Senior AI Data Platform Engineer

The Senior AI Data Platform Engineer will serve as a senior technical resource responsible for building and optimizing data platforms that enable AI/ML development, experimentation, and operational deployment. The ideal candidate combines strong data engineering and platform engineering expertise with an understanding of AI/ML workloads. This role will work across data engineering, cloud infrastructure, DevSecOps, cybersecurity, and AI/ML teams to create secure, scalable, automated, and reliable data environments., AI & Data Platform Engineering

• Design, build, configure, and maintain enterprise data platforms supporting AI/ML and advanced analytics.

• Develop scalable architectures for ingesting, processing, storing, and serving large and complex datasets.

• Integrate structured, unstructured, and semi-structured data sources into AI-ready environments.

• Develop data pipelines supporting model training, validation, inference, and operational analytics.

• Optimize data platforms for performance, scalability, availability, and cost efficiency.

• Support the integration of data platforms with AI/ML applications, APIs, analytics tools, and enterprise systems.

Data Engineering & Pipelines

• Develop and maintain reliable ETL/ELT pipelines for high-volume and diverse datasets.

• Build automated workflows for data ingestion, transformation, validation, enrichment, and delivery.

• Implement data quality, validation, lineage, and governance processes.

• Develop reusable data-processing frameworks and services.

• Troubleshoot data pipeline failures, performance issues, and integration problems.

• Support batch and real-time/streaming data processing requirements.

AI/ML Data Infrastructure

• Build data infrastructure supporting machine learning model development and MLOps.

• Prepare and optimize datasets for AI/ML training and inference workloads.

• Support feature engineering, feature stores, model datasets, and model-serving infrastructure.

• Integrate data platforms with ML frameworks and MLOps tools.

• Support LLM, generative AI, RAG, vector search, and embedding-based applications where applicable.

• Design data architectures that support reproducibility, traceability, and model lifecycle management.

Cloud, Containers & Platform Engineering

• Deploy and maintain data workloads across cloud, on-premises, and hybrid environments.

• Support containerized data applications using Docker and Kubernetes.

• Develop Infrastructure as Code using tools such as Terraform or Ansible.

• Integrate data platforms into automated CI/CD and DevSecOps pipelines.

• Support platform monitoring, logging, alerting, capacity management, and performance optimization.

• Automate routine platform and data-engineering activities.

Databases & Data Technologies

• Design, configure, and optimize relational and NoSQL database environments.

• Work with technologies such as PostgreSQL, SQL Server, MongoDB, Elasticsearch/OpenSearch, or comparable platforms.

• Support data lakes, data warehouses, object storage, and distributed data-processing environments.

• Develop efficient SQL queries and optimize database performance.

• Evaluate emerging data technologies and recommend solutions based on mission and technical requirements.

Security & DoD Compliance

• Implement security controls throughout the data platform architecture and development lifecycle.

• Support Risk Management Framework (RMF), NIST 800-53, DISA STIG, and DoD cybersecurity requirements.

• Implement appropriate access controls, encryption, authentication, auditing, and data-protection mechanisms.

• Support vulnerability management, security assessments, and remediation activities.

• Maintain documentation supporting security authorization and operational requirements.

• Collaborate with cybersecurity teams, ISSOs, ISSMs, system administrators, and application teams.

Technical Leadership

• Serve as a senior technical advisor for data platform architecture and engineering decisions.

• Provide technical guidance and mentorship to data engineers and platform engineers.

• Participate in architecture reviews, technical design sessions, and engineering working groups.

• Translate mission requirements into scalable and supportable technical solutions.

• Develop technical documentation, architecture diagrams, data-flow diagrams, and operational procedures.

• Security+ or other DoD 8570/8140-compliant certification.

• Active Secret clearance as required by the contract.

• 3+ years of experience in data engineering, data platform engineering, cloud engineering, or a related technical discipline.

• Strong experience designing and implementing enterprise data platforms and pipelines.

• Advanced experience with SQL and relational databases.
• Experience developing ETL/ELT pipelines and data-processing workflows.
• Experience with cloud, on-premises, or hybrid infrastructure.
• Experience with CI/CD and DevSecOps practices.

• Strong understanding of data architecture, data modeling, data quality, and data security.

• Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot complex data and infrastructure problems.

• Excellent technical documentation and communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Data Engineering, Computer Engineering, Information Technology, or related technical discipline.

• Experience supporting Department of Defense or Navy programs.

• Experience building data platforms specifically supporting AI/ML or advanced analytics.

• Experience with Apache Spark, Databricks, Advana, Kafka, Airflow, or similar data-engineering platforms.

• Experience with data lake and lakehouse architectures.
• Experience with MLflow, Kubeflow, Feast, or other MLOps technologies.

• Experience supporting generative AI, LLM, RAG, vector databases, embeddings, or AI agents.

• Experience with PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Elasticsearch/OpenSearch, Redis, or vector databases.

• Experience with Docker, Kubernetes, Helm, Terraform, Ansible, GitLab, Jenkins, or Argo CD.

• Experience implementing data governance, cataloging, lineage, and metadata-management solutions.

• Experience with GPU-enabled AI infrastructure and high-performance computing environments.

• Familiarity with NIST 800-53, RMF, DISA STIGs, DoD 8140/8570, and related cybersecurity requirements.

• Security+ or other DoD-compliant cybersecurity certification.

Success will include reliable data pipelines, high-quality and accessible datasets, optimized AI/ML data infrastructure, strong platform automation, and seamless integration between data engineering, AI/ML, DevSecOps, and cybersecurity teams. The ideal candidate is a hands-on senior engineer who understands that successful AI depends on more than models-it requires well-designed data architecture, reliable pipelines, secure infrastructure, and operationally mature platforms. Why Join 3RC?

• Support a mission-focused Navy customer at the Naval Health Research Center.

• Work at the intersection of AI, data engineering, cloud, and modern platform technologies.

• Help build the technical foundation supporting advanced Navy research and analytics.

• Collaborate with AI engineers, data scientists, software developers, cybersecurity professionals, and infrastructure engineers.

• Join a growing government consulting firm where your technical expertise directly contributes to mission success.

Benefits at 3 Reasons Consulting At 3 Reasons Consulting, we are committed to supporting the well-being of our team with a comprehensive benefits package that includes both company-paid and shared-cost options. Our benefits are designed to enhance your health, financial security, and work-life balance to help you thrive personally and professionally as a valued member of our team.

Company-Paid Benefits

• Short/Long Term Disability

• Basic Life Insurance

• Direct Payroll Deposit

• Leave Accrual

• Holidays

• 401(k) Match

Employee / Company Shared Benefits

• Additional (Voluntary) Life Insurance

• 401(k)

• Medical Coverage

• Dental Coverage

• Vision Care Plan

• Flexible Spending Account Plan

3 Reasons Consulting (3RC), is a growing government consulting and technology services firm supporting federal and Department of Defense customers with mission-critical technology, artificial intelligence, data engineering, cybersecurity, and modernization initiatives.