Chief Data Officer: Enterprise Data Strategy & Governance

Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab; Laurel (MD); On-site; USD 105,000 - 290,000; Full time

Job summary

Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory seeks a strategic Chief Data Officer to transform data into a mission-critical asset. You will partner with senior leadership and program teams to modernize governance, integration, and operations, aligning an enterprise data strategy with AMDS priorities and ensuring data is secure, accessible, and AI/ML-ready.

The role leads the creation of resilient data architectures, end-to-end lifecycle management, and cross-organizational alignment.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Data Science, Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field.
• At least 8 years of experience in data strategy, data management, analytics, or related roles within complex, technical, or mission-driven environments.
• Designing and implementing scalable data architectures.
• Establishing and enforcing data governance frameworks and policies.
• Strong understanding of data lifecycle management and technologies.
• Ability to evaluate and integrate emerging data technologies into operational environments.
• Proven ability to align stakeholders and drive enterprise data practices.
• Strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Willingness to travel (~10%) and support work outside standard hours as needed.
• Holding an active Secret security clearance and potential to obtain Top Secret clearance; U.S. citizenship required.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development and execution of an enterprise data strategy aligned to mission priorities.
• Establish and enforce data governance to ensure quality, integrity, security, and compliance.
• Drive cross-organizational alignment, serving as the enterprise integrator across leadership, programs, and technical teams.
• Architect and oversee a resilient data environment, including platforms, pipelines, and infrastructure.
• Institutionalize full lifecycle data management—from curation and storage to access and retention.
• Enable seamless data integration to improve interoperability, accessibility, and scalability.
• Evaluate and adopt emerging technologies to continuously modernize the data ecosystem and advance AI/ML readiness.

Skills

Data strategy

Data governance

Stakeholder engagement

Data architecture

Security clearance

Education

Master’s degree in Data Science, Computer Science, Engineering, or related field

Tools

Cloud platforms

ETL pipelines

Big data technologies

Job description

Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory seeks a strategic Chief Data Officer to transform data into a mission-critical asset. You will partner with senior leadership and program teams to modernize governance, integration, and operations, aligning an enterprise data strategy with AMDS priorities and ensuring data is secure, accessible, and AI/ML-ready.

The role leads the creation of resilient data architectures, end-to-end lifecycle management, and cross-organizational alignment.