Data Engineer

You may be asking yourself, “What is a Data Engineer?” To put it simply, a Data Engineer designs and maintains systems to transform data into useful and easy-to-understand information.

Scroll down for our free Data Engineer job description template.

What is in a Data Engineer’s job description?

A Data Engineer is an expert at improving data reliability and quality. Their duties include managing, collecting, and converting data into easy-to-read reports, which help evaluate and improve the performance of a business.

Essential parts of a Data Engineer’s job description:

Data Engineers will work closely with Data Scientists to help analyse and interpret data.
They will also work closely with Data Analysts and Business Executives to help improve business operations.
Data Engineers should be experienced in developing, maintaining, and improving datasets.
Data Engineers are in a broad field with applications in just about every industry, from healthcare to the manufacturing industry.

Interview questions available

Also see our Data Engineer Interview Questions

Data Engineer Job Description Example

Be clear in your description. Know the tasks of the role and ideally who the candidate should be.
This means you won’t need to read through too many CVs to find your superstar.
You might be tempted to use bullet points in this section, but resist the urge! Tell a story, show off all the cool things they would be responsible for, and get them excited to apply.
You should be more focused on your company culture and what your mission is, instead of their daily tasks.

About the role

English

Deutsch

Are you a savvy individual with a passion for building and optimising data systems? If so, we want to hear from you at {Company Name}!

We’re currently looking for an experienced Data Engineer who can efficiently transform raw data into useful data systems and use this information to align data systems with business goals. In this role, you'll work closely with our team of Developers, Data Analysts, and Data Scientists to ensure the data delivery architecture is optimal and consistent across all projects.

You’ll also be responsible for supporting the data needs of multiple teams and systems, so being comfortable working with cross-functional teams is a must!

This section is all about your candidate's experience and responsibilities. You should outline very clearly what they should expect from the job role, not from the company itself.
You should use language that speaks to the candidate directly, use of “you”, “we” and “our” are all positives.
Hard skills in this section are important, but don’t overlook the significance of soft skills, like communication and being a team player, these can make a huge difference to the way people work alongside each other and gel professionally.
What do you believe in, and what are your core values?

Data Engineer responsibilities

English

Deutsch

Keep in mind that the following points are just template responsibilities of Data Engineers, not all of these will be relevant to your specific job ad. Please edit the text to align your role fully!

• Analysing and organising raw data using programming languages such as SQL.
• Developing and maintaining optimal data systems within the business.
• Converting data into key business performance metrics and reports.
• Identifying, designing, and implementing digital process improvements.
• Assisting stakeholders and other departments with data-related issues and needs.
• Creating algorithms and data tools to optimise and improve our data systems.

This section is essential to finding the candidate with the skills and qualifications that will help them in their job role.
This should be clear and concise and set boundaries for submissions.
The more information you add to your skills section, the less candidates you’ll have to sift through to find the right one.
This would waste both your time and the potential candidate so avoid being wordy as much as possible. Think about what would be an essential part of this role, and what would the applicant need to be successful in the job?

Data Engineer Requirements

English

Deutsch

Remember these are just examples of Data Engineer requirements, not all of these will be relevant to your specific job ad. Please edit the text to match your company’s needs!

• Degree or similar qualifications in Computer Science or other relevant fields.
• Proven experience as a Data Engineer or in a similar role.
• Strong knowledge of data models, data mining, and segmentation techniques.
• Skilled in numerical and analytical skills.
• Good knowledge of programming languages, such as Python and Java.
• Working experience with SQL and databases.
• Strong organisational and project management skills.
• Ability to support and work with cross-functional teams in a dynamic environment.

Need inspiration?

Your job description will not attract talent all on its own. So when putting together your job post, be sure to show what it's like working at your company not just textually but visually!

Remember, attracting a candidate is just as much about your company culture as the job role itself. Make sure to include points that make you seem desirable too!
Add photos that show off your office space, team events and your team having a great time.
Maybe you could include a video of some team members explaining why they love coming to work, or why they like their role.
Include a grid of attractive perks with some nice illustrations. Maybe you have unlimited holidays, or you have an attractive parental leave cover - show off!
Why not embed your company's Instagram feed to give a IRL overview of the day-to-day.