Azure Data Engineer

Azure Data Engineer (Contract) Location: Remote (UK-based) Rate: £500.00 per day Outside IR35 Start Date: ASAP We are working with a global pharmaceutical and life sciences organisation seeking an experienced Azure Data Engineer to join on a contract basis. This is a fantastic opportunity to contribute to large-scale, data-driven initiatives within a highly regulated and impactful industry. The Role You will play a key role in designing, building, and optimising scalable data solutions on Azure. Working within a collaborative data team, you’ll help deliver robust data pipelines and architectures that support analytics, research, and business-critical decision-making. Key Responsibilities • Design and develop scalable data pipelines using Azure technologies • Build and optimise ETL/ELT processes for large datasets • Implement data solutions using Azure Databricks and Delta Lake • Orchestrate workflows using Azure Data Factory • Develop and maintain data models to support reporting and analytics • Ensure data quality, performance optimisation, and best practices • Collaborate with cross-functional teams including data scientists and analysts Essential Skills & Experience • Strong hands-on experience with Azure Databricks (PySpark, Spark SQL, Delta Lake) • Proven expertise in Azure Data Factory (ADF) including pipeline orchestration, triggers, and linked services • Experience working with Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2 (ADLS Gen2) and layered architecture (Bronze / Silver / Gold) • Strong Python skills for data transformation, scripting, and automation • Solid experience with SQL Server or other relational databases, including querying, stored procedures, and performance tuning • Strong understanding of data modelling, including Star and Snowflake schemas Desirable Skills • Experience with FastAPI for lightweight data or ML APIs • Familiarity with Azure DevOps (CI/CD pipelines, release management) • Experience with Git/version control and collaborative development workflows • Knowledge of Azure fundamentals (IAM, Key Vault, networking, resource management)