Data Engineer

Data Engineer - Mid Location: Onsite | Washington, DC Clearance: Active TS/SCI with CI Polygraph Employment Type: Full-time, salaried, with full benefits ________________________________________________________________________________ About the Company: Our customer is a mission-driven technology company transforming how the U.S. defense and intelligence community leverages artificial intelligence. The company integrates cutting-edge AI, next-generation sensors, and advanced data solutions into operational environments-delivering capabilities that matter at the speed of mission. The team is built from seasoned operators, technologists, and problem-solvers who thrive in small, fast-moving groups. They are deeply connected to the mission, move with urgency, and empower their people to take ownership. The problems they tackle are complex and high impact: accelerating decision-making, enhancing warfighter effectiveness, and shaping the future of defense technology. ________________________________________________________________________________ About the Role: The Mid-Level Data Engineer will design and maintain the data pipelines, models, and governance frameworks that underpin the Client's enterprise AI initiatives. This includes preparing structured and unstructured data sources to power chatbot training, operational analytics, and evaluation pipelines. Engineers in this role will work hands-on with high-volume, mixed-modality datasets in classified environments. They will collaborate closely with AI/ML engineers, software developers, and mission engineers to ensure data flows are reliable, scalable, and secure. As part of a small, fast-moving team, the Data Engineer must be comfortable working across lines of effort (Base Support, TEVV, Flyaway) and adapting quickly to shifting mission priorities. ________________________________________________________________________________ Primary Responsibilities: Develop and maintain ETL/ELT pipelines for processing large-scale structured and unstructured datasets. Design and optimize data models and schemas tailored for AI/ML workloads. Implement data quality monitoring, validation, and lineage frameworks. Collaborate with AI/ML engineers to define data requirements and optimize data delivery. Troubleshoot data pipeline issues and deliver performance improvements. Document data flows, transformations, and architectures. Support data governance initiatives and compliance with IC/DoD data handling policies. Contribute to cross-team efforts in ambiguous, high-tempo environments. ________________________________________________________________________________ Required Experience: Active TS/SCI clearance with ability to obtain a CI Polygraph. Typically 5 years of data engineering or related technical experience (years are guidelines; impact matters). Proficiency in Python, SQL, and data processing frameworks (e.g., Spark, Kafka). Hands-on experience with cloud platforms (AWS preferred; Azure or GCP acceptable). Familiarity with containerization and orchestration (Docker, Kubernetes). Knowledge of data warehousing concepts and modern data stack tools. Understanding of version control systems and CI/CD practices. ________________________________________________________________________________ Preferred Experience: Prior military service or direct support to DoD/IC programs. Experience with mixed-modality data (e.g., text, sensor, geospatial). Exposure to Responsible AI data considerations (bias, labeling, governance). Strong communication skills and ability to operate as a Swiss-army knife in small, fast-moving teams. ________________________________________________________________________________ Benefits: Equity participation 401(k) retirement plan Unlimited paid time off (PTO) Paid parental leave Paid holidays Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, and life insurance Short- and long-term disability coverage