Junior Data Engineer

Junior Data Engineer
Location: Clifton, Greater Manchester (on-site)
Department: Data & Business Intelligence
Reports to: Data Lead
Salary: £28,000 – £34,000 per annum

Luxfer MEL Technologies is a global leader in high-performance magnesium and zirconium-based materials, supporting advanced technology industries worldwide. From aerospace and automotive to healthcare, defence, environmental and specialist industrial applications, our work plays a part in products and processes that improve performance, safety and reliability across critical sectors.

Role Overview – Data Engineer

Do you enjoy turning raw data into clear, reliable reports, and want to build a career in data engineering where your work makes a visible difference? Based at our Manchester site and reporting to the Data Lead, you will join our newly formed Data & Business Intelligence team, helping to develop and maintain the data pipelines, models and reports that support operational and commercial decision-making across the business.
This role is ideal for someone at the start of their data engineering career, whether you are a graduate or a data analyst looking to move into a data engineering-focused position. Working with Microsoft Fabric and Power BI, you will help build and shape a new data platform and work closely with colleagues across production, operations and sales. In return, you will gain hands-on experience of modern data tools and real manufacturing data.  We are committed to your personal development and will support you in developing your knowledge and applying what you learn in practice.

This role supports manufacturing operations at our Manchester site, the successful candidate will be expected to be on-site 5 days a week to help support manufacturing operations.

Key Responsibilities

• Build and maintain data pipelines and dataflows in Microsoft Fabric using agreed designs and standards.
• Use SQL and Power Query to collect, clean and combine data from business systems.
• Develop and maintain Power BI reports, dashboards and semantic models for operational and commercial users.
• Check data for accuracy, completeness and consistency with source systems, and investigate discrepancies.
• Generate and maintain product costing data, such as bills of materials, using Python models and automated upload tools.
• Liaise with operators and production teams to understand manufacturing processes and ensure data reflects what happens on the shop floor.
• Monitor data refreshes, investigate failures and escalate issues when support is needed.
• Identify opportunities to automate manual reporting and reduce repetitive work.
• Document data sources, transformations and reporting logic, following agreed testing and release procedures.

The Package

• Full-time, permanent role.
• Monday to Friday, 37 hours per week, based on site.
• Salary £28,000 – £34,000 per annum, plus potential annual bonus.
• 25 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays.
• Enhanced company pension.
• Paid professional development to build your skills in Microsoft Fabric, Power BI and data engineering.
• Paid time to volunteer.
• Free on-site parking.
• Employee Assistance Programme, including access to confidential support and advice.
• Bike-to-work scheme.

Requirements – Data Engineer

• A degree (BSc or equivalent) in computer science, data science, mathematics or a related subject, or equivalent practical experience.
• Practical experience building dashboards and data models in Power BI, using Power Query and DAX, or similar tools such as Tableau, Excel or pandas, gained through work, study or personal projects.
• Basic SQL, including joins and aggregations, and an understanding of table relationships and keys.
• Basic scripting skills in a language such as Python or R.
• Strong attention to detail, logical problem solving and the ability to communicate clearly with non-technical colleagues.

The following would be advantageous:

• A Microsoft Power BI or Fabric certification.
• Exposure to Microsoft Fabric or similar cloud data platforms (e.g. Azure Data Factory, Databricks, Snowflake), including notebooks or PySpark.
• Experience with Fabric Apps.
• Experience with Power Apps, Power Automate or other low-code tools.
• Effective use of AI coding tools, with the judgement to review and test generated code.
• Understanding of dimensional modelling, such as star schemas.
• Basic statistics or experience analysing process data, such as yield or statistical process control (SPC).
• Experience using Git for version control.
• Familiarity with SAP, SAP Datasphere or Salesforce data.
• Awareness of industrial systems such as PLCs, SCADA or data historians.
• Experience working in a manufacturing or industrial environment, or with manufacturing, operational or sales data.

Extensive commercial experience is not required. We are also interested in candidates with the right mindset and willingness to learn.

The Luxfer Culture: Join a Collaborative and Growing Team

We foster a culture of teamwork, open communication, accountability and individual development. Our core values — Customer First, Integrity, Accountability, Innovation, Personal Development and Teamwork — guide the way we work and support our ambition to be the global partner of choice in the supply of high-performance magnesium and zirconium materials.
This role would suit someone who is curious, enjoys solving problems and wants to see how reliable data can directly improve decisions on the shop floor and across the business. You will be joining a new team where your work will be visible, valued and connected to real manufacturing outcomes.

Export-Control Compliance
This role may involve access to defence-related goods, technical data or services subject to applicable UK and US export-control laws and regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), where applicable. Are you willing to provide the information reasonably required to assess and meet any applicable export-control, authorisation and compliance requirements?
Export-Control Authorisation
Certain duties may be subject to legal restrictions on access to controlled technical data, defence articles or services. Any access will be assessed in accordance with the applicable regulations, authorisation requirements and company compliance procedures. Do you agree to cooperate with the relevant compliance checks where legally required?
 

As a Disability Confident employer, we will ensure that a fair and proportionate number of disabled applicants that meet the minimum criteria for this position will be offered an interview. If you wish to request that your application be considered under the terms of our Guaranteed Interview Scheme, please explicitly state so in your CV and / or accompanying cover letter.