Analytics Engineer

Job title: Analytics Engineer Location: Cardiff or London | Hybrid, 1 day a fortnight in the office | Full time, permanent Lots of data teams spend their days building reports. We're moving the other way. We want people across Sonovate to get trusted answers from data themselves, in the way that suits them, including through AI tools. That only works if the models underneath are right. This role builds them. About Sonovate Sonovate provides funding and workflow technology for businesses that work with contractors and freelancers. Our platform combines embedded finance, automation and integrations so those businesses can take on more work, get paid on time and grow without cash flow holding them back. About the role You'll join our Data & Analytics team and report to the Head of Data & Analytics. You'll work closely with our Data Governance Engineer and Senior Analytics Engineer. The job is building the semantic models in Snowflake that sit behind our self serve tools, Count and Claude Cowork. You'll take a business metric or use case, work out what it actually means to the people using it, and turn it into a dbt model that is accurate, tested and documented so clearly that neither a person nor an AI tool can easily misread it. Requirements often arrive loose or half formed. We're not looking for someone who waits for a perfect brief. We want someone who asks good questions, fills the gaps and turns the answers into something solid. What you'll be doing

• Building and maintaining dbt semantic models in Snowflake that feed Count and Claude Cowork
• Turning business metrics and definitions into clear, well structured models, in line with the business glossary and the patterns our Senior Analytics Engineer sets
• Writing and maintaining dbt tests (unique, not null, relationships and custom SQL tests) and validating outputs against source data before release
• Investigating data quality issues, finding the root cause and fixing them, or escalating to the Data Governance Engineer where a governed definition is involved
• Writing metric definitions, column descriptions and naming conventions that make models easy to use correctly
• Checking how models behave when AI tools query them, and adjusting structure or documentation where the output could be misread
• Refactoring existing models to improve performance, clarity and reuse
• Reviewing code, giving and receiving feedback on SQL and model design, and contributing to CI/CD and version control practice
• Helping analysts and business users understand which models to use and how to read them What we're looking for Essential
• Strong SQL, including joins, aggregations, window functions and CTEs, written and debugged against a cloud data warehouse
• Hands on dbt experience: model design, testing and documentation
• Git as part of your normal workflow, including pull requests and code review
• A methodical approach to tracking down why a number doesn't look right
• Clear documentation habits and an understanding of what makes a model easy, or hard, to self serve from correctly
• Comfort working from loose requirements, and the confidence to ask questions early and say when something isn't clear Useful, but not required
• Snowflake specifically
• Experience with CI/CD pipelines and pre commit hooks
• Python for scripting or automation
• Streamlit for lightweight internal tools or prototypes
• An interest in how AI tools interpret data, and how to design for that If you match most of the essentials and are keen to learn the rest, we'd still like to hear from you. What success looks like
• People across the business use your models in Count and Claude Cowork and get the right answer without needing to ask the data team
• Your tests catch problems before they reach anyone downstream
• Definitions and assumptions are written down once, so nobody has to rediscover them later
• The Data Governance Engineer and Senior Analytics Engineer see you as someone who makes good calls and knows when to raise something Why join us This is an analytics engineering role built around a real shift in how a business uses data, and AI is central to it rather than bolted on. You'll be working in a modern stack (dbt, Snowflake, Count, Claude Cowork) in a small, close team where your work is visible and your judgement matters. Requirements aren't handed down fully formed, which means you'll shape them. AI-Enhanced Operational Excellence You leverage AI to support informed, efficient and forward‑thinking decisions in your day‑to‑day work. You use approved AI tools appropriately to improve quality, consistency and productivity, while applying judgement, checking accuracy and retaining ownership of outcomes. You uphold the safe, ethical and responsible use of AI, ensuring transparency, confidentiality and human oversight remain central, and you actively build your confidence and capability as AI continues to evolve. What will you get in return?
• 28 days holiday + bank holidays
• Private medical insurance with Bupa
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Techscheme with Apple and Currys PC World
• Cyclescheme
• Working with latest technologies and leading SaaS providers
• Eye care vouchers with Specsavers
• 50% discounted gym membership
• 50% off mobile apps (Calm, Duolingo, Audible, Les Mills)
• 2 days charity leave per year
• You'll work for a company that is passionate about personal development and a strong community focussed culture How to Apply If your answer is ‘yes' then click apply to find out more! We know that diverse teams are strong teams. We promote a diverse, inclusive and empowering culture and are committed to recruiting, retaining and developing all our employees Please note: All successful applicants who are offered a role at Sonovate will be required to pass background screening checks before starting with us. These checks will include National ID Checks, Right to Work, Employment References, Adverse Financial History, Criminal Record, Global Sanctions, Bankruptcy checks. Our Talent Acquisition team will be able to run you through these in detail at the early stage of your application