Databricks Data Engineer

i4DM; Millersville (MD); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

i4DM is seeking a hands-on Databricks Engineer to design, build, and operate scalable data and analytics solutions on the Databricks Lakehouse platform for federal mission needs. You will work with Spark, Delta Lake, Unity Catalog, and medallion architecture to deliver secure, analytics-ready data and enable ML workflows.

The role requires strong Python/SQL skills, experience with ETL/ELT, and collaboration with cross-functional teams in a compliance-driven environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in CS/IT/Engineering or equivalent experience.
• 4+ years in data or analytics engineering.
• 2+ years with the Databricks platform.
• Proficiency in Spark, PySpark, and Spark SQL.
• Experience with Delta Lake and Unity Catalog in production.
• Strong Python and SQL for data engineering.
• Experience with ETL/ELT and data pipeline orchestration.
• Familiar with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud).
• Experience integrating data solutions with CI/CD and Git.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a Public Trust.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and maintain scalable batch and streaming data pipelines.
• Develop Delta Lake tables using medallion architecture for analytics-ready data.
• Implement real-time data ingestion with Spark Structured Streaming and Kafka.
• Configure Databricks clusters, jobs, and workflows in production.
• Apply data governance and Unity Catalog security controls.
• Collaborate with data scientists and analysts on data models and ML use cases.
• Support MLflow model lifecycle management and AI use cases.
• Optimize data workflows for performance, reliability, and cost.

Skills

Apache Spark

PySpark

Spark SQL

Python

SQL

Cloud platforms

Agile

Data governance

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field

Tools

Databricks Platform

Delta Lake

Unity Catalog

Kafka

CI/CD

Git

Spark Structured Streaming

Job description

About Our Team

Our employees thrive in a culture that's fast-paced and ego-free, where innovation and collaboration are encouraged at every turn. We are an organization that provides federal agencies instant access to experienced and talented professionals who understand their unique challenges and know the most efficient ways to address them. We are continually investing in resources and talent, so we stay prepared with specialized teams in place who are experts in creating tailored technologies. Our solutions empower Federal organizations to grow, modernize, and succeed in a rapidly evolving landscape.

Description

Our employees thrive in a culture that's fast-paced and ego-free, where innovation and collaboration are encouraged at every turn. We are an organization that provides federal agencies instant access to experienced and talented professionals who understand their unique challenges and know the most efficient ways to address them. We are continually investing in resources and talent, so we stay prepared with specialized teams in place who are experts in creating tailored technologies. Our solutions empower Federal organizations to grow, modernize, and succeed in a rapidly evolving landscape.

About Our Team

Our employees thrive in a culture that's fast-paced and ego-free, where innovation and collaboration are encouraged at every turn. We are an organization that provides federal agencies instant access to experienced and talented professionals who understand their unique challenges and know the most efficient ways to address them. We are continually investing in resources and talent, so we stay prepared with specialized teams in place who are experts in creating tailored technologies. Our solutions empower Federal organizations to grow, modernize, and succeed in a rapidly evolving landscape.

We value all voices and want to attract talent from all backgrounds. We're on the lookout for individuals who are passionate about technology and thrive in environments where problem-solving is approached with creativity and enthusiasm. If you're someone who enjoys continuously expanding your skill set while tackling real-world business problems, you'll feel right at home with us. Veterans and military spouses are especially encouraged to bring your unique and valuable experience to our team.

About The Role

We are seeking a hands-on Databricks Engineer to design, build, and operate scalable data and analytics solutions on the Databricks Lakehouse platform in support of federal mission needs. The ideal candidate will have strong practical experience with Apache Spark, Delta Lake, and Unity Catalog, along with a solid understanding of modern data architecture patterns such as the medallion architecture and structured streaming. This role involves developing and optimizing data pipelines, implementing data governance and security controls, enabling advanced analytics and machine learning, and collaborating with cross-functional teams within a compliance-driven federal environment. By joining our organization, you'll help modernize how federal agencies use data to make better decisions and deliver better outcomes for the people they serve!

Key Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and maintain scalable batch and streaming data pipelines using Databricks, Apache Spark, PySpark, and Spark SQL.


• Build and manage Delta Lake tables using the medallion (bronze/silver/gold) architecture to deliver reliable, analytics-ready data.


• Develop real-time and near-real-time data ingestion solutions using Spark Structured Streaming and messaging platforms such as Kafka.


• Configure and manage Databricks clusters, jobs, and workflows in production environments.


• Implement data governance, access controls, and security best practices using Unity Catalog.


• Integrate data from a variety of source systems and destinations, supporting ETL/ELT and pipeline orchestration activities.


• Optimize existing data workflows and Spark jobs for performance, reliability, and cost efficiency.


• Integrate Databricks development with CI/CD pipelines and enterprise SDLC tooling, including Git-based version control.


• Collaborate with data scientists and analysts to define data models and support machine learning and AI use cases, including model lifecycle management with MLflow.


• Support advanced analytics use cases such as anomaly detection, risk scoring, and fraud analytics.


• Monitor and troubleshoot data processing jobs, implementing data quality checks and observability to ensure high availability.


• Document data processes, frameworks, pipelines, and data mappings for technical and non-technical audiences.


• Work closely with scrum teams, product owners, and client stakeholders to deliver end-to-end data solutions.


• Stay current on Databricks platform capabilities and industry trends to recommend best-fit tools and technologies.

Tag

REQUIREMENTS

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent experience).


• 4+ years of experience in data engineering, analytics engineering, or big data development.


• 2+ years of hands-on experience with the Databricks platform.


• Proficiency in Apache Spark, PySpark, and Spark SQL.


• Experience with Databricks clusters, jobs/workflows, Delta Lake, and Unity Catalog in production environments.


• Experience with medallion architecture and Spark Structured Streaming.


• Strong Python and SQL skills for data engineering and data analysis.


• Experience with ETL/ELT processes and data pipeline orchestration.


• Familiarity with cloud platforms such as AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud and their native data services.


• Experience integrating data solutions with CI/CD pipelines and Git-based version control workflows.


• Understanding of data governance, security, and access control best practices.


• Experience working in Agile development environments.


• Ability to obtain and maintain a Public Trust determination.


• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills, with the ability to work with both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Preferred Qualifications

• Databricks certification (e.g., Databricks Certified Data Engineer Associate/Professional) or cloud platform certification.


• Experience implementing ML or AI solutions in Databricks, including MLflow-based model lifecycle management.


• Knowledge of machine learning, AI, or Natural Language Processing (NLP) techniques, including text mining.


• Experience supporting fraud analytics, risk scoring, or anomaly detection.


• Experience with distributed data and streaming tools such as Kafka, Hadoop, Hive, or Amazon EMR.


• Experience with data quality frameworks and observability/monitoring tooling.


• Experience with NoSQL databases.


• Experience with visualization packages such as Plotly, Seaborn, or ggplot2.


• Experience supporting federal government or regulated-industry programs, especially the Department of Veterans Affairs.