Principal Data Engineer

Serko is a cutting-edge tech platform in global business travel & expense technology. As the Principal Data Engineer, you'll define and drive the technical strategy for our growing, global Data Engineering function, aligning with the wider data strategy to deliver outcomes across data science, agentic AI, and operational and analytical data needs.

Requirements

• Deep expertise in modern data architecture, data modelling, and data warehousing - including Star Schema, Data Vault 2.0, and lakehouse patterns
• Hands-on experience across multi-cloud data platforms, particularly Azure and Google Cloud, with tools such as Snowflake, BigQuery, Data Factory, and dbt
• Strong command of dbt, SQL, and Python, with a solid understanding of CI/CD, infrastructure-as-code, and DevOps practices in a data context
• Experience with data governance, metadata management, cataloguing, and observability at scale
• Familiarity with data science workflows and AI/ML enablement, including emerging agentic AI patterns
• A track record of mentoring and growing engineering talent, and raising technical standards across teams
• Demonstrated ability to influence and drive change across multiple teams and stakeholders - including at senior and executive levels
• Strong communication skills with the ability to translate complex technical concepts for business audiences across Marketing, Finance, Product, and beyond
• A strategic mindset balanced with a willingness to get hands-on when it counts

Benefits

• Competitive base salary
• KiwiSaver covered with employee contribution matched up to 3% of salary, and life insurance
• Health & Wellbeing: discounted Southern Cross Health Insurance, access to confidential support, guidance and counselling service, wellbeing and voluntary leave and free flu shots
• Focus on development: access to a learning & development platform, committed budget and opportunity for you to own your career pathways