Senior Data Engineer – Healthcare Data Platform

Johannesburg, South Africa | Posted on 09/02/2026

We are seeking a Senior Data Engineer to join a greenfield/future-state data platform initiative within the healthcare and medical scheme administration environment.

The successful candidate will be responsible for owning delivery end-to-end, from discovery and assessment through to implementation. This is a highly autonomous role requiring strong technical depth across both legacy data technologies and modern cloud data platforms .

The environment includes POPIA-sensitive health data , with a legacy estate incorporating Oracle, SAP Business Objects and SAS, while the organization transitions towards a modern cloud-based data environment.

• Contract: Up to 18 months, structured in 6-month phases
• Start Date: 1 October 2026
• Work Model: Hybrid
• Location: Waterfall / Midrand / Johannesburg

The ideal candidate should have strong hands-on experience with:

• Oracle Database
• Advanced SQL development and optimisation
• SAP Business Objects (BO)
• SAS
• Power BI
• Data profiling and quality assessment
• ETL and data engineering
• Self-service analytics
• Snowflake
• AWS
• Metadata management and data cataloguing
• Generative AI / LLM applications

The Senior Data Engineer will operate as a self-sufficient technical lead , independently driving delivery and managing the engagement from discovery through implementation.

The primary objective is to reduce operational workload across the client's reporting estate through:

• Improved governance and metadata management

Success will be measured by business outcomes, operational efficiency and released capacity , rather than simply utilisation.

Discovery & Assessment

• Assess and baseline the current reporting landscape.
• Analyse complex and potentially undocumented data environments.
• Identify manual, repetitive and inefficient processes.
• Quantify effort and operational workload.
• Prioritise initiatives based on measurable effort reduction and business value.
• Review the existing reporting estate.
• Identify opportunities to retire, consolidate and standardise reports.
• Establish consistent metric and data definitions.
• Reduce duplication and unnecessary reporting effort.
• Design and implement robust ETL/data engineering solutions.
• Automate manual and repetitive processes.
• Develop automated validation, reconciliation and quality assurance controls.
• Implement appropriate audit trails and controls.
• Improve data reliability and operational efficiency.

Self-Service Analytics

• Develop reusable datasets and data products.
• Enable business users through governed Power BI assets.
• Promote appropriate self-service analytics while maintaining data governance.
• Establish and maintain a centralised reporting/data catalogue.
• Define metadata standards.
• Improve discoverability and understanding of reporting assets.
• Explore appropriate use of Generative AI/LLMs for natural-language data and report discovery .

Stakeholder Management

• Engage directly with business and technical stakeholders.
• Shape requirements and scope.
• Drive technical and delivery decisions.
• Communicate progress, risks and outcomes effectively.
• Escalate only matters that genuinely require additional intervention.

Performance & Outcomes

• Define and track KPIs demonstrating reduced manual effort.
• Measure released capacity and operational improvements.
• Take ownership of planning, prioritisation and delivery across assigned work streams.

The successful candidate will be:

• A highly experienced Senior Data Engineer with strong technical depth.
• Comfortable working independently with minimal supervision.
• Able to take ownership of an engagement from discovery through delivery.
• Experienced working within complex legacy data environments.
• Strong in Oracle, SQL, Business Objects and SAS .
• Comfortable working with modern cloud technologies such as AWS and Snowflake .
• Strong in data modelling, ETL, data quality and automation.
• Experienced with Power BI and self-service analytics.
• Able to navigate undocumented environments and quickly understand complex data estates.
• Commercially minded, with the ability to identify opportunities that remove operational effort.
• Confident engaging senior business and technical stakeholders.
• Comfortable working within a regulated healthcare and POPIA-sensitive environment .

This role is suited to someone who does not need to be directed through each task.

The successful candidate should be able to walk into a complex environment,…