Data Engineer (National Security)

Location: Opportunities across key UK National Security hubs
Hybrid: Secure-site working required, varying by programme
Salary: £70,000–£100,000+ depending on experience and level
Clearance: Active DV / eDV clearance required

If you're a Data Engineer who's spending more time maintaining what already exists than building something better, this could be worth a look.

I'm supporting an engineering-led organisation that's continuing to grow its Data capability across National Security, with opportunities to work on modern platforms where data increasingly sits at the heart of analytics, AI/ML and operational decision-making.

The attraction here isn't just a newer stack.

It's the chance to work in smaller, multidisciplinary teams where Data Engineers have a voice, work directly with good technical people and can influence how platforms are actually designed and built.

Less being the data person at the end of a delivery chain. More engineering ownership.

You'll typically be working across:

• Python and SQL

• AWS and cloud-native data services

• ETL / ELT and scalable data pipelines

• Spark and distributed data processing

• Data modelling and modern data architectures

• CI/CD, automation and Infrastructure as Code

• Data platforms supporting analytics, AI/ML and complex operational datasets

You don't need to have used every technology.

I'm much more interested in Data Engineers with strong fundamentals who enjoy solving difficult problems, can communicate with technical and non-technical stakeholders, and want to keep broadening their engineering capability.

This should particularly appeal if you're coming from a larger consultancy or prime and wondering whether a smaller engineering environment could offer more ownership, less red tape, better progression and closer access to technical decision-making.

Clearance

Most of the work supports live National Security programmes, so active DV or eDV clearance is required for this opportunity.

Occasionally I can support exceptional SC-cleared engineers into roles that offer a route to higher clearance, but those opportunities are the exception rather than the rule.

Not actively looking?

That's completely fine.

If you're curious about which organisations are genuinely investing in Data Engineering, how their cultures compare, or simply what your experience is worth in the current market, I'm always happy to share what I'm seeing.

If nothing else, you'll come away with a clearer picture of the market — even if your next move is still a year away.

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