Job Description

Pets at Home is a unique business; we aren't 'just' a retailer, vets and animal groomers - we work with, and for, our customers and their brilliant pets across a vast range of products, services and support touchpoints both online and in hundreds of physical locations across the UK every day.


From a data and analytics perspective, that's not always easy to stay on top of, but we believe our business is truly unique in terms of the sheer breadth of data we generate, upon which we build rich analytical insights and drive tangible customer value.


We're looking to go even further with customer personalisation in the coming years, and we want a passionate

Principal Data Engineer

to join our Data Platforms team within our Engineering function to help us push the boundaries of what's possible!


The role offers hybrid working from our Support Office in Handforth, Cheshire.

Your opportunity to make an impact:

As a Principal Data Engineer, you'll be a leader at the heart of our technical innovations. You'll collaborate across our Engineering, Data Science and Analytics teams to build and optimise the tools driving our business. In this role, you will;

Lead transformative technical initiatives

empowering faster, data-driven decisions which directly impact our customers and their pets

Mentor and guide

a team of 20 talented Platform/Data/Analytics Engineers, fostering a culture of collaboration and knowledge-sharing - there's no line management involved, just a passion for building a deep, shared understanding of what we build and bringing the team along with you

Drive the evolution of our data platforms

by shaping the design, deployment and ongoing support of our tooling/capabilities for data streaming, MLOps, and batch- and real-time analytics

Focus on what matters:

whether it's reducing time to first insight for our internal customers, or proactively reducing the likelihood/impact of future incidents, we have plenty of opportunities for you to excel in your unique area of expertise

What we're looking for:

Technical excellence across the Data Engineering ecosystem:

We primarily work in python, go and SQL. Our code (tracked via github) deploys to GCP (Bigquery, Airflow/Composer, GKE, Cloud Run), dbt Cloud and Azure via terraform. We recognise this is a broad list; if you're not deeply familiar with some of these tools, we'd like you to be keen to close those gaps (and we can discuss how we support you there), but we do want you to be comfortable getting your hands on a new codebase, making meaningful contributions and moving into a position of technical ownership/leadership relatively quickly

Proven technical leadership experience

or senior technical contributions that have shaped large-scale data solutions. At interview, we expect to hear about the scars you've collected. You have lived through deployments and subsequent support, and you know what good looks like having learned the hard way!

Customer-focused mindset:

You love extracting value from data for real-world users, and you have a strong focus on outcomes and making solutions scalable (not just in terms of how the systems perform, but also in terms of how well they're supported by your fellow Engineers)

Strong communication skills:

You enjoy building working relationships with technical and non-technical colleagues at all levels, from Executives and Directors to Engineers starting their careers with us

Want your application to stand out?

We'll be particularly interested in hearing from you if you have any of the following experiences too;

Deep familiarity with modelling approaches for cloud data lakehouses / medallion architectures Building, extending or extensively using MLOps frameworks (open-source or otherwise), particularly for applications in support of customer personalisation Surfacing analytical products into data visualisation platforms (we use PowerBI) via semantic models (ideally within dbt) Improving engineering excellence (enforcement via CI/CD pipelines, KEDBs, SOPs, best practices)

Why apply?

We believe that diversity fuels innovation. At Pets at Home, you'll find an inclusive culture that values fresh perspectives and encourages everyone to bring their whole self to work. Whether you're a problem-solver, a mentor, or someone who thrives on technical challenges, we want to hear from you. Even if your experience doesn't perfectly match every requirement, your unique contributions can help us create a better future for pets and their owners.


Why you'll love working with us;

Purpose-driven work:

Your efforts will directly impact pet lovers worldwide by delivering smarter, faster pet care solutions

Flexibility:

We understand the importance of balance and offer a collaborative environment that encourages growth at every level

Commitment to inclusivity:

Pets don't discriminate, and neither do we. We're building a diverse team where every voice is heard and valued

Perks & Benefits Include:

Bonus Scheme and Discretionary Share Plans Private Healthcare and Pension Plan 36 Days of Annual Leave, with increases after two years Birthday Leave--an extra day off to celebrate you! Charity Leave--support your favourite animal-related cause Enhanced Parental Leave, paternity, shared parental leave and adoption leave

This is your chance to take the lead in an industry where your work can truly make a difference.


If you're ready to use your skills to shape the future of pet care,

apply today!

Let's build something extraordinary together.


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