Data Engineer

Data Engineer – Octave: Data and Advanced Analytics Centre of Excellence

Company Overview

John Keells Holdings PLC (JKH) is Sri Lanka’s largest listed conglomerate on the Colombo Stock Exchange. Operating for over 150 years, our presence spans virtually every major sphere of the economy—including hotels and resorts in Sri Lanka and the Maldives, ports and logistics, IT solutions, food and beverage manufacturing, supermarket chains, tea and stock broking, life insurance, banking, and real estate.

About Octave: Octave is the central hub for data-driven strategic and operational decision-making at JKH. We solve complex challenges across multiple industry verticals by developing advanced machine learning and AI solutions. In addition to driving transformation within JKH, we collaborate with local and international clients to support their AI journeys. At Octave, you will be part of a world-class team of data scientists, machine learning engineers, and AI researchers, guided by senior technical leaders with PhDs in AI-related fields and experience at leading global tech companies.

Role Description

As a Data Engineer, you will collaborate with the data engineering team to develop high-performance and highly scalable enterprise applications. Working closely with senior data engineers and the Technical Lead, you will learn to build robust pipelines and manage complex data architectures. You will also interface with data scientists and business leadership to develop data pipelines optimized for model development and productionalization.

Key Responsibilities

• Architecture & Requirements: Gather technical requirements, assess data gaps, and help build robust roadmaps and data architectures.

• Data Quality & Availability: Partner closely with Data Analysts to ensure high data quality and ready availability for analytical modeling.

• Pipeline Development: Work alongside senior data engineers to explore design options, creating efficient data pipelines (Data Lakes / Data Warehouses) for targeted analytical solutions.

• Maintenance & Optimization: Support routine maintenance, bug fixing, and performance analysis across active data pipelines.

• Knowledge Sharing: Contribute to internal knowledge building by researching industry best practices, documenting technical solutions, and iterating on innovative problem-solving methods.

Desired Skills & Competencies

Technical Skills & Experience

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, Statistics, or a related quantitative field.

• Experience: Minimum of 2+ years of direct experience in the data engineering field.

• Programming: Foundational knowledge of at least one core programming language (e.g., Python, Scala, or Java).

• Cloud Platforms: Basic understanding of Microsoft Azure or other leading cloud platforms (AWS/GCP).

• ETL Tools: Foundational understanding of configuring and maintaining data engineering and ETL tools (e.g., Azure Data Factory, Informatica, or SSIS).

• Big Data Ecosystem: Basic understanding of modern data tools such as Spark, Hive, Hadoop, or Presto.

Professional & Managerial Skills

• Ability to thrive in fast-paced, Agile environments within diverse teams and multiple stakeholder structures.

• Strong organizational and project management capabilities.

• Ability to clearly communicate complex analytical and technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders.

Mindset & Behavior

• High-energy, passionate individual who motivates teammates to reach their maximum potential.

• Excited about exploring creative, non-standard solutions to complex data challenges.

• Willing to adopt an iterative approach with an experimental mindset to drive continuous innovation.

How to Apply

The John Keells Group is an equal-opportunity employer, and we invite applications from all suitably qualified individuals. By applying, you consent to the processing of your personal information for recruitment purposes and acknowledge that routine reference checks may be conducted.

Interested candidates are encouraged to email their comprehensive CV to the official group analytics talent acquisition address:

• Official CV Submission Email: careers.analytics@keells.com (Alternatively, submissions can be routed via careers@keells.com)

• Application Deadline: On or before August 31, 2026

  Location – Colombo, Sri Lanka

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