Innovation and Automation Specialist

Accenture Federal Services; Arlington (VA); On-site; USD 93,400 - 176,200; Full time

Job summary

A leading technology consulting firm is seeking an Innovation and Automation Specialist to design and implement automated data solutions. This role requires 5+ years of data engineering experience, expert Python and SQL skills, and a strong background in cloud environments such as AWS or Azure. Responsibilities include developing reusable pipeline templates and enhancing data quality, all aimed at improving operational efficiency. Competitive compensation package offered.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of hands-on experience in data engineering.
• Proven experience building and optimizing data pipelines in a cloud environment.
• Strong experience with Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) using Terraform.

Responsibilities

• Act as a technical expert on automated data engineering solutions.
• Develop and maintain reusable ETL/ELT pipeline templates.
• Implement automated data quality and testing frameworks.

Skills

Hands-on experience in data engineering

Expert-level programming skills in Python

Advanced SQL

Experience building and optimizing data pipelines

Hands-on experience with Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC)

CI/CD principles and tools

Modern data architecture

Tools

Databricks

Snowflake

Terraform

AWS

Azure

Job description

Join to apply for the Innovation and Automation Specialist role at Accenture Federal Services.

At Accenture Federal Services, our 13,000+ people are united in a shared purpose to pursue the limitless potential of technology and ingenuity for clients across defense, national security, public safety, civilian, and military health organizations. We help the U.S. federal government make the nation stronger and safer, and life better for people.

Role Overview

As a Data Engineer Specialist on the Innovation and Automation team, you will serve as a subject‑matter expert, blending deep data engineering expertise with a passion for automation. Your mission is to design, develop, and implement reusable frameworks, automated patterns, and core tooling that our data engineering teams will use to build their own pipelines faster, more reliably, and more consistently. This is a highly technical, hands‑on role for a problem‑solver who wants to act as a force multiplier for the entire data organization.

Responsibilities

• Act as a technical expert on the design and implementation of automated data engineering solutions
• Develop and maintain a library of standardized, reusable ETL/ELT pipeline templates using Python, SQL, and frameworks like Databricks or Snowflake
• Engineer and implement robust, automated data quality and testing frameworks (e.g., using Great Expectations) embedded within the core pipeline templates
• Contribute to the development of Infrastructure‑as‑Code (IaC) modules (Terraform) for the automated provisioning of data infrastructure
• Enhance and optimize the CI/CD for Data (DataOps) pipelines, ensuring seamless and reliable deployment of data workflows
• Serve as an escalation point for the most complex data engineering and automation challenges, providing expert‑level troubleshooting and guidance to other engineers
• Mentor other data engineers on automation best practices, code standards, and the use of the frameworks you build
• Research and prototype cutting‑edge data engineering and automation technologies to drive continuous improvement

Must Have

• 5+ years of hands‑on experience in data engineering
• Expert‑level programming skills in Python and advanced SQL
• Proven, in‑depth experience building and optimizing data pipelines in a cloud environment (AWS, Azure) on platforms like Databricks or Snowflake
• Strong, hands‑on experience with Infrastructure‑as‑Code (IaC) using Terraform
• Demonstrable experience with CI/CD principles and tools (e.g., GitLab CI, Jenkins, GitHub Actions) applied to data workflows
• Deep understanding of modern data architecture, data modeling, and software engineering best practices

Nice to Have

• Experience in a DevOps or Site Reliability Engineering (SRE) role
• Direct experience developing and operationalizing a "pipeline factory" or similar framework
• Familiarity with data orchestration tools (e.g., Airflow) and containerization (Docker, Kubernetes)
• Experience working in a high‑security DoD or Intelligence Community environment
• Proven ability to diagnose and resolve complex performance, data quality, and system‑level issues

Security Clearance

• Active TS or TS/SCI clearance

Compensation

The base pay range for this position in California, Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Washington, Vermont, the District of Columbia, and the city of Cleveland is $93,400—$176,200 USD.

Seniority Level

Mid‑Senior level

Employment Type

Full‑time

Job Function

Product Management and Marketing

Industries

IT Services and IT Consulting

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

We believe that no one should be discriminated against because of their differences. All employment decisions shall be made without regard to age, race, creed, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, disability status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, citizenship status or any other basis as protected by federal, state, or local law. Accenture Federal Services is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and an affirmative action employer for veterans and individuals with disabilities. For details, view a copy of the Accenture Federal Services Equal Opportunity Policy Statement.

Other Employment Statements

Applicants must have work authorization that does not currently or in the future require sponsorship of a visa for employment in the United States. Candidates who are currently employed by a client of Accenture Federal Services or an affiliated Accenture business may not be eligible for consideration. Job candidates will not be obligated to disclose sealed or expunged records of conviction or arrest as part of the hiring process. The company will not discriminate against employees or applicants in any other manner. California residents or those working in Los Angeles County may need to review additional notifications.