Job Title: Lead Data Engineer
Location: York (Hybrid Working Available)
Department: Data & Business Intelligence
Salary: £66,000 - 71,000 + Excellent Benefits
Type: Full-Time, Permanent
About the Role
WRK Digital is proud to partner exclusively with a well-known, high-profile organisation on a transformative data journey. We are seeking a talented Lead Data Engineer to play a pivotal role in a major data transformation initiative. This is an exceptional opportunity to join a forward-thinking company as they build an intelligent data platform in close collaboration with AWS engineers.
In this role, you’ll lead cutting-edge data engineering efforts that will enable strategic decision-making, enhance operational efficiency, and support the deployment of AI, machine learning, and advanced analytics across the organisation.
We are looking for a hands-on, highly skilled individual who can set direction and bring technical leadership to a growing team. You'll be managing a cloud-based data lake, designing reusable data assets, and fostering a data-first culture in a dynamic and impactful environment.
Key Responsibilities
* Act as Technical Lead for the central Data Services team, ensuring delivery of high-quality, scalable data pipelines.
* Manage and evolve the organisation’s AWS-based data lake and catalogue.
* Champion and embed best practices in data ownership, reusability, and governance.
* Contribute to the organisation's Data Centre of Excellence and provide strategic input on data architecture.
* Prioritise and track data sourcing activities through JIRA and Confluence.
* Design delivery plans and oversee execution of data pipeline and asset development.
* Collaborate across business units to identify opportunities for data reuse, efficiency, and innovation.
* Mentor and upskill data engineers, analysts, and scientists across the business.
* Promote a strong data culture and engage with stakeholders to maximise the value of data assets.
Key Requirements
Essential:
* Demonstrable experience leading the delivery of robust and reusable data pipelines using AWS technologies such as S3, Glue, Lambda, and Lake Formation.
* Proficiency in Terraform, GitHub, and VS Code for pipeline deployment.
* Proven leadership in developing high-performing data teams.
* Strong SQL and familiarity with analytics tools such as Alteryx, AWS Athena, Quicksight, Sagemaker, Tableau, and Power BI.
* Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
* Ability to write clear technical documentation and define user stories with appropriate acceptance criteria.
Desirable:
* Experience in real-time data pipelines using AWS Kinesis / Firehose.
* Industry experience in rail, transport, or similar sectors.
* Involvement in data governance, literacy, and data ownership initiatives.
* Strong understanding of CI/CD workflows in a data engineering context.
Why Join?
* Be part of a cutting-edge data transformation initiative.
* Collaborate with AWS engineers on a modern data architecture.
* Make a tangible impact on revenue, cost savings, and customer experience.
* Enjoy a supportive, flexible working environment and continuous learning opportunities.
If you’re a data visionary with the technical expertise and leadership qualities to shape the future of data in a fast-moving business, we’d love to hear from you.
This role can be based anywhere in the UK with travel to York twice a month.
Apply now to be part of a data-driven journey that’s just getting started.