Lead Data Engineer
Location:
London Reporting To:
Chief Technology Officer About Us
Our client is a leading AI-powered SaaS company that helps businesses unlock the full potential of their first-party data. Their platform transforms complex data into actionable intelligence, enabling clients to drive revenue growth and optimise decision-making. They specialise in Finance, Retail, Travel, Telco, and Healthcare, working with major household-name brands. Currently serving clients in four countries with two live products and two AI solutions in development, this is an exciting time to join as they scale rapidly. Role Overview
This is a player-manager role leading the Data Engineering function. You'll define processes, tooling, quality standards, and team structure while personally delivering on the most complex pipeline work. You'll manage and mentor data engineers, own the data infrastructure, and collaborate across Product, Data Science, Client Success, and Platform R&D. You'll also lead the adoption of AI within the engineering workflow. Key Responsibilities
Function Leadership & Team Management Own the Data Engineering function: standards, tooling, and delivery processes Manage, mentor, and develop a team of data engineers including performance and development plans Lead recruitment and be the engineering voice in cross-functional planning Data Engineering & Architecture Design and build high-performance ETL/ELT pipelines across operational, analytical, and AI data layers Lead schema design, model validation, scalable partitioning, and metadata-driven SQL frameworks Hands-on ownership of the most complex implementation work Data Modelling & Design Define and evolve data models powering SCV, segmentation, AI features, and analytics Work across dimensional, event-based, and ML-aligned data structures DevOps, CI/CD & AI Ops Own CI/CD for data pipelines using Git-based workflows, deployment governance, and rollback handling Orchestrate ML model outputs into production pipelines with resilience controls Drive AI tooling adoption across engineering: code generation, data profiling, documentation, and testing Implement structured logging, alerting, SLA tracking, and access control Key Technologies
Cloud: Azure, AWS, or GCP | SQL (T-SQL, PostgreSQL), Python, versioned metadata frameworks DevOps: Git, CI/CD (Azure DevOps, GitHub Actions) | Monitoring: Custom logging, alerts, structured failure handling Security: Role-based schema access, PII isolation, audit trails Required Skills & Experience
First-class STEM degree from a prestigious university 5+ years in Data Engineering/Platform roles, 2+ years in a lead or senior capacity Proven line management experience — not just technical leadership Track record of building or improving engineering processes and team structures Expertise in SQL pipelines, Python orchestration, dimensional modelling, and star/snowflake schemas Experience with cloud data infrastructure, CI/CD automation, and metadata frameworks Comfortable working across product, AI, and client delivery teams Why Join?
Build and lead a Data Engineering function from the ground up Work on real-world AI challenges for enterprise clients across multiple sectors Direct mentorship from the CTO and Technical Architect Competitive salary, learning budget, and fast-track growth
TPBN1_UKTJ
Lead Data Engineer in Slough employer: VIQU IT Recruitment
At VIQU, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work culture that fosters innovation and collaboration. As a Senior Information Security Analyst in Southampton, you'll benefit from a hybrid working model, competitive remuneration, and opportunities for professional growth within a leading offshore law firm focused on secure technology adoption. Join us to make a meaningful impact in the realm of AI and information security while enjoying a supportive environment that values your contributions.
