Finatal
Interim Principal Data Engineer
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Job Title: Interim Principal Data Engineer
Location: London (Hybrid)
Contract Type: 6-Month Contract (Outside IR35)
The Opportunity
A high-growth, technology-led business is seeking an Interim Principal Data Engineer to support a major data platform transformation programme.
Reporting into senior technology leadership, you'll be brought in to provide hands-on technical leadership across a modern cloud-based data environment, helping scale platform capabilities, improve engineering standards and accelerate delivery against a busy transformation roadmap.
This role would suit somebody who enjoys joining businesses during periods of change, quickly establishing credibility and driving tangible outcomes from day one.
Key Responsibilities
- Provide technical leadership across a modern cloud-native data platform.
- Define and implement engineering best practices, standards and delivery patterns.
- Lead the design and optimisation of scalable data pipelines and platform services.
- Partner with senior technology, product and data stakeholders to shape technical direction.
- Coach and mentor engineers, helping raise capability across the wider function.
- Improve platform reliability, observability, governance and performance.
- Support key strategic initiatives across data, analytics and AI.
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Ideal Profile
- Proven experience operating as a Principal Data Engineer, Staff Engineer, Data Platform Lead or Data Architect.
- Extensive experience delivering data platform transformation programmes within complex environments.
- Strong track record of operating in interim, consulting or transformation-focused roles.
- Comfortable providing both strategic direction and hands-on technical leadership.
- Able to influence senior stakeholders whilst remaining close to engineering teams.
- Strong communication skills and the ability to simplify complex technical challenges.
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Technical Environment
- Databricks
- Snowflake
- AWS and/or Azure
- Python
- Spark
- Terraform
- Airflow
- Event-Driven Architecture
- CI/CD
- Data Products
- Modern Platform Engineering Practices
Why This Role?
- Business-critical transformation programme.
- High level of visibility with senior leadership.
- Opportunity to shape long-term platform direction.
- Hands-on technical leadership role.
- Chance to leave a lasting impact within a high-growth environment.
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