Senior Data Engineer

Salary:Grade 9 (£47,665-£50,908) - The salary will be pro rata from the FTE 37 hours to 30 hours a week

Closing Date:5pm, 16 October 2026

*We are open to discuss working arrangements including flexibility over hours and location, however the expectation is that, as a hybrid role, your work will be balanced between home and Services facilities, and you will be expected to attend the Service premises for at least 3 days of a 5-day working week.

Build the Data Foundations That Help Protect Essex

Do you enjoy solving complex data challenges?

Are you passionate about creating reliable, scalable data platforms that enable better decision-making?

Essex County Fire and Rescue Service (ECFRS) is looking for a talented Data Engineer to join our Performance and Analytics team.

This is an exciting opportunity to help shape the future of data across one of the UK's largest Fire and Rescue Services. Your work will underpin operational, prevention, protection, workforce and corporate decision-making by ensuring data is trusted, accessible and fit for purpose.

Working as part of a growing analytics function, you'll play a key role in developing the data infrastructure and engineering capabilities that support everything from business intelligence and performance reporting through to advanced analytics and data science.

A s a Data Engineer, you will be responsible for designing, building and maintaining the data assets that power reporting, analytics and insight across the Service.

You'll work closely with the Analysts, stakeholders and system owners to transform data from multiple sources into reliable, reusable and well-governed data products.

The role combines technical delivery with innovation, offering the opportunity to influence data architecture, improve data quality, optimise data flows and help establish best practice across the organisation.

You will also contribute to the development of our data platform and help create an environment where data is readily available, trusted and used effectively to support evidence-based decision making.

What You Will Be Working On

• Design, build and maintain scalable data pipelines and data products.
• Develop and support enterprise-wide data models and semantic structures.
• Integrate data from multiple operational and corporate systems.
• Optimise Extract, Load and Transform (ELT) processes for performance, reliability and maintainability.
• Support the development and adoption of Microsoft Fabric and modern cloud-based data technologies.
• Create and maintain data warehouses, lakehouses and reusable datasets.
• Improve data quality through monitoring, validation and data quality frameworks.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to understand requirements and translate them into technical solutions.
• Develop documentation, standards and processes that improve consistency and knowledge sharing.
• Support data governance, information management and regulatory compliance requirements.
• Research emerging technologies and identify opportunities to deliver additional value through data.
• Contribute to the development of advanced analytics, predictive modelling and data science capabilities across the Service.

What Are We Looking For?

We're looking for someone who enjoys building robust technical solutions and takes pride in creating high-quality, maintainable data assets.

You’ll be comfortable working with large and complex datasets, solving technical problems and collaborating with both technical and non-technical colleagues.

You will ideally have:

• Experience developing and maintaining data pipelines and ETL/ELT processes.
• Experience working with Microsoft Fabric or equailvant solutions.
• Experience modelling and transforming data for reporting and analytics purposes
• Knowledge of data quality, governance and information management best practice.
• Ability to work with stakeholders to understand requirements and deliver effective solutions.
• Level 4 qualification, apprenticeship or equivalent experience in data engineering, computer science, analytics or a related discipline.

Assessment and selection:

The assessment and selection approach will be:

Stage 1

Application & shortlisting(assessment of your supporting statement will be made against the essential criteria)

Stage 2

Role based interview and presentation

(Instructions and data set for the presentation will be supplied after shortlisting).

Positive indicators are taken from the Code of Ethics and the NFCC Leadership Framework.

And guidance around the Code of Ethics here:

Guidance on Safeguarding polices can be found here:

Here at Essex County Fire and Rescue Service we are committed to prioritising and promoting the wellbeing of our employees.

Important Information for Firefighter Pension Scheme Pensioners

If you are currently in receipt of a pension from the Firefighter Pension Scheme, please note that taking up this role may affect your pension. Under pension abatement rules, if your earnings in this role, when combined with your pension, exceed your pre-retirement salary (adjusted for inflation), your pension may be reduced.

Essex Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Fire and Rescue Authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

It is our policy to require all applicants for employment to disclose if you are currently being investigated by any regulatory body or have any decisions or sanctions pending or in progress in respect of your suitability to work for the Service.

You agree to inform the Service within 24 hours if you are subsequently investigated by any agency or organisation in relation to concerns about your behaviour towards children, young people or vulnerable adults.

The information you provide will be treated as strictly confidential and will be considered only in relation to the appointment for which you are applying.

This role will be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

Disability Confident

We are an equal opportunity, Disability Confident, employer who welcomes applications from all backgrounds. We value diversity and are committed to creating a workplace where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. Applications are considered solely on merit.

You are also able to raise any queries or requests for support, including any adjustments you may require, at any stage of the process by email to [email protected]