Senior Associate Data Engineer

About the Role

Join PwC New Zealand as a Senior Associate Data Engineer within our expanding Data team located in Auckland or Wellington. This position offers an exciting opportunity for those passionate about designing, building, and optimizing modern cloud-based data platforms that empower clients to solve complex data challenges and enable data-driven decisions.

Key Responsibilities

• Collaborate with clients and project teams to deeply understand business needs and translate them into scalable and effective data solutions.
• Design, develop, and deploy advanced data pipelines and platforms utilizing technologies like Azure Data Factory, Microsoft Fabric, Databricks, and Snowflake.
• Create and manage robust ETL/ELT workflows to aggregate, cleanse, and prepare data from various source systems into trusted datasets.
• Develop and fine-tune solutions using SQL, Python, and Spark, enhancing performance, scalability, and automation.
• Leverage AI-assisted development tools to accelerate coding, testing, documentation, and troubleshooting, while upholding quality and security standards.
• Analyze complex datasets to detect patterns and insights, then communicate findings effectively through visualizations and clear narratives to stakeholders.
• Contribute to data architecture planning, solution design, technical specifications, and delivery schedules.
• Support enterprise-wide data governance, metadata management, and data quality initiatives to ensure consistency and reliability.
• Conduct workshops and engage stakeholders to translate technical data concepts into actionable business outcomes.
• Implement continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD) methodologies along with Infrastructure as Code (IaC) for scalable deployments.
• Troubleshoot platform, integration, and data quality issues in diverse client environments.
• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams in data, analytics, risk, and technology to achieve transformative outcomes.

Required Skills and Experience

• Minimum of three years’ professional experience in data engineering, analytics, technology consulting, or related roles with a record of delivering client-focused data solutions, preferably in consulting or professional services.
• Proven ability in stakeholder management and consulting, building strong relationships, and translating business goals into technical data strategies.
• Strong analytical skills with a talent for interpreting unfamiliar datasets, detecting trends, testing hypotheses, and presenting insights clearly and visually.
• Experience in enterprise transformation, cloud modernization, or operating data platforms within complex environments.
• Hands-on expertise with cloud data technologies such as Azure, Microsoft Fabric, Databricks, and Snowflake.
• Solid grounding in data engineering fundamentals, including ETL/ELT workflows, data modeling, API integration, and cloud-native or lakehouse architectures.
• Familiarity with data governance principles, quality management, and metadata tools is advantageous.
• Experience with modern development and release practices, including automation, CI/CD pipelines, and Infrastructure as Code.
• Ability to adapt and collaborate across industries, technologies, and transformation initiatives.

Employee Benefits and Work Environment

• Competitive discretionary bonuses and referral incentives.
• Global network access with leadership development opportunities and AI tool training.
• Annual wellbeing allowance, life and income protection coverage, accessed employee assistance programs, generous sick leave, and group rate health insurance subject to eligibility.
• Renowned employer reputation dedicated to impactful societal and client solutions.
• Flexible working arrangements supported by an encouraging coaching culture.
• Paid recognition days during annual summer closure and options to purchase additional annual leave.
• Supportive policies for parents including paid parental leave and financial planning assistance, inclusive community networks, and paid volunteering leave.

Additional Information

This vacancy encourages applications early, as the role may close if a suitable candidate is identified. The recruitment process may use AI-enabled tools securely, but all application assessments and decisions are conducted by company personnel. There is no current partnership with recruitment agencies for this role; candidates are invited to apply directly.