Lead Data Platform Engineer

BUSINESS FUNCTION: IT(Data & Analytics)

SALARY: Upto 62k (Grade ML2/SB1)

ROLE TYPE:Permanent

LOCATION: York/Leeds/Manchester

HOURS:37 per week

As part of Northerns Data and Analytics teamyoull play a key role in shaping how data powers every decision we make. As the Lead Data Platform Engineer you will lead the designdevelopment and optimisation of the organisations enterprise data platform andits pipelines enabling data-driven decision-making and innovation.

You willact as technical lead for a team of skilled data engineers and align the dataengineering strategy with business objectives. This role is pivotal in ensuringthe availability security and scalability of data systems to support theorganisations digital transformation.

What youll be doing

• Oversee the design development and maintenance of robust scalable and secure data pipelines.
• Implement best practices for data pipelines modelling and governance to ensure high-quality consistent and compliant data.
• Lead initiatives to modernize legacy systems migrate data to the cloud and optimize data storage and processing costs.
• Provide thought leadership on emerging data technologies and trends recommending strategies to leverage advancements for competitive advantage.
• Ensure the integrity of the data sets within the data lake maps to the logical model and that data sets are well documented in Wikis data dictionaries etc.
• Participate in data engineering sprints develop data pipelines peer-review code.
• Mentor a high-performing team of data engineers fostering a culture of innovation collaboration and continuous improvement.
• Support the Data Engineering Team Manager to translate user stories into ingestion curation and integration solutions.
• Identify and mitigate risks related to data access storage and usage ensuring robust data protection measures are in place.
• Define and execute the organisations data engineering strategy aligned with overall business objectives and technology roadmaps.
• Ensure data engineering processes adhere to regulatory standards (e.g. GDPR HIPAA) and organizational security policies.

About you

Youre a technical expert who thrives on the importance of cleanscalable data solving problems driving better decisions and supportinginnovation. Youll bring:

• Significant experience in data engineering including leading or mentoring technical teams.
• Deep understanding of cloud environments such as Azure AWS or Google Cloud Platform and tools like Synapse Hadoop or Snowflake.
• Hands-on experience with programming languages such as Python Java or Scala.
• Strong knowledge of data architecture modelling and governance.
• A track record of delivering complex data projects from cloud migrations to big data solutions.
• The ability to explain technical concepts in plain language and build trust with stakeholders at every level.
• A degree in Computer Science Data Engineering Data Science or a related subject is preferred and cloud or data certifications would be a bonus.

Whats in it for you

At Northern we dont just value our people - we gothe extra mile to support them. Heres a taste of what you can look forward to:

• Free Travel: Unlimited free travel for you your partner and your dependents on Northern services. Plus up to 75% discount on other networks in the UK and Europe.
• Generous Pension Scheme: We top up your contributions by 1.5 times.
• Enhanced Family Benefits: We offer 9 months of full pay for maternity leave and 2 weeks for paternity leave.
• Cycle to Work Scheme: Save up to 42% on a bike and spread the cost.
• Electric Car Scheme: Lease a brand new electric or plugin hybrid car.
• Exclusive Discounts: From shopping to wellbeing Northern Perks has you covered.
• Holiday Purchase Scheme: Buy up to 5 extra days of annual leave.
• Employee Assistance Programme: 24/7 support for family lifestyle and more.
• Training and Career Development: We offer tailored training to our colleagues and opportunities to gain recognised qualifications. Plus enhanced career pathways no matter what part of the business youre in.
• Recognition: We know how important it is to show how much we appreciate our people. Thats why we have our Northern Lights and Northern Sparks Awards recognising and celebrating brilliance every day.

Why Northern

Were more than just a train operator. Were theheartbeat of the North - connecting communities creating opportunities anddriving sustainable growth. With 2500 trains running daily were on a missionto improve rail travel and enhance the customer experience while protecting theenvironment.

Back in 1825 the first passenger train set off inthe North of England after which rail quickly spread across the globe - andthis year were celebrating 200 years of the modern railway. As we look backon the historic events that led us here we also look towards the future as wemove into the era of Great British Rail. Join us at this pivotal moment in railhistory and play your part in our journey.

A place for everyone

The best journeys happen when everyone feelswelcome on Northern we dont just move people from A to B- were building a team where everyone feels they belong.

Our talent team canmake reasonable adjustments to the process if thats something you need. Werealso a Level 2 Disability Confident employer so if you meet the minimumcriteria for the role well always offer an automate parts of our screening process toremove any unconscious bias and to make sure every application is treatedfairly. All successful offers will be subject to a DBS check and a matter your background experience or whetheryou call it a bap barm or cob theres a place for you here in the railway.