At a Glance
- Tasks: Design and build robust data pipelines across a modern multi-cloud ecosystem.
- Company: Join Serco, a global leader in delivering essential public services.
- Benefits: Flexible working, competitive salary, and extensive career development opportunities.
- Other info: Inclusive culture with a commitment to diversity and innovation.
- Why this job: Make a real impact while working with cutting-edge data technologies.
- Qualifications: 5+ years in data engineering with strong skills in PySpark and SQL.
The predicted salary is between 27776 - 30354 £ per year.
- Senior Data Engineer Hybrid – Attached to our Solihull, London or Hook office
- Full Time, Permanent
- Band 4 / £60,000 - £70,000 (dependent on experience)
Here at Serco, we’re looking for a Senior Data Engineer to design, build and optimise robust data pipelines and products across a modern multi-cloud ecosystem spanning Azure, AWS, and Databricks.
Databricks is central to our platform, and you’ll play a key role in leveraging the Lakehouse architecture to power analytics, data science, and operational insight.
This is a deeply technical, hands-on role for a Senior Data Engineer who thrives on building high-quality data solutions at scale.
Alongside hands-on delivery, you’ll act as a senior technical contributor - guiding other engineers, shaping engineering standards, and influencing how data engineering is delivered across the organisation.
As part of this you’ll
- Lead the design and delivery of complex data pipelines and products (batch and streaming), ensuring scalability, resilience, and long-term maintainability.
- Define and assure data integration architectures, aligning to enterprise standards and evolving business needs.
- Build and optimise data solutions on Databricks, leveraging Delta Lake, Delta Live Tables, Unity Catalog, Structured Streaming, and workflows.
- Develop and optimise ETL/ELT pipelines using Py Spark, SQL, and orchestration frameworks, with a strong focus on performance tuning and efficiency.
- Drive cost-effective engineering practices across Azure and AWS cloud platforms.
- Re-engineer legacy or manual processes into automated, reusable, and scalable solutions, defining patterns and accelerators.
- Design and implement data models and structures, including schema evolution, metadata, lineage, and lakehouse standards.
- Embed data quality, testing, and observability frameworks to ensure reliable and trusted data products.
- Ensure data security and compliance, including access control, encryption, and lifecycle management.
- Provide technical leadership through mentoring, coaching, and design reviews, raising engineering standards across teams.
- Collaborate across a matrix organisation (Data Science, Analytics, Architecture, Cyber, Product), translating technical decisions into clear business outcomes.
- Contribute to the evolution of the data platform, recommending tools, patterns, and improvements to engineering maturity.
What you’ll need to do the role
- Strong experience designing and building data pipelines and products at enterprise scale.
- Advanced hands-on expertise in Py Spark and SQL, including performance optimisation.
- Proven experience in data modelling, integration design, and scalable data architectures.
- Deep practical experience with Databricks (essential), including Delta Lake, Unity Catalog, streaming, and workflow orchestration.
- Solid experience across Azure (ADF, Synapse, ADLS, Event Hub, Purview) and/or AWS (S3, Glue, Kinesis, Athena, EMR, Lake Formation).
- Strong understanding of CI/CD for data, test automation, and modern engineering practices.
- Experience implementing data quality frameworks, observability, and monitoring solutions.
- Familiarity with Git, Infrastructure-as-Code (Terraform/Bicep), and cloud-native tooling.
- Strong communication skills, with the ability to explain technical decisions and trade-offs clearly.
- Experience mentoring or guiding other engineers and contributing to technical best practice.
- 5+ years’ experience in data engineering within enterprise-scale environments.
- Relevant certifications (desirable): Azure Data Engineer Associate, AWS Data Analytics Specialty, Databricks Data Engineer (Associate/Professional)
- SC clearance may be needed (or willingness to obtain it)
What we offer
- Flexible working considered
- Pension – 6%
- Chance to contribute to innovation in the public services
- A company passionate about diversity and inclusion
- Serco discounts which include cinema, merlin entertainment and online shopping discounts, and discounts on mobile phone plans and leisure centre memberships.
- A range of benefits to support the health and wellbeing of you and your family such as Employee Assistance Programme, Simply Health Cash Plans, and more.
- A wealth of career development training to suit your future aspirations.
These range from role specific training, leadership coaching, formal study and much more to support you to build your career with Serco.
- A safe and supportive culture.
A little bit about us
At Serco, everyone plays a vital part in delivering essential public services that make a real difference.
As a global team of 50,000 people across Defence, Transport, Justice, Immigration, Healthcare, Leisure and Citizen Services, we’re united by a shared purpose: to improve the services that communities rely on.
Guided by our values of Trust, Care, Innovation and Pride, our people make meaningful impact, every single day.
Our inclusive recruitment commitment
We prioritise your skills and potential.
As a Disability Confident Leader, the Top Great British Employer of Veterans 2026, and a Gold Inclusive Employer Standard holder, we champion equal opportunities for all.
We offer flexible and hybrid working where possible and make reasonable adjustments throughout recruitment and employment.
Guaranteed Interview Scheme
Applicants with disabilities, veterans and people with convictions, who meet the minimum job criteria, are guaranteed an interview.
Simply opt into the relevant scheme on the application form.
Ban The Box
We also support fair access for those with unspent criminal convictions through our ‘Ban the Box’ pledge (some roles may have security exemptions).
For support with your application, please contact recruitmentuk@serco. com.
ddatjobs
Senior Data Engineer employer: Serco
Serco is an excellent employer, offering a supportive work culture that prioritises employee well-being and development. As a Ward Host Assistant at University Hospital Southampton, you will enjoy flexible shift options and the chance to make a meaningful impact on patient care, all while being part of a team that values hospitality and customer service excellence.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior 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 Serco!
✨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 Senior Data Engineer at Serco.
✨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 Serco.
✨Apply Directly through Our Website
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We think you need these skills to ace Senior 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 Serco, 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 Serco. 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 Serco
✨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 Serco!
✨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.
