Data Engineer

About the Role

The University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand, is seeking a skilled Data Engineer to join their Digital Services team. This permanent position involves working 37.5 hours per week onsite and offers a salary ranging from $108,459 to $130,000 annually, depending on experience. Benefits include 5 weeks of annual leave plus 5 university holidays, professional development opportunities, and employer superannuation contributions up to 6.75%.

Key Responsibilities

You will be responsible for designing, building, and maintaining robust, modern data pipelines and trusted data assets that facilitate analytics and reporting across the University. Utilizing technologies such as Snowflake, Databricks, SQL, and Python, you will develop scalable data solutions that support strategic and operational requirements. Collaboration with data engineers, scientists, analysts, and stakeholders will be critical as you transform enterprise data into accessible and reusable resources. You will also contribute to implementing data engineering best practices including automation, testing, continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD), data quality assurance, and lakehouse architecture to enhance the University's data platform and future AI initiatives.

Candidate Profile

• At least four years of data engineering or related experience.
• Strong background building data pipelines using SQL, Python, Snowflake, Databricks, and Spark or similar tools.
• Experience with cloud platforms such as Azure and/or AWS.
• Familiarity with designing and supporting modern data architectures like data warehouses and lakehouses.
• Proven ability to implement data quality controls, automation, testing, and CI/CD methodologies.
• Solid understanding of data modeling, integration, and governance principles.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and teamwork aptitude collaborating with data scientists and analysts.
• Experience within tertiary education or complex large organizations is advantageous.
• Alignment with the university's values fostering a positive, inclusive work environment.

Working Environment

You will engage closely with data scientists, analysts, platform engineers, and project teams throughout the University, supporting faculties and service teams to deliver impactful data-driven research, teaching, and business outcomes.

Benefits

• Five weeks annual leave plus five university holidays.
• Parental leave benefits including up to nine weeks paid leave, government-paid parental leave, and onsite childcare.
• Employer superannuation contributions up to 6.75%.
• Flexible work arrangements to balance personal and professional commitments.
• Professional growth and educational opportunities.
• A supportive and inclusive workplace culture.
• Wide range of retail, entertainment, and travel discounts.
• Access to campus facilities including the UC RecCentre and Staff Club at discounted rates.
• Enjoy living in the vibrant city of Ōtautahi | Christchurch with a unique campus environment.

Additional Information

The role requires New Zealand or Australian citizenship or permanent residency for eligibility. Applications are accepted through the University of Canterbury's official careers portal, including a cover letter and resume. The closing date for applications is 11 August 2026, but early submissions are encouraged as interviews may proceed prior to this date. This position requires onsite attendance in Christchurch.