Principal Data Engineer

Our client is an ambitious research and technology organisation at the forefront of AI and data‑driven innovation. They are building one of the most advanced data platforms in the UK – designed to power the next generation of healthcare and scientific discovery. With world‑class talent and long‑term funding, they are scaling fast and looking for exceptional engineers to help shape the future.

As Principal Data Engineer, you’ll play a leading role in designing and delivering the organisation’s next‑generation data infrastructure. You’ll partner with senior leadership, scientists, and AI specialists to create scalable, production‑grade data pipelines that underpin research and innovation at massive scale.

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• Design, build, and optimise distributed data pipelines for petabyte‑scale workloads
  
• Connect data pipelines with ML models and production systems
  
• Champion best practice across data governance, performance, and reliability
  
• Lead systems design discussions and contribute to technical strategy
  
• Mentor and guide other data engineers to elevate team capability
  
• Work closely with MLOps and infrastructure teams to enable seamless deployment
  
• Experiment, prototype, and productionise data systems that fuel AI innovation
  

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• Proven experience in Principal or Lead Data Engineer roles
  
• Expertise in Python (software engineering standard) and strong SQL skills
  
• Advanced experience building pipelines using Airflow, Prefect, or Argo
  
• Deep understanding of distributed systems, containerisation (Docker/Kubernetes), and cloud data architecture (any cloud – GCP, AWS, or Azure)
  
• Background in high‑volume, high‑velocity data environments (petabyte or large‑scale terabyte range)
  
• Familiarity with machine learning pipelines or ML model integration (e.g., Hugging Face, Transformers)
  
• Experience with CI/CD and production‑grade data systems
  
• Excellent communicator and mentor, comfortable working across technical and research teams
  
• Desirable: experience in healthcare, AI, or scientific domains
  

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• Highly competitive salary up to £200,000 per annum depending on experience
  
• Flexible hybrid working (Oxford & London offices – typically 3 days/week)
  
• Join a pioneering institute combining science, AI, and engineering at scale
  
• Opportunity to help architect one of the most complex data platforms in the UK
  
• Collaborative, mission‑driven culture with cutting‑edge projects
  

If you’re an experienced data engineer ready to help build one of the most advanced data platforms in the world, please click apply – we’d love to hear from you.