Data Engineer

We are seeking a talented and mission-focused Data Engineer to join our growing team supporting cutting-edge intelligence community initiatives in Chantilly, VA. This role offers the opportunity to work with large-scale datasets and contribute to the development of a custom enterprise platform supporting critical mission objectives., The selected candidate will play a key role in designing, building, and optimizing scalable data pipelines and architectures that support analytics, machine learning, and enterprise data integration efforts. This position is funded for an initial 9-12 month period aligned with defined mission deliverables and system development timelines, with all development performed onsite at the customer location., * Design, develop, and maintain ETL/ELT pipelines for both batch and real-time data processing using Python and SQL.

• Integrate data from a variety of structured and unstructured sources, including databases, APIs, streaming platforms, PDFs, and Microsoft Office files.
• Build scalable and maintainable data architectures to support analytics and machine learning workloads.
• Optimize data processing workflows and queries for performance, scalability, and cost efficiency within AWS environments.
• Support future pipeline scalability through exposure to PySpark and other distributed data processing frameworks.
• Develop and maintain web scraping and data ingestion workflows to collect and process open-source data.
• Transform collected information into structured datasets and visualizations for stakeholder analysis and decision-making., * Collect, clean, validate, and manage large volumes of structured and unstructured data.
• Implement data quality controls, validation procedures, and version management practices.
• Design and optimize data storage solutions utilizing AWS S3 for raw, intermediate, and production datasets.
• Implement data governance best practices including documentation, cataloging, lineage tracking, and security controls.
• Ensure compliance with customer and security requirements for data management and handling., * Partner closely with Data Scientists, Analysts, and Engineering teams to understand business and mission requirements.
• Prepare clean, structured, and feature-ready datasets for analytics and machine learning applications.
• Support feature engineering, aggregation, and large-scale data transformations.
• Assist with deploying machine learning models into production environments while supporting monitoring, versioning, and performance optimization.
• Integrate and consume REST APIs to support data acquisition and application workflows.
• Utilize Docker, Kubernetes, Git, and CI/CD pipelines to support deployment and operational workflows.

Documentation & Communication

• Document data pipelines, architectures, schemas, and transformation processes.
• Communicate technical concepts effectively to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Participate in code reviews and promote engineering best practices across the team.
• Contribute to continuous improvement efforts related to data engineering, automation, and platform development.

Do you have experience in Version control systems?, * 3-5+ years of professional experience in Data Engineering or a related technical field.

• Experience designing and implementing ETL/ELT pipelines.
• Experience processing and managing large-scale structured and unstructured datasets.
• Experience working in cloud-based data environments.

Technical Skills

• Strong proficiency with Python and SQL.
• Experience with PySpark or other distributed processing frameworks (highly desired).
• Experience with ElasticSearch/OpenSearch technologies.
• Experience working within AWS cloud environments.
• Experience supporting Linux-based systems.
• Proficiency with Git for version control and collaborative development.
• Understanding of machine learning workflows and MLOps concepts.
• Experience integrating and consuming REST APIs.
• Familiarity with Docker, Kubernetes, and CI/CD pipelines.

Clearance Requirements

• Active TS/SCI with Full Scope Polygraph (FSP) is required.
• U.S. Citizenship required.

Professional Skills

• Strong collaboration and communication skills.
• Ability to communicate complex technical concepts to non-technical audiences.
• Detail-oriented with a strong commitment to data quality and integrity.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced mission environment.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities.

Desired Qualifications

• Hands-on experience with graph databases.
• Experience modeling, querying, and optimizing Neo4j databases.
• Experience supporting advanced analytics, knowledge graphs, or entity resolution systems.
• Experience working within Intelligence Community environments.

Pulled from the full job description

• 401(k)
• Health insurance
• 401(k) matching
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance
• Dental insurance
• Disability insurance, * Competitive Compensation
• Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision Coverage
• 401(k) with Company Contribution
• Paid Time Off and Company Holidays
• Life and Disability Insurance
• Professional Development Opportunities
• Challenging and Meaningful Mission-Focused Work
• Long-Term Career Growth Opportunities