Data Operations Technical Lead

Agile Defense, LLC; Tampa (FL); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Agile Defense, LLC in the MacDill AFB area is seeking a Data Operations Technical Lead to architect and operate the foundational data infrastructure enabling AI-enabled analytics for SOF missions. This role requires Top Secret / SCI clearance to start and a strong background in data engineering for secure government programs.

You will design scalable ETL/ELT pipelines, real-time streaming, data models, and governance while mentoring junior engineers in a fast-paced, mission-focused environment,

Qualifications

• Active TS/SCI clearance is required to start.
• 8+ years of data engineering or software engineering experience with complex pipelines.
• Experience supporting SOF customers and enterprise data needs.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and maintain scalable data pipelines (ETL/ELT) into data warehouses and data lakes.
• Collaborate with data scientists and analysts to understand data requirements and ensure data flow across platforms.
• Develop, deploy, and maintain real-time data streaming solutions (Kafka, Flink, Spark).
• Oversee data models and schemas for analytics-ready storage and fast access.
• Ensure data quality, integrity, and consistent data governance across systems.
• Monitor performance, troubleshoot bottlenecks, and optimize data processing workflows.
• Mentor junior data engineers and promote best practices.

Skills

TS/SCI clearance

Data operations leadership

ETL/ELT pipelines

Real-time streaming

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/IS/Data Eng or related

Job description

About Agile Defense

At Agile Defense we know that action defines the outcome and new challenges require new solutions. That's why we always look to the future and embrace change with an unmovable spirit and the courage to build for what comes next.

Our vision is to bring adaptive innovation to support our nation's most important missions through the seamless integration of advanced technologies, elite minds, and unparalleled agility-leveraging a foundation of speed, flexibility, and ingenuity to strengthen and protect our nation's vital interests.

Requisition #: 1700

Job Title: Data Operations Technical Lead

Location: MacDill AFB, FL

Clearance Level: Top Secret / SCI, Must Have Clearance to Start

Job Description

The contractor shall identify a Data Operations Technical Lead by name who shall deliver the foundational data infrastructure necessary to transform SOF Enterprise data into a critical strategic asset. This individual will ensure comprehensive data and engineering management, data quality and resource management providing scalable systems and reliable infrastructure essential for integrating advanced analytics and effective Artificial Intelligence solutions, significantly enhancing data-driving decision-making across all warfighting functions.

Job Duties

• Design, build, and maintain highly scalable, reliable, and efficient data pipelines for extracting, transforming, and loading (ETL/ELT) data from various sources into data warehouses, data lakes, and other storage systems.
• Collaborate with data scientists, analysts, and other stakeholders to understand data requirements and ensure the efficient flow of data across various platforms and systems.
• Develop, deploy, and maintain real-time data streaming solutions to process and deliver data with low latency (using tools like Apache Kafka, Flink, or Spark Streaming). Optimize and automate data workflows, ensuring that data pipelines are efficient, reliable, and capable of handling increasing data volumes. Oversee the development of data models and schema designs to ensure accurate, accessible, and high-performance data storage for analytics and reporting.
• Ensure data quality, integrity, and consistency by implementing data validation, monitoring, and error-handling mechanisms.
• Monitor and troubleshoot performance bottlenecks in data systems, resolving issues with data processing and data access.
• Stay current with emerging trends and best practices in data engineering, recommending new tools, technologies, and methods to enhance existing infrastructure.
• Mentor and guide junior data engineers, promoting best practices in data engineering and fostering a collaborative, high-performance team environment.

Education and Background

Typically has a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Data Engineering, or a related field (masters degree preferred)., and 8+ years of experience in data engineering or software engineering, with demonstrated experience in designing and managing complex data pipelines., or equivalent relevant work experience; e.g., each year of work experience may be substituted for each year of education required.

Years of Experience

8+ years

Required Skills

• Have active active TS/SCI clearance
• Minimum of eight years' experience managing digital projects in support of SOF Enteprise customers

Preferred Skills

• Three years experience managing SOF agile development processes
• Three years experience managing SOF Data Operations processes and procedures
• Three years experience managing SOF digital support request requirements, translating them from customer requests to assigning customer and digital support teams

Working Conditions

General Office Environment

Our Core Values

• Happy - Be Infectious. Happiness multiplies and creates a positive and connected environment where motivation and satisfaction have an outsized effect on everything we do.
• Helpful - Be Supportive. Being helpful is the foundation of teamwork, resulting in a supportive atmosphere where collaboration flourishes, and collective success is celebrated.
• Honest - Be Trustworthy. Honesty serves as our compass, ensuring transparent communication and ethical conduct, essential to who we are and the complex domains we support.
• Humble - Be Grounded. Success is not achieved alone, humility ensures a culture of mutual respect, encouraging open communication, and a willingness to learn from one another and take on any task.
• Hungry - Be Eager. Our hunger for excellence drives an insatiable appetite for innovation and continuous improvement, propelling us forward in the face of new and unprecedented challenges.
• Hustle - Be Driven. Hustle is reflected in our relentless work ethic, where we are each committed to going above and beyond to advance the mission and achieve success.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.