Data Engineer (SC Cleared)

Job Title: Data Engineer Location: Remote (occasional travel to Cumbria or London offices) Contract Length: 6 Months (contract to permanent opportunity) Start Date: ASAP IR35: Inside Interview Process: 1 Stage, MS Teams Clearance: SC We are supporting a public sector client in hiring a Data Engineer to join a data modernisation programme already underway. The programme is migrating an existing on-premises database environment to Azure, and this role has arisen due to an urgent need to address data management challenges and improve data architecture across the organisation. This is a hands-on engineering role spanning on-premises SQL Server environments and Azure cloud infrastructure, requiring someone who can operate confidently across both. The successful candidate will contribute across multiple phases of delivery, from data ingestion and staging through to cloud loading and pipeline development, working within an established programme team from day one. This role suits an experienced Data Engineer with strong SQL, SSIS and Azure Data Factory credentials, comfortable joining a mid-delivery programme and contributing immediately. Candidates who also bring data modelling experience are particularly encouraged to apply. Key Responsibilities • Understand and document existing business application databases and BI and data warehouse systems, contributing to programme knowledge and continuity • Develop and maintain data pipelines to ingest and stage data into an on-premises SQL Server 2022 environment, ensuring existing Qlik and SSRS reports continue to operate • Write and optimise SQL and T-SQL scripts and SSIS packages to support data movement, transformation and staging activity • Load and transfer data from the on-premises SQL Server environment to Azure SQL Database, using Azure Data Factory and Python Notebooks • Contribute to Azure Databricks workstreams as required across later programme phases • Work within Azure DevOps for backlog management, CI/CD pipeline activity and Git-integrated source control • Collaborate with Data Architects and wider programme teams to ensure data engineering activity aligns with the broader architecture and delivery roadmap Essential Skills • Hands-on experience with SQL Server 2022 or equivalent, including T-SQL development and SSIS for data ingestion and transformation • Proven experience loading and moving data between on-premises and Azure environments • Working knowledge of Azure SQL Database and Azure Data Factory for cloud-based data pipeline development • Experience working within Azure DevOps including backlog management and CI/CD pipeline activity • Comfortable operating within a mid-delivery programme, picking up existing work and contributing quickly • Strong communication skills with the ability to collaborate across engineering and architecture teams Desirable Skills • Data modelling experience, including logical and physical data model design • Experience with Azure Databricks and Python Notebooks for data processing and transformation • Familiarity with TOAD Data Modeler or equivalent data modelling tooling • Experience supporting existing BI reporting environments including Qlik or SSRS during migration activity