Junior Data Engineer

Applied Information Sciences; United States; Hybrid; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Applied Information Sciences (AIS) is seeking a Junior Data Engineer to design, build, test data systems supporting a federal law enforcement mission. The ideal candidate has a strong foundation in Python, SQL, relational databases, and modern data engineering practices who can work effectively with clients and cross-functional teams.

This position is remote, but will need to be onsite in Crystal City, VA 1-2 days/month.

Qualifications

• 3-5 years of relevant data engineering, software development, or related technical experience.
• Hands-on experience with Python.
• Strong SQL skills and knowledge of core data concepts.
• Experience working with relational databases, particularly Oracle and/or PostgreSQL.
• Bachelor's degree or higher; CS or related discipline preferred; degree not required with suitable experience.
• U.S. citizenship and ability to obtain and maintain a DHS 6C Public Trust.

Responsibilities

• Gather and analyze technical and stakeholder requirements.
• Design, implement, and test software, data systems, and system components.
• Develop scalable, high-performance, highly available applications and system components.
• Use Python, SQL, and relational database technologies to support data engineering requirements.
• Communicate with clients to understand and respond to technical requirements.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to develop and implement solutions.
• Respond to changing client requirements within tight timeframes.
• As your initial project assignment, you will support the unique needs of our client as a Junior Data Engineer.

Skills

Python

SQL

Relational databases

Communication & collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher; CS or related field preferred

Tools

Oracle

PostgreSQL

AWS

Jenkins

Terraform

Vault

OpenSearch/ElasticSearch

Databricks

Apache Spark

Kafka

Job description

Why AIS?

When you join AIS, you're joining a mission-driven team that's passionate about making a difference. You'll work on projects that matter, alongside industry-leading experts, in an environment that fosters innovation, driving client success, and empowering our team to make a lasting impact. As an employee-owned company, we value collaboration, inclusivity, continuous growth, and shared success.

Employee Ownership : Your contributions directly impact the company's success, and you share in its achievements.

Continuous Learning : Access to resources, training, and mentorship to support your professional growth.

Inclusive Culture : A workplace where diversity is celebrated, and everyone's voice is valued.

Mission-Driven Work : Engage in projects that make a meaningful difference for our clients and communities.

What are we looking for?

At AIS, we're looking for more than just skills - we're looking for driven individuals who are passionate about making a difference, eager to grow, and aligned with our core principles.

What you will be doing?

This position is contingent upon contract award. We are currently pursuing a proposal and are seeking qualified candidates to include in our submission and identify candidates for future hiring needs on the program once awarded.

At AIS, we are dedicated to providing our employees with diverse opportunities to grow their careers while supporting a variety of impactful projects. For this position, we are seeking a talented individual to join AIS as a Data Analytics Engineer.

Core Knowledge & Skills:

Writes complex SQL; models data; builds and maintains ETL/ELT pipelines; applies Python/R and BI tools; works with data warehouses and introductory cloud services; conducts intermediate statistical and ML analyses.

Work & Complexity:

Designs pipelines and optimizes performance; addresses moderate data quality and integration issues; directly improves project efficiency and reliability.

Quality & Independence:

Produces high-quality analyses and reproducible results; operates independently within defined parameters; suggests process enhancements.

Teamwork & Communication:

Partners with cross-functional teams; presents findings to stakeholders; establishes feedback loops; begins mentoring juniors.

Consulting & Engagement:

Consults on analytics projects, elicits needs, proposes solutions, and documents outcomes.

As your initial project assignment, you will support the unique needs of our client as a Junior Data Engineer.

Position Summary

We are seeking a Junior Data Engineer to design, build, implement, and test data systems and components supporting a federal law enforcement mission. This position is ideal for a data engineer with a strong foundation in Python, SQL, relational databases, and modern data engineering practices who can work effectively with clients and cross-functional teams.

This position is remote, but will need to be onsite in Crystal City, VA 1-2 days/month.

Key Responsibilities

• Gather and analyze technical and stakeholder requirements.
• Design, implement, and test software, data systems, and system components.
• Develop scalable, high-performance, highly available applications and system components.
• Use Python, SQL, and relational database technologies to support data engineering requirements.
• Communicate with clients to understand and respond to technical requirements.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to develop and implement solutions.
• Respond to changing client requirements within tight timeframes.

Required Qualifications

• 3-5 years of relevant data engineering, software development, or related technical experience.
• Hands-on experience with Python.
• Strong SQL skills and knowledge of core data concepts.
• Experience working with relational databases, particularly Oracle and/or PostgreSQL.
• Ability to design, develop, implement, and test data or software components.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills.
• Bachelor's degree or higher; Computer Science or a related technical discipline preferred. A degree is not required with suitable relevant experience.
• U.S. citizenship and ability to obtain and maintain a DHS 6C Public Trust.

Desired Qualifications

• Experience with AWS services, including S3, RDS, EC2, Lambda, Step Functions, EventBridge, and OpenSearch/ElasticSearch.
• Experience with JSON and JSON format mediation techniques.
• Familiarity with DevSecOps and infrastructure automation tools, including Jenkins, Ansible, Terraform, and Vault.
• Experience or familiarity with ETL and data processing technologies such as Apache Spark, AWS Glue, and Databricks.
• Familiarity with streaming technologies such as Kafka.
• Exposure to AI technologies, including large language models (LLMs) and semantic search.
• Experience with distributed computing is a plus.
• Knowledge of modern data management patterns, including data warehouses, data marts, data lakes, delta lakes, lakehouses, and data mesh architectures.

At AIS, we are committed to offering