"Lead Data Engineer"

Job Description:

• Information Technology Services (ITS)
• Full time, permanent position
• Base salary will be in line with HEW Level 8. An additional market loading may be available for exceptional candidates to increase your total salary package.
• Based at our St Lucia location

About This Opportunity

The Lead Data Engineer plays a pivotal role in delivering UQ’s advanced analytics and data platform capabilities. This role provides technical leadership across solution architecture, design, development and operation of enterprise big data and analytics platforms, while leading teams to deliver high-quality curated data products that underpin complex analytics initiatives. Reporting to the Manager, Analytics Data Services, the position operates across both transformational projects and core operational services, balancing hands-on technical expertise with people leadership and strategic contribution.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Lead the architecture, design, development and operation of scalable big data and analytics platforms, ensuring solutions are secure, robust and aligned with best practice
• Provide technical leadership across major data and analytics initiatives, including solution design, development oversight, testing and delivery within agreed timelines and budgets
• Lead and manage technical teams, providing clear direction, mentoring, performance management and fostering a collaborative, high-performing culture
• Partner with stakeholders across the University to provide trusted advice on data platforms, emerging technologies and reusable curated data solutions

About UQ

As part of the UQ community, you will have the opportunity to work alongside the brightest minds, who have joined us from all over the world. Everyone here has a role to play. As a member of our professional staff cohort, you will be actively involved in working towards our vision of a better world. By supporting the academic endeavour across teaching, research, and the student life, you will have the opportunity to contribute to activities that have a lasting impact on our community.

Join a community where excellence is at the core of our culture, contributions are valued and a range of benefits and rewards are available, such as:

• Up to 26 weeks paid parental leave/paid primary care leave
• 17% superannuation contributions + 17.5% annual leave loading
• Access to flexible working arrangements including hybrid working options, flexible start/finish times, purchased leave, and a condensed fortnight
• Health and wellness discounts – fitness passport access, free yearly flu vaccinations, discounted health insurance, and access to our Employee Assistance Program for staff and their immediate family
• Career development opportunities –access to exclusive internal-only vacancies and our Study for Staff program
• On campus childcare options
• Affordable parking (from just $6.40 a day)
• Salary packaging options

About You

You are a senior data engineering professional with strong technical depth, a collaborative mindset and a proven ability to lead teams delivering complex data solutions in large, cloud-based environments.

You will bring:

• A degree in IT or a related field with postgraduate qualifications (or progress towards), or an equivalent combination of experience and education
• Extensive experience designing, building and operating modern, cloud-based data and analytics platforms
• Proven capability leading people, projects and budgets while providing technical leadership and mentoring to engineers and analysts
• Strong experience working within agile delivery environments and managing multiple concurrent initiatives
• Well-developed analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to design solutions that integrate systems, data and processes
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate at all levels
• A commitment to developing high-quality, reusable curated data assets that enable enterprise-wide analytics
• A strong track record of staying current with emerging data technologies, methodologies and industry best practices

Appointment to this role is subject to the successful completion of relevant pre-employment checks, which may include verification of the right to work in Australia, qualifications, and criminal history checks. This may also include checks relating to gender-based violence matters or other integrity and conduct requirements.

You must maintain unrestricted work rights in Australia for the duration of this appointment to apply. Employer sponsored work rights are not available for this appointment.

Job Reference: R-60143

Applications close Sunday 15 March 2026, 11.00pm AEST.

To be considered, please ensure you upload: Resume, A cover letter summarising how your background aligns with the 'About You' section. For application inquiries, please reach out to the Talent Acquisition team at talent@uq.edu.au, stating the job reference number (R-60143) in the subject line.