Principal Data & AI | Dubai | On-Site

Principal Data & AI | Dubai (DIFC) | Fully On-Site

*no relocation package is provided with this position*

We are looking for a Principal Data & AI to join our client on-site in Dubai.

The Mission

You will oversee the end-to-end data development lifecycle: from ingestion and transformation to the productionalization of LLM-based solutions. Currently, the client is anchored in SAP HANA, but they are embarking toward a cloud-native future. We need a leader who can manage the current infrastructure while architecting the next generation of the data platform.

What You’ll Do

• Architecture: Evolve the cloud data architecture to support real-time analytics and ML/AI use cases.
• Engineering: Maintain robust ETL/ELT pipelines (dbt, Python, SQL) and implement sophisticated web scraping solutions.
• AI Enablement: Partner with Data Scientists to move LLM experiments into production-grade feature stores and agents.
• Governance: Enforce data quality and security (IAM, encryption, auditing) across the platform.

We are searching for a candidate with the below:

• 10–12 years of total experience in Data Engineering/Architecture. (with 3–4 years of experience in a supervisory or lead role, with a proven ability to hire and grow teams)
• Strong expertise in SAP HANA / SAP HANA Cloud (HANA modeling, Calculation Views, SDI/SDA).
• Deep, hands-on experience with BOTH Snowflake AND Databricks, alongside a strong proficiency in AWS or Azure.
• Proven experience building and implementing LLM-based solutions, Generative AI, and intelligent agents.
• Experience hiring, mentoring, and developing world-class data engineering talent.
• Experience communicating directly with the CEO and key stakeholders. (You can explain complex technical roadmaps to non-technical executives with clarity and confidence)
• Holds a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Math, Statistics, or a related field.