Principal Data Engineer

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Job Description:

Salary Range: £53,269 - £68,000 Leonardo UK operates a grade-based salary framework with broad bands. The salary range shown reflects the approved grade band for this role, or a narrower hiring range published within that band, and is benchmarked against the external market. Exceptions above the standard range are managed through governance controls to protect internal equity. Your impact At Leonardo, our Principal Data Engineers lead the design and delivery of secure, scalable data solutions that underpin critical defence, government, and commercial operations.

As a technical authority and people manager, you'll guide engineering teams through the full data lifecycle-transforming raw data into actionable insight across hybrid and cloud environments. This role blends technical leadership, stakeholder engagement, and team development, offering the opportunity to shape data strategy and capability across multiple programmes. Your work at Leonardo UK will see you take the lead in solving customer problems in an agile, innovative and team-centric manner.

The role may involve a blended hybrid working model, with a mixture of working from home and working on site at one of our Leonardo offices to ensure close collaboration with the wider team and with our customers. What you will do as a Principal Data Engineer Provide technical leadership and oversight for data engineering delivery within your team Lead the design, implementation and maintenance of end-to-end data solutions: acquisition, integration, storage, processing, and analysis Implement scalable data solutions using big data architectures and workflow management systems Guide the development of tools for data-driven insights and task automation Continuously test and monitor systems to improve performance and reliability Research and adopt emerging technologies Work with cloud platforms and diverse operating systems Support development and deployment of machine learning models Collaborate with Dev Ops Engineers, Data Scientists, Analysts and Cyber Consultants Mentor and coach junior data engineers to build team capability, while managing project tasks across your own and their workloads.

Support technology assessments, feasibility studies, and roadmap development Engage with stakeholders and customers, presenting and defending technical solutions Manage a small team of direct reports, providing guidance, mentorship and support for their career development Support the effective operation of the wider team through utilisation tracking, chairing team meetings and resource management What you'll bring Demonstrated leadership in data engineering, with experience managing and mentoring others.

Ability to take ownership of engineering delivery and drive team performance. Strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills. A proactive mindset with a commitment to continuous learning and capability development. Proven ability to work across disciplines and collaborate effectively in multi-functional teams. A strategic approach to problem-solving and technical decision-making. Core Areas (must have):
Strong Python and SQL skills

Experience with ETL flows, data pipelines, and orchestration tools Understanding of database architecture (SQL and No

SQL)

Experience with cloud technologies

Experience with cloud platforms

Experience with CI/CD practices

Experience with big data tools e.g. Spark, Hadoop, NiFi Experience managing direct reports, providing regular guidance and performance feedback Ability to create delivery plans with estimated timelines for personal and team workloads Experience supporting ML model deployment and Dev Ops collaboration Desirable:
Degree in STEM, Data, AI, or Programming-related field Awareness of data security best practices

Experience with designing data architecture

Experience with scaling infrastructure and code, (e.g. Kubernetes) Exposure to Ansible and Terraform Understanding of ML algorithms and deployment This is not an exhaustive list, and we are keen to hear from you even if you might not have experience in all the above. The most important skill is a good attitude and willingness to learn. Security Clearance This role is subject to pre-employment screening in line with the UK Government's Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS).

An additional range of Personnel Security Controls referred to as National Security Vetting (NSV) may apply, this could include meeting the eligibility requirements for The Security Check (SC) or Developed Vetting (DV). For more information and guidance please visit:
Why join us At Leonardo, our people are at the heart of everything we do. We offer a comprehensive, company-funded benefits package that supports your wellbeing, career development, and work-life balance. Whether you're looking to grow professionally, care for your health, or plan for the future, we're here to help you thrive. Time to Recharge:
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