Senior Data Engineer

Location: Ashburn, VA (Onsite 2–3 days/week, non-negotiable)

Clearance Requirement: U.S. Citizenship required; must currently hold or have previously held a Public Trust clearance

Overview:

We’re hiring a Senior Data Engineer to join a long-term federal program supporting high-impact, mission-driven data initiatives. This is a hands-on, engineering-heavy role that requires deep technical expertise and a strong commitment to on-site work in Ashburn, VA. The project is now in year 2 of a 5-year engagement with long-term conversion expected.

What You’ll Do:

• Build and maintain high-volume data pipelines and ETL workflows
• Write and optimize complex SQL queries for large-scale data sets
• Design robust data models using star schemas, fact and dimension tables
• Work with Apache Spark and the Hadoop ecosystem to process large data sets
• Develop real-time streaming pipelines using Kafka
• Use AWS tools such as S3, EMR, Redshift, and DynamoDB
• Automate tasks with bash scripting
• Use Python for ad hoc data engineering support
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver scalable, secure solutions
• (Bonus) Leverage Databricks and Delta Tables for advanced analytics

Required Skills (No Exceptions):

• 7+ years of professional experience in data engineering
• Strong Java development experience
• Advanced SQL expertise with performance tuning skills
• Bash scripting proficiency
• Extensive AWS experience (S3, EMR, Redshift, DynamoDB)
• Hands-on with Apache Spark and Kafka
• Strong understanding of data warehousing (star schemas, fact/dimension modeling)
• Proven success building and supporting production-grade pipelines
• Experience with Python
• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field
• Must be a U.S. Citizen and hold or have held Public Trust clearance
• Must be able to work onsite 2–3 days/week in Ashburn, VA (no exceptions)

Nice to Have:

• Experience with Databricks and Delta Tables
• Background working on federal or public-sector programs

Compensation & Terms:

• $70/hr (C2C or 1099) – rate is firm
• 1-year contract with planned conversion to direct hire
• Long-term work expected (multi-year program already underway)