cool visualisation that had real-world implications, it’ll really make us stand out!
✨Get Comfortable with Python and R
Most data science positions require us to be proficient in programming languages like Python and R. We should practice common libraries like pandas, NumPy, and scikit-learn, and be ready for live coding exercises or algorithm questions. Showing off our coding chops can really impress the interviewers at Loop Horizon Limited!
✨Prepare for Case Studies
Expect to encounter real-world case studies during the interview. We might be asked how we’d approach a data problem or analyse a dataset to extract insights. It's essential to think out loud and demonstrate our problem-solving process so that the interviewer can see our logical thinking in action.
