Data Engineer – AI & Machine Learning with Security Clearance

Integral Federal, Inc.; McLean (VA); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance

Flexible Spending Accounts

Paid Time Off & Holidays

Professional Training Reimbursement

Job summary

Integral Federal is seeking a Data Engineer for AI and Machine Learning to join our core technical group in McLean, VA.

You will design data architectures from the ground up and build multimodal data pipelines to support ML initiatives, interfacing with government stakeholders and internal teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or related technical field.
• 3+ years progressive data engineering with 2+ years in AI/ML operations (MLOps).
• Experience in cloud environments, especially AWS GovCloud or Azure Government.
• Expert-level Python, SQL, and data manipulation libraries (Pandas, PySpark).
• Proven experience building complex ETL/ELT pipelines for unstructured/multimodal data.
• Hands-on deployment of AI models (HuggingFace, PyTorch, TensorFlow).
• Experience with data warehousing/data lake architectures (Databricks, Snowflake, Redshift).
• Must be eligible for DoD Secret Clearance; active clearance desirable.
• Advanced degree preferred; federal DoW/IC/DHS experience a plus.

Responsibilities

• Data Architecture & Strategy: design, build, optimize scalable data architectures for ML models and high-volume processing.
• ETL/ELT Pipeline Engineering: develop and maintain resilient data pipelines for complex data.
• AI/ML Integration: evaluate, deploy, and tune AI models for secure environments.
• Stakeholder Engagement: translate mission needs into data solutions for government.
• Project Flexibility: lead internal capability development with capacity for billable work.
• Security & Compliance: adhere to NIST, FISMA, DoD Cloud SRG in data work.

Skills

Python

SQL

ETL/ELT

ML Models

PySpark

Pandas

Databricks

Snowflake

Redshift

Docker

Kubernetes

MLOps

CI/CD

Education

Bachelor's in CS/Engineering/Data

Master’s in Data Science/AI

Tools

Databricks

Snowflake

Redshift

Docker

Kubernetes

Job description

Data Engineer – AI & Machine Learning Location: McLean, VA (Headquarters) – hybrid schedule with 3 days in the office Job Type: Full-Time / Primarily Internal Core Team (Occasional Billable Client Support) Clearance Requirement: Ability to obtain and maintain a DoD Secret Clearance (Active Secret or higher preferred About Us We are a premier, mid-sized federal government contractor committed to advancing national security. We specialize in delivering mission-critical technology solutions to the Department of War (DoW), the Intelligence Community (IC), and security-focused Federal Civilian agencies (e.g., DHS, TSA). We have an agile, innovative culture where our technical experts are empowered to solve the government's most complex challenges. Position Overview We seek an innovative and highly skilled Data Engineer for AI and Machine Learning to join our core technical group. This position sits within our internal Office of Technology, driving internal projects, building cutting-edge capabilities, and establishing best practices. You will interface with government stakeholders and may flex onto billable client projects as needed. In this role, you will be the data architectural backbone of our AI and ML initiatives. You will design data architectures from the ground up and build complex pipelines for structured and unstructured multimodal data. Responsibilities * Data Architecture & Strategy: Design, build, and optimize scalable data architectures capable of supporting advanced ML models, analytics, and high-volume data processing for federal mission sets.

• Pipeline Engineering (ETL/ELT): Develop, construct, test, and maintain resilient data pipelines, including those for synthetic data. Process and integrate complex, high-velocity structured and unstructured multimodal data (text, imagery, sensor data, audio/video).
• AI/ML Integration & Tuning: Evaluate and deploy AI models (including Large Language Models). Ensure models are optimized for performance, accuracy, and scalability in secure environments.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Interface directly with Integral project personnel and federal government stakeholders to gather requirements, translate mission needs into data solutions, and present technical concepts to non-technical leaders.
• Project Flexibility: Lead internal, non-billable capability development while maintaining the agility to deploy onto billable client engagements as required.
• Security & Compliance: Ensure all data pipelines and ML architectures adhere to strict federal security, privacy, and data governance standards (e.g., NIST, FISMA, DoD Cloud Computing SRG). Qualifications Required: * Education: Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Data Engineering, Software Engineering, or a related highly technical field.
• Experience: 3+ years of progressive data engineering experience, with at least 2+ years specifically dedicated to supporting Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning operations (MLOps). Strong background working with and deploying in cloud environments, particularly AWS GovCloud or Azure Government.
• Technical Skills:
• Expert-level proficiency in Python, SQL, and data manipulation libraries (Pandas, PySpark, etc.).
• Proven experience building complex ETL/ELT pipelines for unstructured and multimodal data.
• Hands-on experience evaluating, fine-tuning, and deploying AI models (e.g., HuggingFace, PyTorch, TensorFlow).
• Experience with modern data warehousing and data lake architectures (e.g., Databricks, Snowflake, Redshift).
• Security Clearance: Must be eligible to obtain and maintain at least a DoD Secret Clearance. Preferred: * Active Clearance: Currently holding an active DoD Secret, Top Secret, or TS/SCI clearance is desirable.
• Advanced Degree: Master’s degree in Data Science, AI, or a related field.
• Federal Experience: Prior experience consulting or working directly with the DoW, Intelligence Community, or DHS.
• MLOps Mastery: Deep understanding of MLOps frameworks, containerization (Docker, Kubernetes), and CI/CD pipelines for machine learning. Salary Range: $150,000 - $200,000 The above salary range represents a general guideline. Integral Federal considers a number of factors when determining base salary offers, such as the scope and responsibilities of the position and the candidate's experience, education, skills, and current market conditions. Depending on the position, employees may be eligible for overtime, shift differential, and/or discretionary bonuses in addition to base pay. Company Overview Integral partners with federal defense, intelligence, and civilian leaders to tackle their most important challenges and deliver positive outcomes. Since our founding in 1998, we have helped clients leverage existing and emerging technologies to transform their enterprises, empower growth, drive innovation, and build sustainable success. The forward-leaning solutions we deliver are tailored to each mission with a focus on keeping our nation safe and secure. Integral is headquartered in McLean, VA and serves clients throughout the country. We offer a comprehensive total rewards package including paid parental leave and immediate vesting in our 401(k). Give us a try and become part of a curated group of professionals at Integral Federal! Our package also includes:
• Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Short-Term and Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Life Insurance
• Paid Time Off & Holidays
• Earned Bonuses & Awards
• Professional Training Reimbursement
• Employee Assistance Program Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veteran/Disability