Contract Data Engineers (x3) – Defence Sector – Bristol
Outside IR35 | DV Clearance Required
Location: Bristol (Onsite/Hybrid) | Contract Duration: 6-12 months+
We are recruiting three experienced Data Engineers for a leading defence client in Bristol.
This is a contract opportunity operating outside IR35, offering a chance to work in a high-security, mission-critical environment. You must already hold UK DV Clearance,
Key Responsibilities:
* Design, develop, and manage complex, large-scale data pipelines in secure or regulated environments
* Ingest, process, index, and visualise data using the Elastic Stack (Elasticsearch, Logstash, Kibana)
* Build and maintain robust data flows with Apache NiFi
* Implement best practices for handling sensitive data, including encryption, anonymisation, and access control
* Monitor and troubleshoot real-time data pipelines to ensure high performance and reliability
* Write efficient, secure scripts and code using Python, Bash, or similar languages
* Collaborate with cross-functional teams to meet technical and operational requirements
Essential Skills and Experience:
* 3+ years’ experience as a Data Engineer in secure, regulated, or mission-critical environments
* Proven expertise with the Elastic Stack (Elasticsearch, Logstash, Kibana)
* Solid experience with Apache NiFi
* Strong understanding of data security, governance, and compliance requirements
* Experience building real-time, large-scale data pipelines
* Working knowledge of cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP), particularly in secure deployments
* Experience using Infrastructure as Code tools
* Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills
* Detail-oriented with a strong focus on data accuracy, quality, and reliability
Desirable (Nice to Have):
* Background in defence, government, or highly regulated sectors
* Familiarity with Apache Kafka, Spark, or Hadoop
* Experience with Docker and Kubernetes
* Use of monitoring/alerting tools such as Prometheus, Grafana, or ELK
* Understanding of machine learning algorithms and data science workflows
* Proven ability to deliver end-to-end data solutions
* Knowledge of Terraform, Ansible, or similar IaC tools
Interested?
If you're ready to work on cutting-edge data engineering projects that make a difference, get in touch to learn more.