Principal Data Engineer (Databricks)
At a glance
Senior Data Engineering role at Vivo Energy. Cape Town · full-time.
Pay not stated Data Engineer salary
dataroles summary, based on the employer's posting.
What you'll do
- Build and improve production data pipelines on Databricks, using capabilities such as Spark Declarative Pipelines
- Tune compute, jobs, queries and storage layouts to improve performance and keep platform costs controlled
- Create reusable business metrics and semantic definitions so reports rely on consistent measures
- Connect SAP S/4HANA and other source data through Fivetran, including SaaS connectors and HVR
- Set engineering practices, review code and coach less experienced engineers while working with business and data owners
What you bring
- At least three years of daily, hands-on Databricks work across pipeline development and platform optimisation
- Strong Python, SQL and Spark skills, with advanced ability in data modelling, database design and query optimisation
- Experience coaching junior developers and influencing business stakeholders
- Experience using recent Databricks capabilities such as Spark Declarative Pipelines and Metric Views
Who this fits
This suits a senior, hands-on engineer who can lead technical standards, mentor colleagues and translate stakeholder needs into production solutions. The role is based in Cape Town and requires full-time attendance at the office five days a week.
From the employer
Role Overview
Reporting to the Data & Analytics Lead, the Principal Data Engineer is a hands-on role, combining the building and optimisation of production data pipelines with the technical leadership needed to raise engineering standards and develop the people around them. The role functions as a key interface between a) business stakeholders and department heads, b) the wider data and analytics team, and c) owners of source systems and data in Finance and IT.
Key Responsibilities
- Designing and building robust, production-grade data pipelines on Databricks, making appropriate use of current platform capabilities such as Spark Declarative Pipelines (SDP)
- Working “under the hood” to optimise the platform for performance and cost — tuning compute, jobs and queries, managing storage and table layout, and keeping platform spend under control
- Defining and maintaining consistent business metrics and a semantic layer (for example, using Metric Views) so reporting is built on trusted, reusable definitions
- Integrating data from core business systems, including SAP S/4HANA, and other sources, using tools such as Fivetran (both SaaS connectors and HVR)
- Setting and upholding engineering standards across the team — code quality, testing, documentation, CI/CD and data governance
- Coaching and mentoring junior and mid-level engineers, reviewing their work and helping them develop
- Partnering with business stakeholders to understand their needs, shape practical solutions and ensure the platform delivers genuine value
- Engaging data owners in Finance and IT to ensure data is well understood, valid and fit for purpose, and initiating data quality improvements where required
Requirements
Skills & Experience
Experience
- At least 3 years of hands-on, daily Databricks experience, covering both pipeline development and under-the-hood performance and cost optimisation
- Up to date with recent platform developments, such as Spark Declarative Pipelines (SDP) and Metric Views
- Strong proficiency in programming languages commonly used in data engineering, such as Python, SQL and Spark
- Advanced experience with data manipulation, data modelling, database design and query optimization
- Experience managing or coaching junior developers
- A track record of managing and influencing business stakeholders
- Experience working with SAP S/4HANA data sets, Fivetran (including both SaaS connectors and HVR), Power BI semantic modelling would be beneficial
Key Competencies
- Combining deep, hands-on engineering skill with sound judgement about cost, performance and long-term maintainability
- Coaching, mentoring and raising the capability of less experienced engineers
- Collaborating, communicating confidently and influencing business stakeholders
- Breaking down complex technical concepts and explaining them simply to non-technical audiences
- Staying current with a fast-moving platform and bringing new capabilities into everyday practice
- Taking ownership and driving work independently, from concept through to production
Important to note:
This role requires full-time office-based attendance, five days per week.
To apply
Qualified candidates to apply by uploading a cover letter and a recent resume by close on business 31 July 2026.
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