Lead Data Engineer - Azure/Unstructured data

Lead Data Engineer – Azure (Hands-On & Team Leadership)

One Year fixed term contract - to go permanent

Based in Amsterdam

Hands on/Management focused role

Our client, is a well-established company operating in the legal space, they are seeking a Lead Data Engineer to take a dual role: driving hands-on technical excellence while managing a talented team of data engineers. This is a unique opportunity to shape the company’s data strategy, deliver high-impact Azure-based solutions, and mentor a team in a collaborative environment.

Role Overview:

The Lead Data Engineer will:

• Build and maintain scalable data pipelines, data lakes, and warehouses on Microsoft Azure.
• Work hands-on with Azure Data Factory, Azure Synapse Analytics, Azure Databricks, and Data Lake Storage.
• Lead, mentor, and manage a team of data engineers, balancing leadership with practical, hands-on contributions.
• Collaborate with stakeholders, data scientists, and analysts to translate business needs into robust, efficient data solutions.
• Drive best practices in data modelling, governance, security, and performance optimisation.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and maintain end-to-end ETL/ELT pipelines in Azure.
• Ensure high data quality, integrity, and performance across all pipelines and storage solutions.
• Guide the team in adopting modern data engineering practices and cloud-native solutions.
• Balance hands-on development with strategic planning and team mentorship.
• Implement monitoring, testing, and automation for data solutions using Azure DevOps or similar CI/CD tools.

Candidate Requirements

• Proven experience as a Data Engineer with at least some team leadership experience.
• Must have experience working with Unstructured data
• Strong hands-on expertise in Azure cloud services: Data Factory, Synapse, Databricks, Data Lake Storage.
• Proficiency in SQL and at least one programming language (Python, Scala, or similar).
• Experience building data pipelines, warehouses, and large-scale analytics solutions.
• Strong problem-solving skills and ability to balance hands-on work with team management.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to mentor and grow team members.

Desirable Skills

• Familiarity with streaming solutions (Event Hubs, Kafka).
• Experience with machine learning pipelines or advanced analytics.
• Knowledge of data security, compliance, and governance frameworks.
• Familiarity with CI/CD in Azure DevOps for automated data workflows.

What’s on Offer

• Competitive salary and benefits.
• Flexible / hybrid working options.
• Opportunity to lead and influence data strategy at scale.
• Work in a collaborative environment where you can be both hands-on and strategic.

If you are a Lead Data Engineer who thrives at the intersection of hands-on engineering and team leadership, this role is a perfect opportunity to make a significant impact.