Data Engineer

Build the global data backbone for AI and workforce intelligence as a Data Engineer at HeadFirst Group

Do you want to build scalable data platforms that power AI, analytics, and intelligent workforce solutions on a global scale? Are you excited by modern Databricks environments, cloud-native engineering, and the opportunity to help shape the future of AI-enabled platforms?

As a Data Engineer on the Global Data & AI Team at HeadFirst Group & Impellam Group, you will play a key role in building and scaling the data infrastructure that underpins our international Workforce-as-a-Service (WaaS) strategy. You will work on our internally developed Headless Data Architecture (HDA): a scalable, API-first lakehouse platform built on Azure Databricks, Delta Lake, and Unity Catalog. This platform supports analytics, AI workloads, and intelligent workforce solutions across Europe, North America, and APAC.

What makes this role unique? You won’t be joining a traditional data team focused solely on reporting or ETL. You’ll help build a modern global data platform where data engineering, AI enablement, and platform scalability come together. You’ll work with modern technologies, AI-assisted development tools, and an international engineering team that is actively shaping the next generation of workforce intelligence.

Your impact at HeadFirst Group

As a Data Engineer, you are responsible for designing, building, and optimizing scalable, production-ready data pipelines within our global lakehouse ecosystem. You help create scalable and reusable data products that power analytics, AI, and operational intelligence. You will contribute directly to the further development of our Headless Data Architecture (HDA), where governance and scalability are embedded into every layer of the platform.

In this role, you will work closely with ML/AI Engineers, Platform Engineers, Cloud Engineers, and stakeholders across Europe, the UK, the US, and APAC. Together, you will help shape a modern cloud data platform that enables teams to exchange, govern, and leverage data efficiently. You will join a growing international engineering team with significant influence over platform decisions, engineering standards, and the future direction of the platform.

What will you do?

• Design, build, and maintain Bronze → Silver → Gold medallion pipelines in Azure Databricks;

• Develop scalable ETL/ELT pipelines using PySpark, Delta Lake, and Databricks-native tools;

• Build deployable data products using Lakeflow, Spark Declarative Pipelines, and Databricks Asset Bundles (DABs);

• Implement reusable data contracts and scalable data product patterns;

• Manage Unity Catalog governance, lineage, and access management;

• Contribute to vector search, semantic search, and AI-enabled retrieval capabilities;

• Work within a global multi-lakehouse architecture, including Delta Sharing across regions;

• Collaborate with international engineering teams on platform scalability and data exchange;

• Participate in Git-based development, CI/CD workflows, and code reviews;

• Monitor platform health, observability, and DataOps reliability;

• Work with AI-assisted development tools such as Claude Code and the Databricks AI Dev Kit.

About HeadFirst Group

HeadFirst Group is a leading international provider of workforce solutions and the largest Managed Service Provider in the Netherlands. Every day, we connect thousands of professionals with organizations such as Rabobank, Vattenfall, government agencies, and many other public and private sector clients.

Through technology, data-driven insights, and specialized expertise, we help organizations navigate an increasingly complex and rapidly changing labor market. Within our Global Data & AI Team, we are laying the groundwork for a truly AI-enabled and data-driven organization. You will join an ambitious international engineering environment where innovation, ownership, and collaboration are central. We combine enterprise-scale operations with modern engineering practices and continuously invest in cloud-native technologies, AI capabilities, and platform maturity.

This is an opportunity to work on a modern Databricks ecosystem that makes a real global impact, while helping to shape the future of data and AI within a global organization.