Data Developer Hiring Trends in United Kingdom

This report was last updated on Jul 27, 2025

Bence Gedai

Founder

I analyze live hiring data and tech job trends across Europe to give CTOs and Product Leaders a strategic edge. By tracking tens of thousands of open roles each week, I uncover which skills, roles, and locations are in highest demand — potential competitors, typical time to hire, talent pool sizes, and more to help you prioritize hiring, benchmark and stay competitive in a fast-moving market.

Key learnings from this report

The Data Engineers job market trends in the United Kingdom indicate significant fluctuations, with 85 new job openings in week 24 and 148 closures in week 19, highlighting the urgency for effective recruitment strategies.
The talent pool for Data Engineers in the United Kingdom is experiencing challenges due to a notable ratio of candidates to available positions, making it essential for CTOs and hiring managers to adapt their strategies for sourcing qualified talent.
Currently, 66% of Data Engineer job openings are concentrated in London, followed by Leeds at 11% and Manchester at 6%, underscoring the geographical landscape of the Data job market in the United Kingdom.
The employment preference for Data Engineering roles leans heavily toward full-time positions, which account for 91% of the market, thus suggesting hiring strategies should prioritize stable employment offerings to attract top candidates.
The median time to hire for Data Engineers in the United Kingdom is 29 days, with most roles being filled within 25 to 30 days, emphasizing the competitive nature of the hiring process and the need for streamlined recruitment workflows.

Number of roles opened and closed for Data Engineers in United Kingdom in the last 3 months

In the United Kingdom, the Data Engineer job market has displayed significant fluctuations over the past 12 weeks. Notably, the highest number of new jobs posted was 85 in week 24, while the lowest count was just 11 in week 21. In contrast, job closures peaked at 148 during week 19, indicating a challenging landscape for hiring managers. The stark difference between job openings and closures highlights the urgency for recruitment strategies tailored for CTOs and Engineering Managers in the tech sector, with the need to adapt hiring processes to manage the evolving demand for Data Developer opportunities effectively.

Who else is hiring for data Engineers in United Kingdom:

Company name	Country	Industry	Founded	# Job openings
Oliver Bernard	United Kingdom	Staffing & Recruiting	2010	5
Harnham	United Kingdom	Staffing & Recruiting	2006	4
Tenth Revolution Group	United Kingdom	Staffing & Recruiting	2006	4
Vallum Associates	United Kingdom	Staffing & Recruiting	2015	4
Meta	United States	Information Technology & Services	2004	4
Xcede	United Kingdom	Staffing & Recruiting	2003	3
Medpace	United States of America	Pharmaceutical Manufacturing	1992	3
Octopus Energy	United Kingdom	Utilities	2015	3
Accenture UK & Ireland	United Kingdom	It Services	null	2
Intec Select	United Kingdom	Staffing & Recruiting	2016	2

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Talent pool vs job openings for Data Engineers in United Kingdom

How competitive it is to hire Data Engineers in United Kingdom

The Data Engineers job market trends in the United Kingdom indicate a challenging recruitment landscape, characterized by a notable ratio of talent pool to job openings. With a significant number of positions available compared to the size of the talent pool, hiring managers may find it increasingly difficult to source qualified candidates. In comparison, countries such as Germany and France exhibit a more favorable balance, with lower job-to-talent ratios, suggesting an easier hiring environment for Data Engineers. Additionally, the Netherlands shows a similar trend, with robust opportunities for Data Developers. Overall, the data suggests that recruitment strategies for CTOs in the United Kingdom's tech sector may need to adapt to a tightening market.

Seniority distribution of Data Engineer job openings in United Kingdom

Seniority Distribution of Data Engineering Jobs in United Kingdom

The seniority distribution of Data Engineering jobs in the United Kingdom reveals a strong demand for Mid-Senior level professionals, comprising 53% of the market. Entry-level positions account for 22%, while Associate roles make up 8%. This distribution underscores the necessity for hiring managers to strategize recruitment efforts towards attracting both seasoned and emerging talents to meet the evolving needs in the Data job market in the United Kingdom.

Preferred employment type for Engineering roles in United Kingdom

The employment landscape for engineering roles in the United Kingdom is predominantly characterized by full-time positions, which account for 91% of the market. Contract roles make up 8% of the employment type distribution, while part-time positions represent 3%. This data underscores a strong preference for stable, full-time employment among engineering professionals, signaling recruitment strategies for CTOs and hiring managers to prioritize full-time offerings to attract top talent.

Time to Hire Distribution for Data in United Kingdom

How long does it take to hire Data Engineers

The time to hire distribution for Data jobs in the United Kingdom indicates a significant variance, with the majority of positions being filled in the 25 to 30 days range, where 216 roles were completed. This trend reflects the competitive nature of the Data Engineer job market, with 334 hires completed within a 30-day interval, demonstrating a brisk pace of recruitment. However, as hiring extends beyond the 30-day mark, the frequency diminishes, particularly after 60 days, where only 36 roles were filled. These insights are crucial for hiring managers and CTOs strategizing recruitment efforts, as understanding the typical hiring timelines can enhance the effectiveness of their hiring processes. For those navigating the Data job market in the United Kingdom, anticipating the time to hire can lead to more informed and strategic decision-making.

Expolore reports from other European Developer talent pools

Insights for hiring Data Engineer Engineers in Denmark

The Data Data Engineer job market in Denmark has seen the opening of 40 new roles in the past 12 weeks, indicating a stable demand amidst low closure rates, with only 21 jobs closed during this period.

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Insights for hiring Data Science Engineers in Sweden

The Data Data Science Engineers job market in Sweden is experiencing significant fluctuations, with 44 new positions posted in week 27 alone, showcasing an increasing demand that outpaces the current talent pool.

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Insights for hiring Data Engineers in Warsaw

The Data Engineer job market trends in Poland, specifically in Warsaw, present a compelling landscape for hiring managers as they navigate recruitment strategies.

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Most popular cities in United Kingdom to hire Data Engineers

Top 5 cities in United Kingdom to hire Data Engineers

In the current Data Engineers job market in the United Kingdom, London stands out as the leading hub, accounting for 66% of the total job openings. Following London, Leeds represents 11% of the job market, while Manchester contributes 6%. These figures highlight the concentration of Data Engineer opportunities in London, underscoring its critical role in shaping the future demand for Data Engineers in the region. For a visual representation, please refer to the attached chart.

Most sought after technologies in United Kingdom for Data

Key technologies for Data Engineers

In the current data job market in the United Kingdom, there are several pivotal technologies that are frequently utilized by Data Engineers. Notably, Python emerges as the most utilized technology, with a remarkable frequency of 9,379 mentions. Following this is SQL, which also plays a critical role, evident from its strong frequency of 8,634. Additionally, data professionals are increasingly leveraging ETL processes, with a significant frequency of 3,438. Machine Learning stands out as a growing focus area, being mentioned 3,259 times, while Azure and AWS are also notable cloud platforms being adopted, with frequencies of 2,073 and 2,149, respectively. For further detailed insights, please refer to the accompanying chart.

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