Data Modelling & Engineering Lead

Deeplight is a specialist AI and data consultancy dedicated to transforming the regional corporate landscape through bespoke, high-impact intelligent systems. We combine deep quantitative expertise, cutting-edge cloud architecture, and modern MLOps to engineer secure, scalable, and resilient platforms designed to power enterprise AI and digital solutions at scale.

With deep roots across the financial services and retail banking sectors in the UAE, we help major financial institutions bridge the gap between complex digital transformation roadmaps and execution. We don't build temporary fixes-we engineer bulletproof, banking-grade data models and pipeline architectures for high-stakes enterprise programs.

The Opportunity

We are seeking an exceptionally skilled and articulate Data Modelling & Engineering Lead to take single accountability for enterprise data models, business definitions, pipeline code quality, and engineering standards across our major banking engagements in Dubai.

Supported by senior data engineers embedded within dedicated project squads, you will bridge the gap between conceptual data structures and production-grade engineering. Operating across Retail Banking Group (RBG) modernizations, mobile banking backends, and real-time digital customer journeys, you will govern third-party vendor build quality, audit technical progress claims, evaluate change requests, and present confidently to C-level stakeholders-defending engineering rigor and standing up to pushback with clarity and gravitas.

What You’ll Do

• Own Enterprise Data Models & Glossaries: Own, design, and maintain canonical data models, schemas, and business glossaries-ensuring semantic consistency across all project streams and preventing data fragmentation.
• Set Platform & Pipeline Standards: Establish firm-wide engineering standards covering pipeline frameworks, code quality, automated testing (unit/integration/data quality), environment strategies, and CI/CD automation.
• Direct Senior Project Engineers: Direct and align senior data engineers embedded in project squads to ensure consistent adoption of shared components, architecture principles, and engineering patterns.
• Oversee Vendor Build Quality: Conduct hands-on technical reviews of vendor codebases, evaluate engineering approaches, and audit delivered data artifacts prior to production release.
• Assure SteerCo Content & Progress Claims: Review and assure the engineering content within Steering Committee (SteerCo) packs, independently auditing and validating vendor claims of task completion and delivery velocity.
• Validate Estimates & Investigate Delays: Test whether engineering estimates and Change Requests (CRs) are technically justified, and conduct root-cause analysis to verify whether project delays stem from code quality or environment issues.

As an AI consultancy, our greatest asset is the expertise of our people.

While technical mastery is the foundation of what we do, the ability to bridge the gap between complex data science and actionable business value is what defines your success with Deeplight.

We're looking for individuals who are not only world-class in their fields of specialism, but also compelling communicators and persuasive advocates for their own skills.

You will be the face of our firm, tasked with building trust, articulating the "why" behind your technical decisions, and effectively "selling" your vision to high-level stakeholders.

If you thrive on the challenge of presenting cutting-edge solutions as much as you do on building them, you will fit right in.

Requirements

What We’re Looking For

• Proven Engineering Leadership: 10+ years of hands-on data engineering and modelling experience, with 4+ years leading engineering standards or platform teams in consultancies or major banks.
• Retail Banking Expertise: Solid background modelling and engineering enterprise data solutions within Retail Banking (RBG) environments.
• Digital Journeys & Mobile Apps: Direct experience building or modelling high-throughput, real-time data backends for consumer-facing mobile banking apps and digital customer journeys.
• Data Modelling Mastery: Deep expertise in conceptual, logical, and physical data modelling (ERD, Data Vault 2.0, Dimensional/Kimball, JSON/Avro) across batch and real-time streaming topologies.
• Exceptional Communication Skills: World-class verbal, written, and visual communication capabilities; adept at translating complex engineering metrics into clear, executive-ready insights.
• Senior Stakeholder Gravitas: Proven ability to present to technical and business executives (CTO, Head of Engineering), defend engineering standards under scrutiny, and manage vendor friction constructively.

What Gives You an Edge

• Technical Stack Fluency: Advanced mastery of SQL, Python, PySpark/Databricks, Snowflake/BigQuery, Kafka/Event Hubs, dbt, and cloud data platforms (AWS/Azure).
• GCC / UAE Banking Exposure: Direct experience leading data engineering or modelling initiatives for major banks in the UAE or GCC region.

Why Deeplight?

At Deeplight, you will hold ultimate ownership over the technical foundation of enterprise-scale banking architectures. You will work alongside world-class technical peers, lead squad standards, and serve as the trusted engineering authority to executive client sponsors.

Benefits

The benefits you'll enjoy as part of this role include:

• Competitive salary
• Comprehensive 'Gold Level' personal health insurance
• Individual Visa Sponsorship
• Professional development and certification support
• Subscription reimbursement relating to your role
• Opportunity to work on cutting-edge AI projects
• Monthly Employee Incentive program
• Career advancement opportunities in a rapidly growing AI company

This position offers a unique opportunity to shape the future of AI implementation while working with a talented team of professionals at the forefront of technological innovation. The successful candidate will play a crucial role in driving our company's success in delivering transformative AI solutions to our clients.

At DeepLight AI, we recognise that diversity drives innovation. We are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where individuals with different thinking styles can thrive and contribute their unique strengths to our specialised AI and data solutions.

Our goal is to ensure our application and interview process is accessible, predictable, and fair for all candidates.

If you require any specific adjustments to the application process, or if you require any reasonable adjustments should you be successful in being processed to the interview stage, please do let us know. This information will be kept strictly confidential and will not impact hiring decisions.