Database Engineer (TS/SCI)

Vantor; Herndon (VA); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 206,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) match

Mental health resources

Adoption reimbursement

Pet insurance

Job summary

Vantor is seeking a Database Engineer to design, implement, and maintain database infrastructure supporting Object-Based Intelligence (OBI) mission requirements. You will work with ontology engineers, software developers, and Government stakeholders to enable ontology-driven data integration and knowledge management across relational, graph, and semantic databases.

The role emphasizes scalable architectures for Semantic Web technologies, RDF stores, and knowledge graphs, along with ETL/ELT

Qualifications

• Must be a U.S. citizen with active TS/SCI with CI polygraph.
• 12 years of experience with advanced degree or 17 years with a bachelor.
• Experience designing, implementing, and administering enterprise database solutions for mission-critical apps.
• Experience with relational DBMS and graph DB technologies.
• Experience with Semantic Web technologies, RDF data stores, or knowledge graphs.
• Experience developing ETL/ELT processes and integrating diverse data sources.
• Knowledge of high-availability, security, and performance tuning.

Responsibilities

• Design, administer, and optimize relational, graph, and semantic databases for mission requirements.
• Develop data models supporting ontologies, taxonomies, and knowledge graphs.
• Build scalable database architectures for Semantic Web technologies and knowledge-graph platforms.
• Create ETL/ELT processes to integrate heterogeneous data sources.
• Collaborate with engineers and stakeholders to translate requirements into efficient designs.
• Ensure data security, backup/recovery, and high-availability in line with government cybersecurity.

Skills

Database design

ETL/ELT development

Knowledge graphs

Semantic Web

Security best practices

Communication of complex concepts

Education

Advanced degree

Bachelor's degree

Tools

PostgreSQL

Oracle

Microsoft SQL Server

Neo4j

Amazon Neptune

Stardog

GraphDB

RDF triple stores

SPARQL

Job description

Vantor is forging the new frontier of spatial intelligence, helping decision makers and operators navigate what’s happening now and shape what’s coming next. Vantor is a place for problem solvers, changemakers, and go-getters—where people are working together to help our customers see the world differently, and in doing so, be seen differently. Come be part of a mission, not just a job, where you can: Shape your own future, build the next big thing, and change the world.

To be eligible for this position, you must be a U.S. Citizen. This position requires an active U.S. Government security clearance, applicants who do not currently hold the required clearance will not be eligible for consideration. Employment for cleared roles is contingent upon verification of clearance status.

Export Control/ITAR: Certain roles may be subject to U.S. export control laws, requiring U.S. person status as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3).

Please review the job details below.

Database Engineer

In this position you will design, develop, implement, and maintain the database infrastructure supporting Object-Based Intelligence (OBI) mission requirements, enterprise ontologies, and knowledge graph platforms. The Database Engineer serves as the technical authority for the design, implementation, optimization, and administration of relational, graph, and semantic database technologies that enable ontology-driven data integration and knowledge management. This position develops scalable data architectures that support Semantic Web technologies, knowledge graphs, and AI/ML-enabled analytics while ensuring high availability, security, performance, and data integrity across enterprise object-management systems. Working closely with ontology engineers, software developers, data architects, and Government stakeholders, the Database Engineer enables efficient storage, retrieval, and management of structured and unstructured data supporting mission operations.

Responsibilities

• Design, implement, administer, and optimize relational, graph, and semantic database environments supporting Object-Based Intelligence mission requirements.
• Develop logical and physical data models that support ontologies, taxonomies, knowledge graphs, and enterprise metadata management.
• Design and implement scalable database architectures that support Semantic Web technologies, including RDF triple stores, graph databases, and SPARQL query endpoints.
• Develop and maintain Extract, Transform, Load (ETL) and Extract, Load, Transform (ELT) processes that integrate heterogeneous data sources into enterprise knowledge management platforms.
• Collaborate with ontology engineers, software developers, data scientists, analysts, and Government stakeholders to translate mission requirements into efficient database designs and data integration solutions.
• Optimize database performance through indexing strategies, query optimization, partitioning, replication, and capacity planning to support large-scale analytics and semantic reasoning workloads.
• Implement database security controls, encryption, access management, backup and recovery procedures, and auditing capabilities in accordance with Government cybersecurity requirements.
• Develop database automation, monitoring, and maintenance processes to ensure high availability, reliability, and operational efficiency.
• Support AI/ML initiatives by providing scalable data infrastructure and optimized access to structured, semi-structured, and semantic data repositories.
• Produce and maintain technical documentation, database standards, data dictionaries, configuration management artifacts, and operational procedures.
• Provide technical leadership, mentoring, and knowledge transfer activities to Government personnel and project team members regarding database architecture, administration, and data management best practices.

Minimum Qualifications

• Must be a U.S. citizen and have an active TS/SCI with CI polygraph.
• 12 years of experience and an advanced degree or 17 years of experience with a bachelor's degree.
• Demonstrated experience designing, implementing, and administering enterprise database solutions supporting mission-critical applications.
• Experience with relational database management systems (e.g., PostgreSQL, Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server) and graph database technologies (e.g., Neo4j, Amazon Neptune, Stardog, GraphDB, or equivalent).
• Experience designing and optimizing databases supporting Semantic Web technologies, RDF data stores, or knowledge graph platforms.
• Experience developing ETL/ELT processes and integrating structured, semi-structured, and unstructured data from multiple enterprise sources.
• Knowledge of database performance tuning, indexing, backup and recovery, replication, security, and high-availability architectures.
• Ability to communicate complex technical concepts effectively to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting enterprise ontology or knowledge graph initiatives within Government or Intelligence Community environments.
• Experience implementing RDF triple stores, SPARQL endpoints, and semantic data integration frameworks.
• Familiarity with AI/ML data pipelines and the use of semantic data architectures to support advanced analytics and decision support.
• Experience with cloud-based database platforms and containerized deployment environments, including Kubernetes and OpenShift.
• Experience automating database deployment, configuration management, and monitoring using Infrastructure as Code (IaC) tools.
• Certified Data Management Professional (CDMP), Oracle Certified Professional (OCP), Microsoft Certified: Azure Database Administrator Associate, AWS Database Specialty, or equivalent database certification.
• Experience providing technical leadership, mentoring, and formal knowledge transfer to Government personnel or large multidisciplinary teams.

Pay Transparency

To support pay transparency, Vantor includes salary ranges in all U.S. job postings. Starting pay for this role will fall within the listed range and will be based on factors such as experience, qualifications, skills, location, and market conditions. Candidates who meet the minimum requirements for the role should not expect to receive compensation at the top of the range. The listed range reflects the expected pay for this position, and final offers will be determined based on each candidate’s experience, expertise, and alignment with the role.

The base pay for this position within the Washington, DC metropolitan area is: $140,000.00 - $187,000.00 - $205,700.00 annually.

For all other states, we use geographic cost of labor as an input to develop market-driven ranges for our roles, and as such, each location where we hire may have a different range.

Benefits

Vantor offers a competitive total rewards package that goes beyond the standard, including a robust 401(k) with company match, mental health resources, and unique perks like student loan repayment assistance, adoption reimbursement and pet insurance to support all aspects of your life. You can find more information on our benefits at: https://www.Vantor.com/careers

EEO Policy

Vantor is an equal opportunity employer committed to an inclusive workplace. We believe in fostering an environment where all team members feel respected, valued, and encouraged to share their ideas. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, protected veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.