Junior Data Engineer (DEA)

Expression Networks; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401k matching

PPO and HDHP medical/dental/vision

Education reimbursement up to $10,000/

In-office Cold Brew Coffee

Job summary

Expression Networks seeks a Junior Data Engineer to support the DEA ICDE modernization effort, focusing on ingesting, transforming, and validating data for a centralized ecosystem. You will work with experienced data engineers to design ETL pipelines and migrate legacy data under guidance.

This entry-level role emphasizes foundational data engineering skills, collaboration with cross-functional teams, and hands-on exposure to large-scale federal modernization projects.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a STEM field with 0–1 years of professional experience.
• Foundational exposure to data analysis, ETL concepts, or data migration through coursework or internships.
• Working knowledge of SQL with basic queries, joins, and aggregations.
• Introductory Python for data manipulation or automation tasks.
• Introductory experience with ETL/workflow tools such as Apache Airflow or Talend.
• Understanding of data warehousing concepts and cloud storage/compute platforms.
• Exposure to data profiling, validation, and data quality.
• Strong communication and documentation skills; ability to learn in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Assist in designing, developing, and maintaining ETL pipelines for ingesting, transforming, and loading datasets.
• Support migration of legacy data into the modernized DEA ecosystem.
• Analyze data structures, mappings, and data-quality checks to identify issues.
• Execute validation queries, profile datasets, and support data-cleaning efforts.
• Contribute to data migration activities, including mapping source data to targets.
• Support data cleaning, standardization, classification, and tagging.
• Collaborate with analysts, data scientists, engineers, and stakeholders on requirements.
• Monitor pipeline performance and troubleshoot operational issues; escalate as needed.
• Participate in validation activities and document migration results and issues.
• Participate in Agile ceremonies and support data engineering during sprints.
• Document data flows, transformation logic, mappings, and processes for maintainability.

Skills

SQL

Python

ETL concepts

Data migration

Data profiling

Data quality

Documentation

Communication

Agile

Education

BSc in STEM fields

Tools

Apache Airflow

Talend

AWS

Azure

Google Cloud

Git

Power BI

Tableau

Looker

Hadoop

Spark

Job description

Expression is seeking a Junior Data Engineer to support the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Investigative Case and Data Ecosystem (ICDE) modernization effort. The program is focused on replacing fragmented legacy investigative and case management capabilities with a centralized, secure, scalable, and integrated ecosystem.

Working alongside experienced data engineers and other technical team members, the Data Engineer 2 will support data ingestion, transformation, validation, migration, and integration activities. This is an early-career opportunity for an individual with foundational data engineering knowledge who is interested in developing hands-on experience supporting a large-scale Federal technology modernization program.

Clearance

Secret level required and willingness to pursuit TS/SCI.

Location

Arlington, VA. The program is primarily onsite at DEA Headquarters.

Key Responsibilities

• Assist in designing, developing, and maintaining ETL pipelines for ingesting, transforming, and loading datasets under the guidance of more experienced engineers.
• Support migration of legacy data into the modernized DEA investigative and case management ecosystem.
• Assist with analyzing data structures, source-to-target mappings, and data-quality checks to identify issues or gaps.
• Help ensure data accuracy, consistency, and integrity by executing validation queries, profiling datasets, and supporting data-cleaning efforts.
• Contribute to data migration activities, including mapping source data to target systems and executing migration scripts.
• Support data cleaning, standardization, classification, and tagging activities.
• Collaborate with analysts, data scientists, engineers, and business stakeholders to translate requirements into data transformations and pipeline updates.
• Monitor pipeline performance and assist with troubleshooting operational issues, escalating complex issues as appropriate.
• Participate in validation activities and help document migration results and identified data-quality issues.
• Participate in Agile ceremonies and support data engineering activities throughout development sprints.
• Help document data flows, transformation logic, mappings, and operational processes to support maintainability and knowledge sharing.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in STEM fields and 0–1 years of professional experience.
• Foundational exposure to data analysis, ETL concepts, or data migration through coursework, internships, personal projects, or early professional experience.
• Working knowledge of SQL, including basic queries, joins, and aggregations.
• Familiarity with Python for data manipulation or automation tasks; introductory-level experience is acceptable.
• Introductory experience with ETL or workflow tools such as Apache Airflow, Talend, or similar technologies.
• Understanding of basic data warehousing concepts, including staging, fact/dimension models, or schema structures.
• Exposure to cloud-based data storage or compute platforms such as AWS S3/Redshift, Google BigQuery, Azure Storage, or similar environments.
• Foundational understanding of data profiling, validation, and data quality.
• Strong communication and documentation skills.
• Ability and willingness to learn in a fast-paced, evolving technical environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Hands-on or coursework experience with AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud Platform.
• Exposure to Hadoop, Spark, or other distributed-processing technologies.
• Familiarity with Power BI, Tableau, Looker, or similar visualization tools.
• Familiarity with Git or similar version-control systems.
• Experience building or supporting automated data workflows using orchestration tools or scheduled scripting.
• Exposure to Agile development methodologies.
• Coursework, internship, project, or professional exposure to data migration or system-modernization activities.

Benefits

Expression offers competitive salaries and benefits, such as:

• 401k matching
• PPO and HDHP medical/dental/vision insurance
• Education reimbursement up to $10,000/yr
• Complimentary life insurance
• Generous PTO and 11 days of holiday leave
• Onsite gym facility
• Commuter Benefits Plan
• In-office Cold Brew Coffee

About Expression

Founded in 1997 and headquartered in Washington DC, Expression provides data fusion, data analytics, AI/ML, software engineering, information technology, and electromagnetic spectrum management solutions to the U.S. Department of Defense, Department of State, and national security community. Expression’s culture focuses on creating immediate and sustainable value for our clients via agile delivery of tailored solutions built through constant engagement with our clients. Expression was ranked #1 on the Washington Technology 2018's Fast 50 list of fastest-growing small business Government contractors and a Top 20 Big Data Solutions Provider by CIO Review.

We make sure to provide everyone with the tools and opportunities to grow while working on some of the newest technologies in the industry. We get excited about celebrating our professionals' milestones, accomplishments, promotions, overcoming challenges, and many other aspects that make an engaging collaborative environment.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled

Expression is an Equal Opportunity Employer. If you require a reasonable accommodation during the application or interview process, please submit your request to our Human Resources department through the application portal.