Data Engineer

Senior Data Engineer to lead the data core of a new on-premises analytics platform for a federal government client in Arlington, VA.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement a centralized PostgreSQL data layer with a governed schema and shared data vocabulary in coordination with the data governance lead.
• Architect a scalable ingestion pipeline in Python using an orchestration framework such as Airflow, Dagster, or Prefect; ingest, normalize, validate, and persist structured and unstructured data from agency financial-management, program-management, and payment systems plus Government-wide sources.
• Create configuration-driven connectors for REST APIs, flat files, database replication, and SFTP, reusable across agencies without source-code changes.
• Deploy connectors and pipelines through client CI/CD processes using GitLab, Jenkins, or Azure DevOps with automated build, test, and security scanning targeting the client’s Rancher-managed Kubernetes platform.
• Implement PII anonymization, data-handling, and access controls at ingestion aligned to NIST SP 800-53 Moderate, in coordination with the security lead.
• Build deterministic, inspectable analytic SQL rules with threshold-based indicators on a scheduled refresh; document the data requirements and criteria for each rule.
• Lead data-quality error detection: identify, categorize, track, resolve, and report defects and anomalies across the data lifecycle.
• Capture metadata and data lineage, and surface data-currency indicators (source, last refreshed, next refresh) in the user interface.
• Set coding, code-review, testing, and documentation standards for the data team; review Data Engineer work; collaborate with application developers on API access to the data core.
• Troubleshoot and resolve pipeline failures, data discrepancies, and query performance bottlenecks.
• Produce technical documentation, data dictionaries, and runbooks; deliver knowledge transfer so client staff can operate, maintain, and extend pipelines with minimal contractor reliance.
• Participate in Agile ceremonies, including sprint planning, code reviews, demonstrations, and continuous improvement activities.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or a related field; equivalent experience may be considered.
• 8+ years of professional data engineering experience, including 3+ years as a technical lead or senior engineer on a production data platform (6+ years with a Master’s degree).
• Expert-level SQL and PostgreSQL data modeling, including normalized and analytic schemas, partitioning, indexing, and performance tuning.
• Strong Python with hands-on experience building pipelines using Airflow, Dagster, or Prefect.
• Demonstrated experience designing reusable, configuration-driven ingestion from heterogeneous sources with schema validation and data-quality checks.
• Experience deploying pipelines in containerized environments (Docker, Kubernetes) using Git-based version control and CI/CD.
• Experience handling PII and sensitive financial or program data under NIST SP 800-53 or equivalent controls.
• Experience working in Agile software development and collaborating with technical and non-technical stakeholders in a federal contracting environment.
• Strong written communication for data-model documentation, runbooks, and knowledge transfer.
• U.S. Citizenship required; must have an Active TS or be eligible for a Top Secret (Tier 5) clearance. No third party. No H1B or Green Card holders.

Technologies

• PostgreSQL, Python, Airflow, Dagster, Prefect
• REST APIs, SFTP, SQL
• GitLab, Jenkins, Azure DevOps, Git-based version control, CI/CD
• Rancher-managed Kubernetes, Kubernetes, Docker
• NIST SP 800-53 Moderate, NIST SP 800-53, NIST SP 800-53 audit-logging requirements
• PII anonymization, TS (Top Secret), FedRAMP Moderate, Splunk

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting federal civilian, financial-oversight, budget, or program-management IT systems.
• Experience integrating data from enterprise financial systems (for example, SAP S/4HANA, Oracle, or comparable ERP) and Treasury or payment platforms.
• Experience with grants management or federal financial systems (for example, GrantSolutions, eRA, Treasury payment systems) highly preferred.
• Experience extracting structured data from unstructured documents (PDF, DOCX) at scale.
• Experience with metadata management, data-lineage, and data-catalog tooling.
• Experience deploying to Kubernetes (Rancher preferred) in an on-premises federal environment with restricted internet access.
• Familiarity with Splunk log integration and NIST SP 800-53 audit-logging requirements.

Benefits

• Great work/life balance
• Eligibility for performance-based participation in cash bonuses
• Potential to participate in growth of the company through incentives
• Excellent benefits, including health, dental, vision, generous PTO, a 401(k) with match, life insurance, short- and long-term disability, and a health savings account (HSA)

About the Role

• Strategic Innovation Group (SIG) is seeking a Senior Data Engineer to lead the data core of a new analytics platform for a federal government client.
• The platform consolidates program, financial, and performance data from multiple federal agency systems and Government-wide sources into a centralized PostgreSQL data layer.
• The data layer supports dashboards, analytic rules, and reporting for oversight users.
• The platform is deployed on-premises within the client’s FedRAMP Moderate environment.
• This role owns the physical data model, ingestion architecture, and reusable connector framework, and sets engineering standards for the data team.
• The successful candidate will be proposed as key personnel and will work in an Agile environment with the program manager, solutions architect, data governance lead, application developers, configuration manager, security lead, and client stakeholders to deliver a Minimum Viable Product and expand from there.

About SIG

• SIG is a fast growing 8(a) government contractor based in Arlington, Virginia.
• SIG provides technical expertise in Digital Transformation, Data Management/Data Science, and Systems Modernization.
• SIG emphasizes that people are the mission.

Location: Arlington, VA (onsite)
Salary: USD 150,000 - 185,000 per yearly
Experience: 8+ years