Senior Freelance Data Platform Engineer (Azure & Databricks) – Dutch Speaking ***
Location: Utrecht (Hybrid)
Contract: Freelance / ZZP
Start: September / October 2026
Duration: 12+ month
Assignment
Our client in Utrecht is looking for a highly experienced Senior Data Platform Engineer to further develop and mature their Azure-based data platform.
The foundation of the platform has already been established. The client is now seeking a senior specialist who can take ownership of the next phase by expanding platform capabilities, improving its maturity, and ensuring robust implementation of new features and best practices.
This is a hands-on engineering role combined with a strong architectural mindset. The ideal consultant is capable of assessing the current platform, identifying opportunities for improvement, and translating these into scalable, maintainable solutions.
Responsibilities
- Design and implement new capabilities on the existing Azure data platform.
- Further mature the platform with a focus on scalability, reliability, maintainability, and governance.
- Assess the current platform landscape and proactively identify improvement opportunities.
- Drive implementation of technical enhancements and ensure high-quality delivery.
- Monitor platform performance, reliability, and operational health.
- Optimise existing data pipelines and platform architecture.
- Collaborate with data engineers, architects, and business stakeholders to deliver platform improvements.
- Advise on Azure and Databricks best practices and help shape the platform roadmap.
- Support operational excellence through monitoring, automation, and continuous improvement.
Required Experience
- Dutch-Speaker (Fluent or Native)
- Extensive experience (8+ years preferred) as a Data Platform Engineer, Data Engineer, or Platform Architect.
- Proven expertise with Microsoft Azure data services.
- Deep hands-on experience with Azure Databricks.
- Strong knowledge of modern cloud-based data platform architecture and engineering.
- Experience improving and maturing existing enterprise data platforms rather than only delivering greenfield implementations.
- Strong experience with platform monitoring, optimisation, security, and operational best practices.
- Experience implementing CI/CD and Infrastructure as Code is highly desirable.
- Strong communication skills with the ability to engage both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
Technical Skills
- Azure Databricks (expert)
- Azure Data Lake Storage
- Azure Data Factory (or equivalent orchestration tools)
- Python
- SQL
- Spark
- Azure DevOps
- Git
- CI/CD
- Monitoring and observability tooling
- Data platform governance and security