We are looking for a Lead Data Engineer to join our eCommerce Data team. Based from NEXT Head Office in Enderby, Leicestershire!
The Role:
As a Lead Data Engineer, you will play a pivotal role in designing, building and evolving our cloud based data platform on Azure. You will be responsible for developing scalable, reliable and high performance data solutions that power analytics, reporting and emerging AI capabilities across the business.
Working primarily with Azure Databricks, PySpark, SQL and Azure Data Factory, you will lead the development of robust data pipelines, champion engineering best practices and help shape the technical direction of our data platform. You will also drive the design of a modern, AI ready data model that enables faster adoption of machine learning, generative AI and advanced analytics.
This is a hands-on technical leadership role where you'll mentor engineers, collaborate closely with business stakeholders and balance technical excellence with commercial priorities to ensure the team delivers maximum business value.
What You’ll Take On:
- Design, develop, and maintain scalable data pipelines and ETL/ELT processes using Azure services such as Azure Data Factory, Azure Databricks, and Azure Data Lake Storage.
- Design and evolve a modern enterprise data model that provides trusted, reusable data assets and accelerates AI, machine learning, and advanced analytics initiatives.
- Ensure data quality, integrity, security, and governance across the data platform by implementing engineering best practices and robust monitoring.
- Collaborate with data scientists, analysts, product teams, and business stakeholders to understand requirements and deliver scalable data solutions.
- Optimise data platforms and pipelines for performance, scalability, reliability, and cost efficiency.
- Lead the implementation of streaming data solutions and Delta Live Tables using PySpark and Databricks.
- Build and maintain CI/CD pipelines for data engineering solutions using Azure DevOps, Git, and infrastructure-as-code where appropriate.
- Integrate with third-party systems and APIs to support secure and reliable data ingestion.
- Mentor and support junior engineers, promoting high engineering standards, knowledge sharing, and continuous improvement.
- Troubleshoot and resolve complex data engineering challenges while ensuring high availability of critical data services.
- Develop a strong understanding of business priorities and commercial objectives, helping to prioritise engineering work that delivers the greatest value and business impact.
What You’ll Bring:
- Strong Python, PySpark and SQL skills with extensive experience designing, developing and optimising large scale data pipelines.
- Hands-on experience with Azure data technologies, including Azure Databricks, Azure Data Factory, Azure Data Lake Storage, and Delta Lake.
- Experience working with relational and NoSQL databases such as Cosmos DB.
- Experience building streaming data pipelines and Delta Live Tables using Databricks.
- Strong understanding of modern data modelling techniques, including designing data models that support analytics and AI workloads.
- Experience implementing CI/CD pipelines using Azure DevOps, Git, and related tooling.
- Experience integrating with third party APIs and external data sources.
- Strong understanding of data governance, data quality, security and operational best practices.
- Excellent problem solving, communication and stakeholder management skills.
- Strong commercial awareness, with the ability to balance technical priorities against business value and make pragmatic engineering decisions.
Desirable Skills:
- Knowledge of machine learning concepts, MLOps and deploying data products for AI use cases.
- Experience with modern AI and Generative AI platforms, including preparing data for Large Language Models (LLMs) and Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) solutions.
- Experience with other cloud platforms such as AWS or GCP.
- Experience with enterprise data governance frameworks and tooling.
- 25% off most NEXT, MADE*, Lipsy*, Gap* and Victoria's Secret* products (*when purchased through NEXT)
- Company performance based bonus
- Sharesave scheme
- On-site Nursery available; OFSTED outstanding in all areas
- 10% off most partner brands & up to 15% off Branded Beauty
- Early VIP access to sale stock
- Access to fantastic discounts at our Staff Shops
- Restaurants with great food at amazing prices
- Access a digital GP and other free health and wellbeing services
- Free on-site parking
- Financial Wellbeing - Save, track and enhance your financial wellbeing
- Apprenticeship - Grow and develop on the job whilst gaining a qualification
- Direct to Work - Discount online and instore, collect your items the next day for free from your place of work or local store
- Support Networks - Access to Network Groups to empower and celebrate each other
- Wellhub - Discounted flexible monthly gym memberships, with apps, PT sessions and more
Skills Required
- Strong Python, PySpark and SQL skills for designing, developing and optimising large scale data pipelines.
- Hands-on experience with Azure Databricks, Azure Data Factory, Azure Data Lake Storage and Delta Lake.
- Experience with relational and NoSQL databases such as Cosmos DB.
- Experience building streaming data pipelines and Delta Live Tables using Databricks.
- Strong understanding of modern data modelling techniques for analytics and AI workloads.
- Experience implementing CI/CD pipelines using Azure DevOps, Git and related tooling.
- Experience integrating with third party APIs and external data sources.
- Strong understanding of data governance, data quality, security and operational best practices.
- Excellent problem solving, communication and stakeholder management skills.
- Strong commercial awareness and ability to prioritise engineering work for business value.
- Knowledge of machine learning concepts, MLOps and deploying data products.
- Experience with modern AI and Generative AI platforms; preparing data for LLMs and RAG solutions.
- Experience with other cloud platforms such as AWS or GCP.
- Experience with enterprise data governance frameworks and tooling.
What We Do
BD is one of the largest global medical technology companies in the world and is advancing the world of health by improving medical discovery, diagnostics and the delivery of care. The company supports the heroes on the frontlines of health care by developing innovative technology, services and solutions that help advance both clinical therapy for patients and clinical process for health care providers. BD and its 65,000 employees have a passion and commitment to help improve patient outcomes, improve the safety and efficiency of clinicians’ care delivery process, enable laboratory scientists to better diagnose disease and advance researchers’ capabilities to develop the next generation of diagnostics and therapeutics. BD has a presence in virtually every country and partners with organizations around the world to address some of the most challenging global health issues. By working in close collaboration with customers, BD can help enhance outcomes, lower costs, increase efficiencies, improve safety and expand access to health care. In 2017, BD welcomed C. R. Bard and its products into the BD family. For more information on BD, please visit bd.com.
