At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the evolution of a next-gen data platform and drive architectural decisions.
- Company: A forward-thinking tech organisation with a focus on innovation.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, flexible working, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Join a collaborative team and stay at the forefront of data engineering.
- Why this job: Shape scalable engineering practices and make a real impact in data architecture.
- Qualifications: Experience in large-scale data platforms and strong Python skills required.
The predicted salary is between 72000 - 88000 £ per year.
A forward-thinking tech organisation is seeking a Principal Data Engineer to lead the evolution of its next-generation data platform. This is a senior technical leadership role, ideal for someone who enjoys working at the intersection of architecture, platform design, and long-term data strategy. This is not a pure data pipeline role. The position is best suited to individuals passionate about platform architecture, automation, and shaping scalable engineering practices.
Reporting to the Head of Data, the Principal Data Engineer will serve as a key technical authority, owning architectural decisions, defining roadmaps, and ensuring that the data platform is secure, scalable, and aligned with broader business goals. The role involves working closely with engineers, architects, and stakeholders while remaining hands-on enough to prototype and solve complex technical challenges.
Core Responsibilities
- Design and implement secure, high-performance Databricks environments including cluster setup, governance, and tuning
- Define and own the technical roadmap for the organisation's data platform
- Ensure systems meet standards for performance, security, maintainability, and reliability
- Drive progress toward Service Level Objectives (SLOs)
- Collaborate with technical leads and architects to shape data solutions that meet product and business needs
- Support cross-functional teams in removing technical blockers and enabling delivery
- Maintain clear, high-quality technical documentation for data and BI systems
- Act as a visible, collaborative technical voice within the business
- Contribute to estimation and technical planning
- Align all solutions with the wider technical strategy
- Work with Solution Architects and Analysts to design scalable, forward-thinking solutions
- Apply architectural principles such as domain modelling and modular design
- Collaborate with team leads to guide delivery and implementation
- Provide hands-on support through code reviews, prototyping, and pair programming
- Support incident response efforts and assist with resolving critical technical issues
- Rapidly gain deep knowledge of internal BI tools and systems
- Create and maintain technical documentation, including integration guides and data contracts
- Support onboarding and knowledge transfer across teams
- Stay current with modern best practices in data engineering and architecture
What They're Looking For
- Proven experience designing large-scale data platforms and Databricks infrastructure
- Strong understanding of Databricks internals, including cost and performance optimisation
- Advanced Python skills and software development best practices (e.g. testing, abstraction, modularity)
- Familiarity with modern data architecture (e.g. Lakehouse, domain-driven design, data contracts)
- Experience owning and driving platform-level technical roadmaps
- Active engagement with new technologies and the wider data engineering community
- Excellent collaboration and communication skills
- Strong organisational and time management skills
- A proactive, self-starting mindset with a focus on delivery and ownership
Apply now to find out more!
Principal Data Engineer in Newcastle upon Tyne employer: Ronald James
As an Information Security Manager at our fast-growing B2B technology business, you'll thrive in a dynamic work culture that prioritises innovation and collaboration. We offer competitive benefits, including professional development opportunities and a commitment to employee growth, ensuring you can advance your career while making a meaningful impact on our governance and compliance strategies. Join us in a location that fosters creativity and teamwork, where your expertise will be valued and your contributions will drive our success.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Principal Data Engineer in Newcastle upon Tyne
✨Get Involved in Data Science Meetups
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We think you need these skills to ace Principal Data Engineer in Newcastle upon Tyne
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 Ronald James, 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 Ronald James. 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 Ronald James
✨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 Ronald James!
✨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.
