"Lead Data Engineer"

Data and AI Enablement

Located in Ōtautahi | Christchurch, Aotearoa | New Zealand

Continuing (permanent)

Full-time - 37.5 hours per week

Āu Mahi | What You Will Do

You will lead the design, modelling, integration, and operationalisation of data products across ingestion, transformation, and consumption layers. Working closely with architects, engineers, analysts, and stakeholders, you will ensure data solutions are scalable, secure, and aligned with current and future platform architecture.

You will provide technical leadership across initiatives, setting engineering standards, reviewing code prior to production release, guiding design decisions, and proactively addressing pipeline performance and reliability issues. You will mentor engineers, embed best practice in data modelling and governance, and ensure clear data lineage and documentation are maintained.

Alongside technical leadership, you will provide delivery oversight, managing risks, dependencies, and stakeholder expectations while ensuring solutions transition smoothly into business-as-usual operations.

Mōu | Who You Are

You are a senior data engineering professional with proven capability delivering enterprise-scale data platforms and leading technical outcomes in complex environments.

You will bring:

Demonstrated experience delivering end-to-end data pipelines across ingestion, transformation, and consumption layers

Strong hands-on experience in production on-premises and cloud data environments

Extensive practical experience in structured transformation and data modelling

Advanced SQL skills, including development and optimisation of complex queries and data models

Proven experience leading technical delivery across multiple initiatives, including code review and mentoring engineers

Experience enabling BI tools such as Power BI through well-designed data models.

Mahi Ngātahi | Who You Will Work With

You will work closely with the Head of Data and AI Enablement, Data Engineers, and Architects to deliver enterprise data solutions. You will also collaborate with academic and professional stakeholders across the University, acting as a trusted technical advisor to sponsors and product owners to ensure data initiatives align with strategic and operational priorities.

Ngā Painga o UC | Why UC

At UC, being part of our team means more than just a job. We are committed to supporting our kaimahi | staff’s career and wellbeing with benefits designed to help our kaimahi grow and feel connected, supported and valued. 

We offer a range of benefits, for more information, please visit us: https://www.canterbury.ac.nz/about-uc/work-at-uc/benefits-working-uc. (For more information about Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury, please visit https://www.canterbury.ac.nz/)

The closing date for this position is: March 3 2026 (midnight, NZ time)

Please note, applications will be reviewed as they are received, and interviews may take place before the close date.

Pēhea te tono mai | How You Apply

Applications for this position must be submitted via our careers website and should include a cover letter and resume.

Please note, we do not accept applications by email, however we are happy to answer your queries in relation to the application process, please forward these to WorkatUC@canterbury.ac.nz

You must have Aotearoa New Zealand or Australian citizenship/permanent residency or hold a valid NZ work visa to be considered for this role.

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