Overview
The Interim Principal Data Engineer will play a critical role in supporting a major data platform transformation for a high-growth technology-oriented business. Reporting directly to senior technology leadership, this position involves providing hands-on technical leadership in a modern cloud-based data environment, focusing on scaling platform capabilities and driving engineering standards. This role is ideal for someone who thrives in dynamic settings and can make an immediate impact from day one.
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 optimization of scalable data pipelines and platform services.
- Partner with senior technology, product, and data stakeholders to shape technical direction.
- Coach and mentor engineers, helping to raise capability across the wider function.
- Improve platform reliability, observability, governance, and performance.
- Support key strategic initiatives across data, analytics, and AI.
Requirements
- Proven experience as a Principal Data Engineer, Staff Engineer, Data Platform Lead, or Data Architect.
- Extensive experience in delivering data platform transformation programs in complex environments.
- Strong track record in interim, consulting, or transformation-focused roles.
- Ability to provide both strategic direction and hands-on technical leadership.
- Experience influencing senior stakeholders while maintaining close ties with engineering teams.
- Strong communication skills, capable of simplifying complex technical challenges.
- Familiarity with technical environments including Databricks, Snowflake, AWS, Azure, Python, and Spark.