Senior Data Engineer

About the Role

Join the Data Fabric Services team within the Information Systems department at MBDA located in Stevenage. This senior position involves working across multiple key business areas, including Engineering, Simulation, Testing, Production, Quality, Supply Chain, Maintenance, Repair, Overhaul (MRO), and Corporate Functions to deliver enterprise-wide data and business intelligence solutions. You will be responsible for transforming diverse data sources such as business systems, simulators, missile test platforms, and manufacturing machinery into well-governed, valuable assets.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and implement scalable ETL/ELT and streaming data pipelines integrating information from simulators, Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) and Software-in-the-Loop (SIL) benches, Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES), SCADA, ERP, and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) tools.
• Architect solutions including data lakes, data warehouses, lakehouses, and time-series databases to support various data needs.
• Create Power BI analytics offerings tailored for self-service BI, KPI tracking, and high-level executive reporting.
• Establish data models, enforce governance, quality standards, lineage, and security aligned with defence-related regulations such as ITAR, EAR, and cybersecurity policies.
• Lead DataOps practices incorporating continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD), monitoring, and containerization (CaaS) integration within hybrid and on-premise environments.

Required Skills and Experience

• Proven experience in data engineering with preference for aerospace, defence, or industrial sector exposure.
• Proficiency with ETL/ELT tools including Airflow, Azure, and Microsoft SSIS, plus experience with streaming platforms like Apache Spark and Kafka.
• Strong programming skills in Python and SQL; additional programming languages such as C++, C#, or MATLAB are advantageous.
• Familiarity with relational and modern databases including PostgreSQL, SQL Server, Oracle, Snowflake, Apache Iceberg, and TimescaleDB.
• Competence with data platform technologies such as low-code/no-code data science tools (Dataiku, Knime), data virtualization tools (Dataiku, Ab Initio, Starburst), and data visualization platforms (Power BI, DAX, Tableau).
• Integration experience with T/OT (Technology/Operational Technology) and knowledge of Industry 4.0 principles.
• Expertise in DevOps/DataOps methodologies and tools including Git, Docker, Kubernetes, and CI/CD pipelines.
• An understanding of quality and compliance frameworks like DO-178C, ISO 27001, and Ministry of Defence standards is beneficial.

Personal Attributes

• Ability to work with a transversal mindset across multiple teams and disciplines.
• High level of autonomy and ownership of deliverables.
• Excellent collaboration skills particularly within diverse international multidisciplinary teams.
• Pragmatic approach to problem-solving.

Additional Information

• Salary: Approximately £55,000 annually, dependent on experience.
• Hybrid working model requiring presence on-site two days per week based on workload classification.
• Eligibility: British citizenship is mandatory; successful candidates must complete HMG Basic Personnel Security Standard checks (BPSS) post-offer.
• Company bonus scheme up to £2,500, subject to performance and yearly variation.
• Pension contributions capped at 14% total from employer and employee.
• Opportunity to earn paid overtime.
• Flexible leave policy allowing up to 15 additional days.
• Enhanced parental leave entitlements including up to 26 weeks maternity, adoption, and shared parental leave, with additional benefits for paternity, neonatal leave, and fertility support.
• Excellent site amenities such as subsidised meals and free parking.
• MBDA values diversity and inclusion with employee-led networks supporting various groups including gender equality, ethnicity, neurodiversity, disability, and armed forces communities.