Senior Data Engineer

This is a senior, client-facing role with responsibility for shaping, designing, and delivering modern data and AI solutions across a range of client engagements. You will operate across the full lifecycle, from early discovery and requirement gathering through architecture design, hands-on delivery, and ongoing optimisation, using Microsoft Azure, Fabric, Power BI, and AI capabilities.

As a trusted consultant, you will work closely with business and technical stakeholders, influence data and analytics strategy, and help clients realise tangible value from their data investments. The role also includes contributing to pre-sales activities, supporting proposals and solution design, mentoring junior team members, and helping to grow our data and AI consultancy capability.

Areas of responsibility:

• Design and deliver end-to-end data & analytics solutions using Azure, Microsoft Fabric, and Power BI, but not limited to this technology stack
• Act as a trusted advisor, translating business requirements into scalable, secure data architectures
• Lead data engineering and architecture across ingestion, storage, transformation, and analytics layers
• Build and optimise Power BI reports and semantic models for actionable insights
• Integrate Azure AI/ML capabilities into solutions, including predictive analytics, large language models, and automation workflows
• Drive pre-sales and client engagements, including solution shaping, proposals, and presentations
• Ensure solutions meet data governance, security, and compliance standards
• Stay up-to-date with AI innovations, advising clients on adoption and improvements, At Sword we are dedicated to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace and are proud to be an equal opportunities employer, ensuring that all applicants receive fair and equal consideration for employment, regardless of whether they meet every requirement. If you don’t tick all the boxes but feel you have some of the relevant skills and experience we’re looking for, please do consider applying and highlight your transferable skills and experience. We embrace diversity in all its forms, valuing individuals regardless of age, disability, gender identity or reassignment, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity status, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation. Your perspective and potential are important to us.

• Strong hands-on experience with Microsoft Azure data services (e.g. Azure Data Factory, Azure Synapse, Azure Data Lake, Azure SQL)
• Proven experience designing and delivering solutions using Microsoft Fabric, including Lakehouse, Warehousing, Data Engineering, and Real-Time Analytics
• Advanced skills in Power BI, including semantic modelling (DAX), performance optimisation, and enterprise-scale deployments
• Solid background in data architecture, including data modelling, integration patterns, and modern analytics architectures
• Experience building and optimising data pipelines using SQL, Python, and/or Spark
• Knowledge of AI and advanced analytics on Azure, including Azure Machine Learning, Cognitive Services, or Fabric AI capabilities
• Experience integrating AI-driven insights (e.g. predictive models, NLP, or LLM-based solutions) into data platforms and reporting solutions
• Understanding of data governance, security, and compliance, including role-based access control and data quality frameworks
• Familiarity with DevOps / CI-CD practices for data platforms (e.g. Azure DevOps, Git, automated deployments)
• Experience working in client-facing or consultancy environments, delivering solutions across multiple stakeholders
• Strong understanding of cloud cost management, performance tuning, and scalability
• Exposure to pre-sales technical activities, such as solution design, estimations, and proof-of-concepts (desirable)

At Sword, our core values and culture are based on caring about our people, investing in training and career development, and building inclusive teams where we are all encouraged to contribute to achieve success. We offer comprehensive benefits designed to support your professional development and enhance your overall quality of life. In addition to a Competitive Salary, here’s what you can expect as part of our benefits package:

• Personalised Career Development: We create a development plan customised to your goals and aspirations, with a range of learning and development opportunities within a culture that encourages growth.
• Flexible working: Flexible work arrangements to support your work-life balance. We can’t promise to always be able to meet every request, however, are keen to discuss your individual preferences to make it work where we can.
• A Fantastic Benefits Package: This includes generous annual leave allowance, enhanced family friendly benefits, pension scheme, access to private health, well-being, and insurance schemes.

Sword is a leading provider of business technology solutions within the Energy, Public and Finance Sectors, dedicated to driving transformational change for our clients. We leverage proven technology, specialist teams, and extensive domain expertise to create robust technical foundations across platforms, data, and business applications. Our mission is fueled by a passion for technology as a means to solve complex business problems and achieve our clients’ objectives.