Data Engineer

This roles responsibility is to design, develop and maintain data-based solutions including ensuring that the operationalization of data pipelines and data stores are high-performing, efficient, organized, and reliable, given a set of business requirements and constraints.

The Data Engineer will build and maintain secure and compliant data processing pipelines by using different tools and techniques, maintain various data services and frameworks to store and produce cleansed and enhanced datasets for analysis. This includes data store design using different architecture patterns based on business requirements.

You will help to identify and troubleshoot operational and data quality issues, and also design, implement, monitor, and optimize data platforms to meet the data pipelines. Collaborate with cross-functional teams (internal and external) to ensure effective implementation, set-up, utilization and governance of the enterprise data platform across the organization.

This role contributes to the complete data function for data analytics, business intelligence, and advanced analytics, and requires a strong business focus, and the individual understands the strategy and direction of the business but focuses on how to underpin that with data.

REQUIRED MINIMUM EDUCATION/TRAINING

• BCom or Bachelors degree in Information Technology / Computer Science / Engineering (IT) or similar
• Data Engineering tools (Azure Data Engineer) certification will be an added advantage
• ITIL or COBIT certification will be an added advantage

REQUIRED MINIMUM WORK EXPERIENCE

• 2 - 4 years of working experience in an IT environment
• Experience in working on IT enterprise Azure-based data solutions
• Experience with Python and SQL
• Experience in gathering requirements and transitioning them to designs and outcomes
• Experience working in the Agricultural sector will be an advantage

KEY PERFORMANCE AREAS

• Ensure scalability of solutions
• Continuously improve business data environment design and efficiencies
• Deliver business benefits from advanced analytics
• Ensure the managed data (business intelligence) is fit for purpose relative to customer needs
• Design and develop end-to-end data solutions on the Data platform, ensuring optimal performance, scalability, and reliability.
• Collaborate with data architects, data analysts, and business stakeholders to understand data requirements, define data models, and implement data integration solutions.
• Implement data pipelines, data lakes, and data warehouses using.
• Develop and maintain ETL/ELT processes to extract, transform, and load data from various sources into Azure data platforms.
• Design and optimize data schemas, tables, and indexes for efficient data storage and retrieval.
• Perform data profiling, data cleansing, and data quality assessments to ensure data accuracy and consistency.
• Develop and implement data security and privacy measures, ensuring compliance with relevant regulations (e.g., POPIA).
• Monitor and troubleshoot data pipelines, identifying and resolving performance bottlenecks, data inconsistencies, and system issues.
• Collaborate with DevOps teams to implement CI/CD pipelines and ensure smooth deployment and release management of data solutions.
• Stay up to date with the latest data technologies, trends, and best practices, and provide recommendations for continuous improvement.

TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE / COMPETENCIES

• Microsoft Azure Data suite
• Data and Business intelligence enablement knowledge
• Business intelligence rendering tools
• Working knowledge of Project Management Tools
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• IT Security would be an added advantage

BEHAVIOURAL COMPETENCIES

• Analytical ability
• Attention to detail
• Ability to tie together technologies and architectures to address requirements
• Planning and organizing
• Strong communication skills
• Teamwork
• Change Agent
• Work under pressure
• Assertiveness
• Interpersonal skills