Cognos Analytics Developer

Zenius Corporation; Washington (District of Columbia); Hybrid; USD 96,000 - 131,000; Full time

Job summary

Zenius Corporation seeks an experienced IBM Cognos Analytics Developer for a nine-week independent contractor engagement supporting a Federal civilian agency in the Washington, D.C. area.

You will build production dashboards and data modules, following approved designs and accessibility standards, and will assist with testing, deployment, and documentation. Work from a remote setup with occasional on-site sessions in Washington, D.C., and participate in weekly status meetings with business users

Qualifications

• Five+ years in Cognos Analytics development (dashboards, reports, data modules).
• Experience with Framework Manager and data modeling.
• Strong SQL against relational databases; Oracle preferred.
• Knowledge of Section 508/WCAG accessibility requirements.

Responsibilities

• Build Cognos dashboards/reports per design specs, releasing in increments.
• Develop data modules and Framework Manager packages with security filters.
• Apply organization standards for naming, design, and accessibility requirements.
• Support testing, reconciliation to source systems, and defect resolution.
• Prepare technical docs, data lineage, and end-user guidance.

Skills

IBM Cognos Analytics

SQL

Framework Manager

Data modules

Accessibility WCAG 2.x

Federal government experience

Tools

Oracle

Job description

Work Location: Remote with occasional Washington D.C

About The Opportunity

Zenius Corporation is seeking an experienced IBM Cognos Analytics Developer for a nine-week independent contractor engagement supporting a Federal civilian agency in the Washington, D.C. area. The developer will build production dashboards and the supporting data modules in the client's existing Cognos Analytics environment, working from approved design specifications and established data, design, and accessibility standards, and will support testing, deployment, and documentation. The engagement begins in late October 2026.

What You Will Do

• Build interactive Cognos Analytics dashboards and reports from approved design specifications, releasing them in increments and incorporating client feedback into each release.
• Develop and extend Cognos data modules and Framework Manager packages, including shared measures, dimensions, calculations, and row-level security filters.
• Apply the client's content, data, and design standards, including naming and folder conventions, visual design guidelines, performance targets, and Section 508 and WCAG 2.x Level AA accessibility requirements.
• Support functional testing, reconciliation of dashboard results to the source financial system, performance tuning, accessibility remediation, defect resolution, and user acceptance testing.
• Promote completed content from development through test to production under the client's change-controlled deployment process, in coordination with the platform administrators.
• Produce technical documentation, data lineage, and end-user guidance for each dashboard, and contribute examples to training materials for report authors.
• Participate in weekly status meetings and working sessions with client business users, data stewards, and administrators.

Required Qualifications

• Five or more years of hands-on IBM Cognos Analytics development (version 11.x or 12.x), including dashboards, reports, and data modules, with production work delivered within the last two years.
• Experience developing and maintaining Framework Manager packages or data modules, including relational modeling, calculations, and security filters.
• Strong SQL skills against relational databases; Oracle experience preferred.
• Experience building analytics over financial or budget data and reconciling results to a system of record.
• Working knowledge of Cognos performance tuning and of building content that meets Section 508 and WCAG 2.x Level AA accessibility requirements.
• Prior experience on U.S. Federal Government engagements, including working within Government-furnished environments and change-controlled promotion paths.
• Ability to work from approved specifications, deliver in short increments, and communicate clearly with business users and administrators.
• U.S. citizenship and the ability to obtain a Federal Public Trust background investigation.
• Availability for the full nine-week engagement at approximately 40 hours per week.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Federal financial management systems, including Oracle Federal Financials or Oracle Hyperion.
• IBM Cognos Analytics certification (Author, Developer, or Administrator).
• Cognos administration experience, including namespace and role configuration against LDAP or Active Directory, folder and permission structures, and deployment archives.
• Experience preparing training exercises, job aids, or knowledge transfer material for report authors.
• A current or recent Federal Public Trust adjudication.

Engagement Details

• Engagement type: Independent contractor (1099). Candidates must be able to contract directly as an individual or through their own business entity.
• Duration: Nine weeks, starting in late October 2026, with the possibility of extension.
• Hours: Approximately 40 hours per week during standard Eastern Time business hours.
• Location: Remote. Occasional on-site attendance at the client's Washington, D.C. offices may be required for design and review sessions; candidates within commuting distance of Washington, D.C. are preferred.
• Compensation: Competitive hourly rate commensurate with experience.
• Eligibility: U.S. citizenship is required. The selected candidate will complete the client's background investigation and non-disclosure requirements before receiving system access.

About Zenius Corporation

Zenius Corporation is a HUBZone-certified small business headquartered in Leesburg, Virginia, providing IT modernization, grants management, financial management, acquisition support, and AI-augmented delivery services to Federal agencies. Zenius has been recognized on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies in 2024 and 2025. Learn more at https://www.zeniuscorp.com.

Zenius Corporation is an equal opportunity employer and contractor. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or protected veteran status.