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# Principal Data Platform Engineer

- **Company:** RWS
- **Location:** Maidenhead, UK
- **Contract:** Permanent contract
- **Skills:** Java (Programming Language), Artificial Intelligence, Airflow, Data Analysis, Microsoft Azure, BigQuery, Cloud Computing Security, Cloud Engineering, Cyber Security, Computer Programming, Continuous Integration, Information Engineering, Data Infrastructure, Extract Transform Load (ETL), Data Flow Control, Github, Identity and Access Management, Python (Programming Language), Role-Based Access Control, Data Mesh, Software Engineering, Google Cloud, Apache Spark, Multi-Cloud, Amazon Virtual Private Cloud (VPC), Agentic-AI, Build Management, Kubernetes, Infrastructure Automation Frameworks, Data Analytics, Firewall Services Module, Terraform, Data Pipelines
- **Published:** October 22, 2026
- **Apply:** https://www.apply4u.co.uk/jobs/principal-data-platform-engineer/53025242

## About the Role

Infrastructure Automation: Expert-level Terraform, with GitHub Actions or similar for automated build and deployment.
Expert Cloud Architecture: Deep, predominantly GCP experience - BigQuery, Dataflow, Dataform, Cloud Composer and Pub/Sub.
Cloud Security and Networking: Strong working knowledge of IAM, RBAC, VPC design and firewall configuration.
Software Engineering: Strong programming skills in Python, and experience with Java or Scala.
Data Engineering at Scale: Solid ELT/ETL design experience and hands-on work with Apache Spark.

Bonus points if you have:
Multi-Cloud Exposure: Experience with Azure alongside GCP.
Container Orchestration: Experience packaging and deploying workloads with Helm and Kubernetes.
AI-Assisted Engineering: Practical experience using AI agents or copilots to accelerate engineering delivery.
Data Products: Knowledge or experience of implementing data products and data mesh principles.

## Description

As a Principal Data Platform Engineer at RWS, you will be the most senior technical authority on our data platform. You will architect and implement a scalable Google Cloud Platform (GCP) data platform, setting the engineering standards, patterns and guardrails that the wider Data Engineering team builds on. This is a hands-on role: you will write the Terraform, the pipelines and the automation that make the platform repeatable, secure and cost-effective at scale.
You'll own the platform end to end - from infrastructure as code and CI/CD through to the data pipelines running on top of it - and you'll push the boundaries of how we deliver, including leveraging AI agents to scale up pipeline delivery. Your work will directly enable our Analytics and AI teams to build the future of global language services. If you enjoy designing systems that other engineers depend on, you'll find a home here.
About Product & Technology
Product & Technology plays a pivotal role in aligning the organization with its strategic objectives and enhancing shareholder value. Product & Technology is responsible for establishing unified standards and governance practices throughout the company. Additionally, we oversee the development and maintenance of core applications essential for the seamless operation of various functions across the organization. We are committed to driving and executing future roadmaps that are in line with the overall strategic direction of RWS.

With a global reach, Product & Technology provides support services to over#####0 end users worldwide. We take pride in managing the information security operation and safeguarding all our assets. Our core functions encompass Enterprise & Technical Architecture, Network & Voice, Infrastructure, Service Delivery, Service Operations, Data & Analytics, Security & Quality Compliance, Transformation, Application Development, Enterprise Platforms, With a dedicated team of over 500 staff, Product & Technology ensures a strong presence across all regions, enabling efficient and effective support to our global operations.
Job Overview, Architect the GCP Data Platform: You'll design and implement a scalable, secure GCP data platform that serves as the foundation for analytics and AI across RWS.
Build Infrastructure as Code: You'll create a reusable, modular Terraform codebase so that provisioning new environments and data products is fast and repeatable.
Automate Delivery: You'll implement CI/CD pipelines that give us automated, controlled and auditable deployments of both infrastructure and data code.
Engineer Data Pipelines: You'll design and build pipelines using native GCP services including BigQuery, Dataflow, Dataform, Cloud Composer and Knowledge Catalog.
Scale Delivery with AI: You'll leverage AI agents and automation to accelerate pipeline delivery and raise the throughput of the wider engineering team.