Job Description

Job description
We're looking for a Data Engineer to join our growing data team and help build, maintain, and optimise data pipelines that support analytics and reporting across our retail business. You'll work closely with analytics, BI, and business stakeholders to deliver reliable, well-modelled data that drives decision-making and enables applications of AI such as Natural Language Querying through Databricks Genie.
This is a hands-on role suited to someone with solid foundations in data engineering who is eager to deepen their skills in cloud-based data platforms and modern analytics.
Key Responsibilities

• Design, build, and maintain scalable data pipelines using Azure Data Factory and Azure Databricks
• Develop and optimise PySpark and SQL transformations for batch and analytical workloads
• Model data using dimensional modelling principles (e.g., star and snowflake schemas) to support reporting and analytics
• Contribute to semantic models and datasets consumed by Power BI, working with measures and DAX where required
• Ensure data quality, reliability, and performance across data pipelines
• Support ingestion of data from various data sources and formats
• Collaborate with BI developers, analysts, and business stakeholders to understand data requirements
• Monitor, troubleshoot, and improve existing data workflows
• Follow engineering best practices including version control, documentation, and testing

Required Skills & Experience

• 1-4 years of experience in a Data Engineer, Analytics Engineer, or similar role
• Hands-on experience with Azure Databricks and Azure Data Factory
• Strong working knowledge of SQL
• Experience using PySpark for data transformations
• Familiarity with Power BI, including datasets and basic to intermediate DAX
• Solid understanding of dimensional data modelling for analytics and reporting
• Experience working with large datasets in a cloud environment
• Understanding of data quality, performance tuning, and pipeline orchestration concepts.

Desirable

• Experience in a retail or consumer-focused industry
• Exposure to Data Lake or Lakehouse architectures
• Familiarity with CI/CD concepts for data pipelines
• Experience working with incremental loads and slowly changing dimensions (SCDs)
• Knowledge of Azure services beyond the core stack (e.g., Azure Storage, Azure SQL)
• Understanding of security principles beyond RLS and Data Access (Networking, MFA, RBAC)

About Us
As the UK's largest independent travel agency, Hays Travel specialises in providing good value, quality holidays, alongside excellent customer service. We work with all leading suppliers and
can package holidays that include hotels, flights, cruises, tours, attraction tickets, and more. We have over 500 Branches throughout the UK and our Head Office based in Sunderland, is home to tour operator teams, finance, marketing, people/HR and IT, plus many more. We have been operating for over 40 years and continue to grow each year.
Our values
Our SMILE values are embedded into our company and ensure our teams work strongly together. You and all our colleagues will ensure that the Hays Travel values are always demonstrated.

• Supportive
• Motivational
• Innovative
• Loyal
• Excellent

What it's like to work for us?
Whichever location or department you work in, our people are always at the heart of everything we do. We offer a range of training programmes to help you progress personally and professionally, as we know the benefits of promoting and rewarding our hardworking colleagues are extremely important.
Of course, it's not all about work. We're very sociable and there are always lots of team nights-out and company parties. Plus, there are opportunities to travel abroad on educational trips, and you can also take advantage of our colleague discount when booking your own holidays.
Hays Travel is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all colleagues. As an accredited employer provider of apprenticeships, we undertake basic checks through the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) to ensure the safety of our apprentices for relevant roles.

Skills Required