AWS Data Engineer (contract)

AWS Data Engineer | 6m Contract | London, Hybrid - Outside IR35 Daily Rate: £570 per day (Outside) Team: Data Engineering - Application DevelopmentOverview:Opus have partnered with a London Financial Services company who're seeking a Senior AWS Data Engineer with a background in Application Development to support in architecting and delivering a new PostgreSQL-driven data platform which will be used to support core functions across investment reporting, risk analysis, regulatory output, and performance measurement.This is a high-impact greenfield build. You’ll take full ownership of the platform’s design and lead the transition away from Databricks and Excel-centric processes—shaping critical infrastructure that underpins the organisation’s investment operations.What You’ll Work OnYou’ll be responsible for designing and developing a scalable, secure PostgreSQL environment capable of supporting:Portfolio valuation and holdings dataPerformance and attribution reportingRisk and analytics outputsRegulatory and trustee disclosuresData governance and operational controlsYou’ll also oversee the migration of structured datasets from Databricks (Delta Lake/Spark) and replace manual Excel workflows with automated, well-governed pipelines to meet audit and regulatory standards.Key ResponsibilitiesBuild and maintain a secure PostgreSQL-based data platformLead the shift away from Databricks and spreadsheet-dependent reportingCreate dimensional data models covering investments, pricing, performance and related domainsDevelop reliable ETL/ELT processes in PythonImplement data quality, reconciliation and validation controlsOptimise database performance for analytical and reporting workloadsEnsure compliance with FCA and TPR regulatory guidelinesSet up access controls, security standards and permissioningEstablish monitoring, backup and disaster recovery solutionsCollaborate closely with investment, risk and finance teamsEssential Skills & Experience5+ years’ experience in data engineering, application development or data platform rolesStrong PostgreSQL knowledge, including indexing, optimisation and partitioningBackground in financial or investment data environmentsAdvanced SQL and Python skillsExperience migrating data from platforms like DatabricksConfident with dimensional modelling, star schemas, SCDs etc.Experience within regulated financial servicesDesirableExperience in pensions, asset management or institutional investingUnderstanding of performance measurement and attributionExposure to Airflow or dbtCloud platform familiarity (Azure or AWS)Knowledge of data governance best practiceAbout YouHighly detail-driven with a strong approach to data qualityComfortable operating in tightly regulated sectorsAble to explain technical concepts clearly to non-technical audiencesPractical, proactive and solution-focusedWhy This Role A rare opportunity to build core investment data infrastructure from the ground upHigh visibility and direct engagement with senior stakeholders across multiple business areasStable organisation with long-term goals and purposeFlexible hybrid arrangement requiring only occasional travel to the London office