Data Engineer – Databricks

Groundswell; Maryland; On-site; USD 90,000 - 175,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive benefits

4% 401K match

Flexible schedule

On-site gym and childcare

Tuition reimbursement

Job summary

Groundswell is seeking an experienced Data Engineer to support the Department of Transportation. You will manage data engineering and database administration across MariaDB, SQL Server, and Databricks for a federal client.

You will design scalable Databricks pipelines, optimize queries, implement security controls, and collaborate with stakeholders to deliver reliable data solutions enabling informed decision making.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a technical field.
• 5+ years in data engineering, database administration, or database development.
• Hands-on Databricks experience.
• Experience administering SQL Server and/or MariaDB enterprise databases.
• Advanced SQL skills including stored procedures, functions, triggers, and views.
• Proficiency in Python, Java, or Scala.
• Experience with ETL/ELT pipelines (Airflow, Glue or similar).
• Experience with performance tuning, backups, DR, security, and access management.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and collaboration skills.
• U.S. citizenship and ability to obtain a federal Public Trust.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement scalable Databricks solutions and ETL/ELT pipelines.
• Apply Databricks development standards and data engineering best practices.
• Administer and monitor MariaDB and SQL Server environments.
• Design databases, schemas, tables, views, stored procedures, functions, and triggers.
• Perform backup, restore, disaster recovery, and performance tuning tasks.
• Troubleshoot complex database, application, and data pipeline issues.
• Collaborate with business, infrastructure, and vendor teams to translate requirements.
• Deliver technical demonstrations and support proposal efforts.

Skills

Databricks

SQL Server

MariaDB

Python/Java/Scala

ETL/ELT pipelines

SQL optimization

Data security

Stakeholder engagement

Leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science/Engineering/Math/Stats

Tools

Apache Airflow

AWS Glue

Databricks

Job description

Who Are We?

Groundswell is a premier technology integrator and solution provider, resolutely committed to solving the most complex challenges facing federal agencies today. Our name, Groundswell, represents our commitment to be an unstoppable, seismic change in government. Ours is a small company culture with big company reach and results. Are you ready to be audacious, be bold and drive change at a rapid pace? Join us, where we'll make a greater impact together.

What You'll do?

Groundswell is hiring an experienced Data Engineer to join our team supporting the Department of Transportation (DOT). This customer-facing role combines data engineering and database administration across MariaDB, SQL Server, and Databricks environments.

Responsibilities:

• Design and implement scalable Databricks solutions and ETL/ELT pipelines.
• Apply Databricks development standards and data engineering best practices.
• Administer and monitor enterprise MariaDB and SQL Server environments.
• Design databases, schemas, tables, views, stored procedures, functions, and triggers.
• Perform database configuration, backup, restoration, performance tuning, and disaster recovery.
• Optimize SQL queries, indexes, database objects, pipelines, and server performance.
• Configure and support availability groups, mirroring, clusters, encryption, and reporting servers.
• Apply best practices for data modeling, relational database design, data warehousing, data quality, and lineage.
• Implement database security, auditing, user access, roles, permissions, and domain-level accounts.
• Troubleshoot complex database, application, and data pipeline issues.
• Collaborate with business stakeholders, infrastructure, network, application, development, and vendor teams.
• Translate business and technical requirements into secure, scalable data solutions.
• Deliver technical demonstrations and training and support proposal efforts.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Mathematics, Statistics, or a related technical field.
• 5+ years of experience in data engineering, database administration, or database development.
• Demonstrated hands‑on Databricks experience.
• Experience administering SQL Server and/or MariaDB enterprise databases.
• Advanced SQL skills, including developing and optimizing queries, stored procedures, functions, triggers, tables, and views.
• Proficiency in Python, Java, or Scala.
• Experience developing ETL/ELT pipelines using tools such as Apache Airflow, AWS Glue, or similar technologies.
• Experience with database performance tuning, backup and restoration, disaster recovery, security, and access management.
• Strong stakeholder engagement, communication, collaboration, and problem‑solving skills.
• Demonstrated experience leading or providing technical direction to engineering teams.
• U.S. citizenship and the ability to obtain and maintain a federal Public Trust per contract requirements.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with both SQL Server and MariaDB.
• Experience with AWS services and cloud architecture.
• Experience with medallion data architecture, including Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum layers.
• Experience with MicroStrategy and/or Tableau.
• Experience with LLM data requirements, vector databases, or AI model deployment.
• Current or previously held federal Public Trust.
• Previous experience supporting DOT or related federal systems.

Skills:

Certification:

Why You'll Never Want to Leave:

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans
• Flexible Spending Account
• 4% 401K Match (immediate vesting)
• Paid Time Off
• Tuition reimbursement, certification programs, and professional development
• Flexible work schedule
• On‑site gym and childcare option

The salary range for this role takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions, including but not limited to skill sets, experience and training; licensure and certifications; and other business and organizational needs. The disclosed range estimate has not been adjusted for any applicable geographic differential associated with the location at which the position may be filled. At Groundswell, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their role, and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. A reasonable estimate of the current range is:

$89,886.00 - $175,444.00

NOTE:

Groundswell does not accept unsolicited resumes through or from search firms or staffing agencies. All unsolicited resumes will be considered the property of Groundswell, and Groundswell will not be obligated to pay a placement fee.

Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, pregnancy, genetic information, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other protected category under applicable federal, state, and local laws.

Read a copy of the Company's Non-Discrimination Policy Statement.

Additional Resources

• EO 13496 Notification of Employee Rights under NLRA
• Know your rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal

Disability Accessibility Accommodation: If you are an individual with a disability and would like to request a reasonable accommodation as part of the employment selection process, please contact us at [e-mail] or 703-639-1777.