Data / Backend Engineer

Aretec, Inc.; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance

401(k) Plan with Employer Match

Certification Stipends

Professional Development

Flexible Work Arrangements

Paid Time Off

Job summary

Aretec, Inc. is seeking a Data / Backend Engineer to expand the trusted data foundation for a greenfield AI solution.

You will build connectors, ingestion and ETL pipelines, metadata harmonization, normalization, and SQL workflows to enable reliable data services. You will collaborate with AI/backend and full-stack engineers to deliver secure, well-structured data capabilities, with emphasis on traceability, testing, and performance within enterprise data platforms.

Qualifications

• Experience building data connectors, ingestion pipelines, or ETL/ELT workflows.
• Strong SQL skills and experience with relational or analytical data stores.
• Experience with Python or another language used for data/backend engineering.
• Knowledge of metadata harmonization, normalization, schema mapping, and data-quality controls.
• Experience integrating backend services and APIs.
• Understanding of entity-resolution, deduplication, or record-linkage concepts.
• Experience with automated testing, troubleshooting, documentation, and reliable pipeline operation.

Responsibilities

• Design secure connectors to approved data sources.
• Develop ingestion, ETL, transformation, and data-validation pipelines.
• Harmonize and normalize metadata for consistent search and data joins.
• Write and optimize SQL for backend services and analytics.
• Support entity resolution, deduplication, and data-quality improvements.
• Integrate data services with greenfield AI solution and enterprise platforms.
• Create automated tests and document data lineage, schemas, and dependencies.

Skills

Strong SQL skills

Python

ETL/ELT pipelines

Metadata harmonization

Entity resolution

Automated testing

Tools

SQL databases

ETL tools

Data lineage tools

Job description

At Aretec, Inc., we are catalysts for change within the federal government landscape. Specializing in advanced analytics, machine learning, data analysis, cybersecurity, and business optimization, we empower federal agencies to achieve their most critical missions. As a premier partner and prime vendor, we deliver innovative, high-impact solutions that address complex challenges and drive national progress. Our commitment to excellence and innovation positions us at the forefront of transforming governmental operations, enhancing efficiency, and making a lasting difference in the lives of citizens.

You

You are a thoughtful, collaborative technology professional who turns complex challenges into practical, secure, and maintainable solutions. You work comfortably with engineers, product stakeholders, and federal partners; communicate clearly; and balance delivery speed with quality, traceability, and responsible use of AI. You are energized by mission-driven work and eager to contribute within an established team that values sound judgment and continuous improvement.

What We are Looking For

Aretec is seeking a Data / Backend Engineer to expand the trusted data foundation for our client's greenfield AI solution. You will build connectors, ingestion and ETL pipelines, metadata harmonization, normalization, SQL workflows, entity-resolution support, backend integrations, and automated tests across approved data sources.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and build secure connectors to approved internal and external data sources.
• Develop reliable ingestion, ETL, transformation, and data-validation pipelines.
• Harmonize and normalize metadata so information from different sources can be searched, joined, traced, and evaluated consistently.
• Write and optimize SQL used by backend services, analysis workflows, and reporting features.
• Support entity resolution, deduplication, record linkage, and data-quality improvement.
• Integrate data services with greenfield AI solution and existing enterprise-search or enterprise-data-platform capabilities.
• Help evaluate source onboarding according to analytical value, implementation complexity, cost, access limitations, and AI-readiness.
• Create automated unit, integration, regression, reconciliation, and data-quality tests.
• Document lineage, transformations, schemas, operational dependencies, and failure-recovery procedures.
• Collaborate with AI/backend and full-stack engineers to provide performant, well-structured, traceable data services.

The Skills We are Looking For

Required Qualifications

• Strong experience building data connectors, ingestion pipelines, or ETL/ELT workflows.
• Strong SQL skills and experience working with relational or analytical data stores.
• Experience with Python or another language used for data and backend engineering.
• Knowledge of metadata harmonization, normalization, schema mapping, and data-quality controls.
• Experience integrating backend services and APIs.
• Understanding of entity-resolution, deduplication, or record-linkage concepts.
• Experience with automated testing, troubleshooting, documentation, and reliable pipeline operation.

Preferred Skills

• Experience with enterprise search, document-oriented data, retrieval systems, or AI-ready data pipelines.
• Experience working with governed enterprise data platforms and access-controlled sources.
• Familiarity with data lineage, observability, reconciliation, and privacy or security controls.
• Experience delivering data capabilities in federal, regulated, or security-conscious environments.

The Expectations of the Job

Day One

• Learn greenfield AI solution objectives, enterprise-search-platform and enterprise-data-platform capabilities, source inventories, access constraints, and existing data models.
• Align with the technical lead and AI engineer on priority datasets and interface contracts.

Day Thirty

• Deliver an initial connector, pipeline enhancement, or metadata-normalization contribution with automated tests.
• Document source assumptions, quality checks, and operational dependencies.

Day Sixty

• Own significant ingestion and integration workflows and support reliable downstream retrieval and reporting.
• Improve data quality, lineage, entity resolution, reconciliation, and failure handling.

Day Ninety

• Take end-to-end ownership of priority source integrations from assessment through validated operation.
• Establish reusable onboarding, testing, and monitoring patterns that make future datasets easier and safer to incorporate.

At Aretec, we believe that our employees are our greatest asset. We offer a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your health, well-being, and professional development:

• Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• 401(k) Plan with Employer Match
• Certification Stipends
• Professional Development Opportunities
• Flexible Work Arrangements, including remote options when permitted by contract
• Paid Time Off and Holidays

Please note that due to the nature of our federal contracts and the secure environments in which we operate, only applicants who are sole U.S. Citizens can be considered for this position. Dual citizens are not eligible.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Aretec, Inc. is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees and applicants. All qualified individuals will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

This anticipated position is contingent upon contract award and final customer approval.