Lead Data Engineer

• Gloucester location - hybrid working when possible
• Must hold active Enhanced DV Clearance (West)
• Competitive Salary DOE - 6% bonus, 25 days holiday, clearance bonus
• Experience in Data Pipelines, ETL processing, Data Integration, Apache, SQL/NoSQL, Team Leadership

Who Are We?

Our client is a trusted and growing supplier to the National Security sector, delivering mission-critical solutions that help keep the nation safe, secure, and prosperous. You'll work with cutting-edge technologies, including AI/Data Science, Cyber, Cloud, DevOps/SRE, and Platform Engineering. They have long-term contracts secured across the latest customer framework and are set for significant growth.

What will the Lead Data Engineer be Doing?

You will develop mission-critical data solutions for National Security clients, working with cutting-edge technologies such as AI/DS, Cyber, Cloud, DevOps/SRE, and Platform Engineering. You'll collaborate directly with customers across National Security, Defence, and Intelligence to solve complex, high-stakes challenges. The role involves designing and implementing sophisticated data pipelines to connect operational systems with analytics and business intelligence platforms.

Responsibilities include:

• Design, build, and maintain data pipelines, including ingestion, orchestration, and enrichment
• Develop data-streaming and ETL solutions (e.g. NiFi)
• Model databases and integrate data from diverse sources
• Ensure data quality, consistency, and security
• Monitor and optimise system performance
• Write clean, secure, reusable, test-driven code
• Apply systems integration expertise within agile teams
• Decompose user needs into epics and stories
• Promote reuse of data flows and best practices across teams
• Champion data engineering standards across government

The Lead Data Engineer Should Have:

• Active eDV clearance (West)
• Willingness to work full-time on-site in Gloucester when required.

Required experience in the following:

• Apache Kafka
• Apache NiFI
• SQL and NoSQL databases (e.g. MongoDB)
• ETL processing languages such as Groovy, Python or Java
• Understand and interpret technical and business stakeholder needs
• Manage expectations through clear, proactive communication
• Lead and support challenging conversations with teams and senior stakeholders

To be Considered:

Please either apply by clicking online or emailing me directly to . For further information please call me on / - I can make myself available outside of normal working hours to suit from 7am until 10pm. If unavailable, please leave a message and either myself or one of my colleagues will respond. By applying for this role, you give express consent for us to process & submit (subject to required skills) your application to our client in conjunction with this vacancy only. Also feel free to follow me on or connect with me on LinkedIn, just search Henry Clay-Davies (searchability). I look forward to hearing from you.

KEY SKILLS:

DATA ENGINEER / DATA ENGINEERING / DEFENCE / NATIONAL SECURITY / DATA STRATEGY / DATA PIPELINES / DATA GOVERNANCE / SQL / NOSQL / APACHE / NIFI / KAFKA / ETL / GLOUCESTER / DV / SECURITY CLEARED / DV CLEARANCE