Job Description

Data Engineer (National Security Solution Provider)
SFIA 3 to 5 (Mid to Senior/Prinicpal level)
Locations: Hampshire or Surrey
Hybrid with 3 days a week high-side
65,000 to 95,000 base (depending on experience)
If you've spent any time working high-side, you'll know most data engineering roles in National Security look identical on the surface. Same tools. Same mission. Same cultural wallpaper.
This one is different.
This organisation has become known for treating people well and rotating engineers across projects to keep skillsets fresh rather than letting them stagnate on the same legacy workload.
The culture is healthy, supportive and collaborative, and the technical problem-space is modern. Great leadership, strong engineering standards, and a genuinely progressive environment compared to the usual NS suppliers.
They're scaling again thanks to long-term work secured with the "West" client and renewed support from their parent company.
They want Data Engineers who can operate confidently in high-side environments and build the data services that genuinely enable mission outcomes.
What you'll be doing
(From the official spec)

• Designing and developing data pipelines, ingestion workflows and orchestration tooling
• Working with diverse data sources: batch, streaming, real-time and unstructured
• Modelling and designing schemas for both relational and NoSQL data stores
• Integrating and enriching data from multiple sources while maintaining consistency and quality
• Building and coding ETL processes (including NiFi)
• Maintaining and enhancing data ingest components and data stores
• Investigating data issues and supporting operational systems
• Writing clean, secure, test-driven code that is reusable and open by default
• Supporting the team in decomposing user requests into meaningful epics and stories
• Implementing security best practice for sensitive data
• Monitoring and tuning data systems for performance and reliability

This is hands-on, meaningful work where the quality of the data systems you build has a direct impact on mission capabilities.
What you'll bring
This organisation looks for engineers with a mix of analytical skill, curiosity and delivery strength.

• Experience with ETL processing (Python, NiFi, similar)
• Experience with distributed compute frameworks (Spark, Kafka)
• Experience with relational databases like PostgreSQL or MySQL
• Experience with NoSQL technologies like MongoDB or Cassandra
• Knowledge of AWS and its data services
• Exposure to platforms like Palantir Foundry
• Experience operating in secure environments is highly valued

You don't need to tick every box. What matters is that you can think clearly, write good code, collaborate with others and understand the difference between what a user wants and what a user actually needs.
Why people join this team
(Feedback from Engineers that we've already placed into this client's NS Division)

• Supportive and healthy culture
• Rotation across programmes to keep skills sharp
• Better than the bureaucracy found in many traditional primes
• Modern data engineering challenges, not stale enterprise reporting
• Stable growth backed by long-term frameworks
• Real progression opportunities and meaningful mission impact
• High-trust working environment with flexibility built in

This is right for...

• Cleared Data Engineers already operating in National Security
• Based near Hampshire or Surrey and able to work high-side 3 days a week
• Looking for progression, exposure and a better environment
• Tired of rigid culture and slow career movement in other NS suppliers
• Interested in operating across ingestion, transformation, architecture and operational support

Non-negotiables

• Must meet the criteria for the highest level of UK vetting
• Must be a sole UK national
• Must be able to work high-side in Hampshire or Surrey 3 days per week
• Must have a strong data engineering background with real delivery evidence

Not quite right for...

• Pure analysts with no engineering delivery
• Engineers who want narrow data silo work only
• People without secure-sector experience
• Those who avoid collaboration or cross-discipline working

Inclusion
Even if you don't meet every bullet point, you're encouraged to apply. People from underrepresented backgrounds often self-exclude when they're more than capable.
If you have NS experience and the core data engineering capabilities, you'll be considered. Adjustments are available throughout the hiring process if needed.
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Skills Required