Principal Data Engineer

Are you a passionate Data Platform Engineer looking to make a real impact? We're looking for a Principal Data Engineer to lead the way in adopting and integrating cutting edge Databricks Lakehouse solutions across AXA UK. You'll be driving the development of scalable, robust data platforms, championing best practices, and inspiring a culture of data-driven innovation. If you're ready to help shape the future of data at AXA and empower teams with powerful, strategic insights, this could be the perfect opportunity for you!

At AXA we work smart, empowering our people to balance their time between home and the office in a way that works best for them, their team and our customers. You'll work at least two days a week (40%) away from home, moving to three days a week (60%) in the future. Away from home means either attendance at one of our office locations, visiting clients or attending industry events. We're also happy to consider flexible working arrangements, which you can discuss with Talent Acquisition.

What you'll be doing:

• Design, build, and operate scalable Databricks Lakehouse solutions, including pipelines and streaming processes.
• Lead the adoption of new Databricks features such as AI/BI Genie, Lakeflow Designer, and Agent Bricks to drive innovative data use cases.
• Partner with business units to understand their needs, develop best practices, and enable self-serve data solutions that are reliable, high quality, and accessible.
• Promote best practices for trustworthy, high-quality data to maximise the value of Data and AI initiatives.
• Deliver workshops, create documentation, and share practical guidance to empower teams across AXA.
• Collaborate with technical and business teams to develop innovative data projects, ensuring solutions are scalable, performant, and aligned with best practices.
• Facilitate collaboration between Data Platform, Data Science, Business Units, and Data Governance teams.
• Enhance platform performance, automation, and data management processes to support continuous innovation.
• Lead efforts to enhance platform capabilities, promote innovation, and share knowledge to foster a culture of growth and experimentation., We acknowledge and appreciate the exceptional efforts of our people in protecting what matters most to our customers. In exchange we offer a series of core and supporting benefits designed to empower our people to thrive both professionally and personally., We believe in hiring people who possess the appropriate skills and values that align with our vision. Our selection process is fair and equitable, ensuring that all candidates have an equal opportunity to join us. We are dedicated to promoting diversity and inclusion, and we actively encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds. As an Equal Opportunities Employer, we take pride in treating our employees and potential hires with respect and without discrimination based on any Protected Characteristics., AXA UK are recognised as a Disability Confident Leader. We actively encourage applications from people who face barriers in the workplace due to a disability or long-term health condition. We participate in the Disability Confident 'Offer of Interview' scheme. This means a fair and proportionate number of candidates with long-term health conditions or disabilities who meet the essential criteria of a job, will be offered an interview.
• You'll need to show you meet the essential criteria as detailed in the job advert or job description
• You don't need to share the details of your long term health condition or disability for your application to be considered under this scheme

As part of your application, you'll be asked if you would like to 'opt in'. To ensure ease of access, every job advert lists a responsible Talent Acquisition contact, who'll be able to connect you with our Accessibility Concierge if you require any support.

Screening & Conduct

As a regulated financial services company, all successful candidates will be subject to pre-employment checks. Additionally, adherence to the Prudential Regulation Authority's (PRA) Insurance Conduct Standards and the Financial Conduct Authority's (FCA) Conduct Rules will be required., This depends on the location of the role, and what works best for you and the interviewer. We'll give you all the information you need to prepare for whichever format's used for your interview.

I'm struggling to connect to my online interview, what should I do?

Don't worry, we know these things happen. Get in touch with the person who arranged your interview, or the Talent Acquisition contact. One of the team will be able to help get the interview started or re-arrange it for a different time.

How do I get feedback on my interview?

Whenever possible, we'll call and provide feedback by phone. Sometimes, we'll need to provide feedback by email.

How can I prepare for my interview?

We'll send a candidate preparation pack before the interview to help you prepare.

• Proven experience in designing, building, and operating advanced Databricks Lakehouse solutions, including pipelines and structured streaming processes and feature adoption.
• Passion for exploring and deploying new Databricks features to solve real business problems and drive competitive advantage.
• Strong ability to partner with business units, understand their data needs, and enable self-service, high quality data solutions.
• Ability to work with and guide teams on best practices, support architectural decisions, and influence data engineering strategies.
• Skilled at creating clear documentation, playing a key role in preparing and facilitating workshops, and engaging stakeholders at all levels.
• Advocate for high-quality data and effective data management to maximise value from analytics and AI.
• Experienced in working across technical, business, and governance teams to deliver impactful solutions.
• Curious, proactive, and eager to experiment with new tools and approaches to solve complex problems.

As a precondition of employment for this role, you must be eligible and authorised to work in the United Kingdom.

At AXA UK, we're appreciative of the people who work for us and our rewards package is reviewed regularly to reflect that. You can expect to receive:

• Competitive annual salary of up to £95,000 dependent on experience
• Annual company & performance-based bonus
• Contributory pension scheme (up to 12% employer contributions)
• Life Assurance (up to 10 x annual salary)
• Private medical cover
• 28 days annual leave plus Bank Holidays
• Opportunity to buy up to 5 extra days leave or sell up to 5 days leave
• Wellbeing services & resources
• AXA employee discounts, When will I hear back from you after my interview?

We aim to provide feedback as soon as the interview process allows. The time period will vary depending on the role.

How do I discuss the package I've been offered for a role?

You can discuss the package with your Talent Acquisition contact at offer stage.

Yay! I've got the role, what's next?

We'll carry out a number of background checks before you start. This is known as 'screening'.

Do you do any background checks?

Yes. All financial services companies, including AXA, are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Being part of a regulated industry means we must check the background of all applicants before we confirm a job offer.

Pre-employment screening is not just regulatory, it also gives us the confidence that our people are the right fit to protect what matters to customers, colleagues, and our business.

• Who is screened? Everyone, from first-jobbers to senior directors! Often, the higher up the career ladder you are, the more stringent the screening becomes.
• What is screened? Identity and address; qualifications; employment history; credit check; criminal record; directorships.

If you think anything may affect these checks, please tell us.

What benefits or perks do you offer?

At AXA, we appreciate the people who work for us and regularly review our rewards package to reflect that. The advert for the role you're interested in will detail what you can expect to receive, but you can see an overview of our benefits and perks on our Why Join Us page.

Does AXA offer car allowance or a company car?

This depends on the grade, role, and eligibility of the employee. Check the benefits listed on the ad for the role you're interested in or confirm with your recruitment contact.

AXA UK Support Functions power AXA's three customer-facing business units, providing the infrastructure, support and expertise to ensure our customers can always count on us. Whether you've got heaps of experience and qualifications behind you, or you're just starting out, we'll give you the support and opportunities to help you grow and develop with confidence., At AXA we have a culture of trust, respect and care, where everyone belongs. We have an ambition to become one of the most inspiring companies to work for, as such we're committed to supporting employee needs, providing meaningful career development, and celebrating differences. We all have a role to play in ensuring a working environment in which everyone, regardless of who they are, can reach their true potential., At AXA we're committed to offering a fair and inclusive experience to all candidates. You're encouraged to report, in good faith, any concerns of behaviour or processes believed to be inappropriate, unethical, or illegal. Should you wish to report any concerns, you can do this through by sending an email to speak-up@axa.com, AXA's dedicated hotline. This service is managed by an independent investigation team. Please note that this email address is not for dealing with job or application related queries. Read more