(Freelance) Data Engineer

First things first: what you can expect

At Tripwire Solutions, you won’t be “just building pipelines.” You are the architect who brings order to chaos. You will help clients become truly data-driven by transforming complex data environments into robust Data Platforms and flawless ETL infrastructures. In short: you ensure data is usable, reliable, and ready for analysis.

What that looks like in practice:

• Variety with depth: projects are challenging and varied—ranging from the design and implementation of modern data platform to building smart ETL pipelines and supporting reporting initiatives.
• Real ownership: you’ll have the autonomy to tackle complex data problems and solve them end-to-end—from initial analysis to final delivery.
• A team of experts: strong peer learning, sparring partners, and shared standards. We inspire each other and continuously share knowledge.
• An open culture: openness, transparency, and trust are at the top of our corporate values—this is how we work, not marketing copy. Room for initiative and entrepreneurship is truly in our DNA.
• Growth that’s tailored to you: a personal development plan with targeted training to deepen your technical expertise and elevate your career.

If you enjoy the perfect intersection of complex data architecture + smart ETL processes + innovation, you’ll feel right at home here.

The role:

As an experienced Data Engineer, you translate complex data challenges into high-quality, end-to-end data solutions. You understand the customer's needs and easily navigate complex data environments. Your pipelines and data structures are correct, performant, and built to last. The ideal candidate combines strong engineering skills with a solid understanding of data architecture, data modelling, integration, and data quality.

What you’ll do:

• Analyse business needs and translate them into powerful data formats, flows, and models.
• Design, implement, and maintain robust Data Warehouses and ETL infrastructures.
• Develop, test, and optimize ETL jobs to seamlessly integrate multiple data sources.
• Collaborate with the team to focus on innovation and continuous improvement of our data structures.
• Stay on top of data engineering evolutions and share knowledge within the team.

You are someone who…

• Takes ownership and enjoys solving complex data problems end-to-end.
• Communicates clearly with both business and technical stakeholders.
• Collaborates naturally, works well in a team, while also being able to deliver independently.
• Cares about quality: you have a sharp eye for correctness, performance, maintainability, and clarity, always striving for the best solution.
• Is eager to learn: you have an inquisitive mind and a healthy hunger for innovation.

Skills we’re looking for

Must-have:

• Solid experience with modern data platform environments and data architecture, such as data lakes, data warehouses, and lakehouse architectures.
• Advanced SQL skills and a strong understanding of relational databases, data warehouses, and analytical data platforms.
• Strong experience in data engineering, including the design, development, testing, and maintenance of data pipelines and data processing solutions.
• Strong programming skills, preferably in Python, SQL, Scala, Java, or equivalent technologies.
• Hands-on experience developing ETL/ELT pipelines, including data ingestion, transformation, enrichment, validation, and delivery.
• Experience integrating data from multiple sources, including databases, APIs, files, applications, SaaS platforms, and streaming/event-based sources.
• Good understanding of data modelling, including relational, dimensional, and analytical data models.
• Understanding of data security and governance, including access control, data protection, lineage, metadata, and data lifecycle management.
• Experience with orchestration and workflow technologies, such as Airflow, Azure Data Factory, or equivalent tools.
• Ability to troubleshoot and optimise data pipelines, including performance, scalability, reliability, and cost.
• Strong collaboration and communication skills, with the ability to work effectively with Data Architects, Solution Architects, BI Specialists, Data Analysts, developers, and business stakeholders.
• Experience working in Agile environments and delivering solutions iteratively.

Nice-to-have:

• Knowledge of specific data modeling methodologies like Data Vault or Kimball.
• Experience with cloud platforms such as Microsoft Azure/Fabric, Google BigQuery, or Oracle.
• Hands-on experience with ETL tools or the implementation and maintenance of dashboards.
• Experience with Apache Kafka or other streaming/event-processing technologies.
• Knowledge of real-time and near-real-time data processing.
• Familiarity with machine learning and AI data pipelines.
• Relevant cloud or data engineering certifications

Languages:

• Fluent in Dutch or French, with a strong knowledge of English.

What we offer

• A competitive salary package, including a company car and fuel/charge card.
• A broad set of additional benefits and discounts.
• Fun Events: from short ski trips and after-work drinks to a cozy family day or weekend.
• A clear personal growth plan with training to maximize your technical expertise.

Ready to make an impact?

Want to work in a place where initiative, trust, and openness are real—and where your data pipelines form the foundation for smart business decisions?