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- Tasks: Lead the development of secure data pipelines and mentor a talented engineering team.
- Company: Department for Transport, a leader in data innovation and cloud technology.
- Benefits: Generous salary, excellent pension, flexible working, and 25+ days annual leave.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on transport policy with cutting-edge data solutions.
- Qualifications: Experience in data engineering, Python, SQL, and Google Cloud Platform.
- Other info: Join a collaborative team focused on continuous improvement and career growth.
The predicted salary is between 57515 - 80400 £ per year.
£57,515 - £80,400 Plus an additional DDaT allowance up to: £22,885
Published on 22 January 2026
Deadline 8 February 2026
Location Birmingham, Hastings, Leeds, Swansea
About the job
Can you lead secure, production-grade data pipelines on GCP while balancing live operations and innovation? Do you enjoy mentoring engineers and translating complex data engineering concepts for diverse stakeholders? If so, we would love to hear from you!
In recent years DfT’s digital and data teams have implemented a range of advanced data services, making use of the latest cloud technologies to deliver the services and platforms that our users need, with excellent customer satisfaction rates. We are proud of our ability to develop and grow as a team, and we look forward to you sharing that sense of pride!
At DfT, we recognise that everyone has different needs and aspirations. We have created an inclusive and welcoming working environment so you can feel comfortable to be yourself at work. We’ll help you to reach your full potential, offering rewarding opportunities alongside access to the latest training and technologies.
Joining our department comes with many benefits, including:
- Employer pension contribution of 28.97% of your salary.
- 25 days annual leave, increasing by 1 day each year of service (up to a maximum of 30 days annual leave), plus 8 bank holidays and a privilege day for the King’s birthday.
- Flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance.
Working as part of a talented and collaborative team, you will:
- Lead the build and operation of DfT’s production-grade data pipelines and platforms, ensuring reliability and security across our Google Cloud Platform environment.
- Own and manage live data services, triaging and resolving issues at pace to maintain high-quality data delivery for analysts, policy teams and external commitments.
- Drive innovation within data engineering, identifying opportunities to modernise tooling, adopt emerging GCP capabilities and introduce new approaches that improve efficiency and data quality.
- Plan delivery across legacy migration, operational support and new development, ensuring that resources are allocated effectively and that risks, dependencies and priorities are well managed.
- Work closely with technical and non-technical stakeholders, translating technical concepts, shaping data-related decisions, and responding to business needs.
- Line manage and develop engineers at varying levels, providing technical guidance, coaching and oversight, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement, collaboration and knowledge sharing.
- Drive adoption of Infrastructure as Code (IaC), establishing repeatable patterns for environments, access, and data services.
- Lead the development of our metadata catalogue, curating business and technical metadata so users can effectively discover and use data.
In return, we can offer you:
- Access to new and emerging technologies, varied projects developed in a cloud-first environment, support and investment to further your training and development.
- Flexible and hybrid working supporting a healthy work-life balance.
- Industry-leading pension and employee benefits package.
For further information on the role, please read the role profile. Please note that the role profile is for information purposes only - whilst all elements are relevant to the role, they may not all be assessed during the recruitment process. This job advert will detail exactly what will be assessed during the recruitment process.
About Us
At the heart of data innovation and evolution in DfT, you will join a talented, experienced, data engineering team imagining and shaping the delivery of the next wave of data services. The team is embedded within the wider data directorate, and works alongside analysts, data scientists, architects and other engineers to deliver some of the most impactful data projects within DfT. You will support and shape various areas within the business which delivers an innovational transport policy agenda. As DfT is a cloud-only enterprise, you will develop the latest cloud solutions meeting complex digital, identity and data needs. This role will give you the opportunity to share your experience and further develop your skills every day as you work on new and exciting projects with advanced technologies. We provide a supportive and constructive learning environment where your career growth is important.
Person specification
You will be an experienced data engineer with deep technical foundations and expertise in both Python and SQL. You will also be highly proficient in Google Cloud Platform, or an expert user of AWS or Azure with a willingness to apply your skills to a new cloud platform. You combine hands-on engineering excellence with the ability to communicate complex ideas simply, engaging effectively with a wide range of technical and non-technical stakeholders. You are comfortable balancing the demands of operating reliable, production-grade data services with delivering innovation: shaping new approaches, modernising legacy systems, and driving improvements in data quality and tooling. Alongside this, you bring thoughtful planning and change management skills, helping the organisation evolve its data capabilities while ensuring continuity, stability, and high-quality outcomes across DfT.
You will need to demonstrate the following experience:
- Enterprise-scale delivery of robust, maintainable data pipelines in Google Cloud Platform, including building reusable components, optimising performance and cost on cloud data platforms while meeting security, privacy and governance controls.
- Expert user of data engineering tools including relevant languages (e.g. Python/SQL), IaC tools (e.g. Terraform), GCP or equivalent cloud tooling (e.g. BigQuery, Cloud Functions), CI/CD (e.g. GitHub Actions), logging and testing.
- Setting and leading engineering standards, ensuring high-quality coding practices, maintainable solutions, and consistent technical approaches across the team.
- Leading Agile delivery of data engineering work, managing and operating live services at pace to maintain continuity and high-quality data delivery into DfT, while also driving innovation by developing new data engineering approaches and patterns.
- Stakeholder leadership and technical translation, partnering with architecture and data teams to align designs with strategy and standards, and managing change and innovation within DfT’s data landscape.
Lead Data Engineer - Department for Transport - G7 in Birmingham employer: Manchester Digital
Contact Detail:
Manchester Digital Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Lead Data Engineer - Department for Transport - G7 in Birmingham
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the industry. Attend meetups, webinars, or even just grab a coffee with someone who works at DfT. Building relationships can open doors that a CV just can't.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! If you’ve got a portfolio of projects or contributions to open-source, make sure to highlight them. Share your GitHub or any relevant work during interviews to demonstrate your hands-on experience.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for the interview by understanding DfT’s current data initiatives. Research their recent projects and think about how your experience aligns with their goals. This shows you're genuinely interested and ready to contribute.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining the team at DfT and ready to take on the challenge.
We think you need these skills to ace Lead Data Engineer - Department for Transport - G7 in Birmingham
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the Lead Data Engineer role. Highlight your experience with Google Cloud Platform, Python, and SQL, and don’t forget to showcase any leadership or mentoring roles you've had. We want to see how you can bring your skills to our team!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you're passionate about data engineering and how your experience aligns with our mission at DfT. Be sure to mention specific projects or achievements that demonstrate your expertise.
Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills: In your application, give examples of how you've tackled complex data challenges in the past. We love seeing candidates who can balance innovation with operational excellence, so share those stories that highlight your problem-solving prowess!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother process. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you don’t miss out on any important updates. Plus, we’re excited to see what you bring to the table!
How to prepare for a job interview at Manchester Digital
✨Know Your Tech Inside Out
Make sure you’re well-versed in Google Cloud Platform and the specific tools mentioned in the job description, like Python, SQL, and IaC tools. Brush up on your knowledge of data pipelines and be ready to discuss how you've implemented them in past roles.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Since this role involves mentoring engineers, prepare examples of how you've successfully led teams or projects. Think about times when you translated complex technical concepts for non-technical stakeholders and how that improved collaboration.
✨Prepare for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect questions that ask you to solve real-world problems related to data engineering. Practice articulating your thought process on managing live data services and driving innovation while ensuring reliability and security.
✨Emphasise Continuous Improvement
The Department for Transport values a culture of continuous improvement. Be ready to discuss how you've fostered this in previous roles, whether through adopting new technologies or improving existing processes. Highlight any specific examples where your initiatives led to better outcomes.
