Principal Databricks Engineer

We're expanding our footprint in the Middle East by opening a new office in Dubai and becoming an official Databricks partner in the UAE. Our mission is to solve complex business problems through deep technical expertise, collaboration, and execution.
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We are looking for a Principal Databricks Engineer to lead and grow our Databricks practice in Dubai. This is a strategic leadership role where you’ll work closely with both Pygio and Databricks teams to deliver cutting-edge data solutions, build a strong local presence, and support our clients in the region. You'll act as a technical lead, client advisor, and team builder — shaping the future of our data practice in the UAE.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the design and delivery of scalable data platforms and solutions using Databricks
• Collaborate with enterprise clients across South Africa, the Middle East, and beyond
• Act as the go-to expert for Spark, Delta Lake, and MLflow, helping clients adopt and optimize Databricks
• Build and mentor a high-performing engineering team in the UAE
• Represent PYGIO in our strategic collaboration with Databricks
• Support presales activities and provide technical guidance during the sales cycle
• Define best practices around cloud data architecture, governance, and performance optimization

Requirements

• 7+ years of experience in data engineering, cloud architecture, or big data
• 3+ years hands-on experience with Databricks in production environments
• Databricks certifications
• Strong expertise in Apache Spark, Delta Lake, MLflow, and Lakehouse architecture
• Deep knowledge of at least one cloud platform: AWS, Azure, or GCP
• Ability to build and optimize data pipelines, manage large-scale datasets, and deploy data solutions at scale
• Leadership experience in technical teams or consulting roles
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills

Nice to Have

• Experience with infrastructure-as-code (Terraform, CloudFormation) and CI/CD for data platforms
• Familiarity with data privacy, security, and compliance in cloud environments
• Based in or willing to relocate to Dubai

What We Offer

• A strategic role at the intersection of technology, leadership, and business growth
• Opportunity to lead PYGIO’s Databricks practice and shape our new Dubai office
• Direct collaboration with Databricks as an official partner
• Competitive compensation, flexibility, and ownership
• International team, flat structure, and a strong engineering-first culture

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