Junior Data Engineer (ETL/Data Quality)

Peraton; Beltsville (MD); Remote; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Peraton is seeking a Junior Data Engineer to support ETL pipeline implementation, data quality validation, and database operations on a federal data migration program. You will collaborate with the Database Engineer SME to implement transformation logic, execute ingestion workflows, and support production migration activities.

This is a fully remote position within the United States. The program, managed for federal agencies, focuses on integrating ESA-related data into a unified platform.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or higher with 2+ years of experience, or 6+ years with high school diploma.
• U.S. Citizenship required; ability to obtain Public Trust clearance; work within the United States.
• 1+ years database engineering with hands-on ETL development experience.
• Proficiency in SQL and at least one scripting language (Python/Scala).
• Experience with data quality validation, RBAC configuration, and performance testing.
• Familiarity with FIPS 140 encryption requirements and NIST SP 800-171 controls.

Responsibilities

• Support ETL pipeline transformation logic and data quality checks.
• Execute prototype data ingestion workflows and evaluate results against criteria.
• Document data quality defects, severity, root cause, and remediation.
• Document ingestion outcomes for each prototype cycle and track defects.
• Populate and maintain the Metadata and Authoritative Source Registry with data stewardship contacts.
• Support database performance testing prior to production cutover.
• Implement and validate RBAC configurations on database objects.
• Provide test datasets for interoperability testing and document results.
• Maintain all database scripts and pipeline code in version control.
• Support post-migration data validation during production cutover.

Skills

SQL

Python

ETL pipelines

Data quality validation

RBAC configuration

Database performance testing

Documentation

FIPS 140 / NIST 800-171 awareness

Prototype data ingestion

Security standards familiarity

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree

High school diploma + experience

Tools

Databricks

Delta Live Tables

AWS GovCloud

Job description

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree and 2 years of professional experience, or a Master’s degree and 0 years of professional experience, or a high school diploma and 6 years of professional experience.

• U.S. Citizenship required; must have the ability to obtain and maintain a Public Trust clearance; all work must be performed within the United States.

• 1+ years of database engineering experience with hands-on ETL development experience.
• Experience with Databricks, Delta Live Tables, or equivalent cloud ETL frameworks.
• Proficiency in SQL and at least one scripting language (Python, Scala, or equivalent).
• Experience with data quality validation, RBAC configuration, and database performance testing.
• Experience documenting prototype ingestion results and defect remediation findings.
• Familiarity with FIPS 140 encryption requirements and NIST SP 800-171 database security controls.
• Familiarity with federal data governance and security standards.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with AWS GovCloud or equivalent FedRAMP-authorized cloud environments.
• AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner or AWS Certified Database Specialty certification.
• Familiarity with NIST SP 800-171 database security controls.
• Experience supporting federal data migration programs.
• Databricks Associate certification or equivalent.

Peraton is seeking a Junior Data Engineer to support ETL pipeline implementation, data quality validation, and database operations on a federal data migration program. You will work closely with the Database Engineer SME to implement transformation logic, execute ingestion workflows, and support production migration activities. This is a fully remote position.

The Department of the Interior (DOI), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), and NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) have identified a critical gap in the federal government's ability to conduct comprehensive Endangered Species Act (ESA) research. While FWS operates an authoritative web-based platform for managing data for terrestrial and freshwater species, it does not currently include NMFS marine and anadromous species data forcing agencies to rely on separate, manual processes. This program closes that gap by integrating marine and anadromous species data into the existing FWS platform, creating a single, unified experience for all ESA-listed species.

Work Location: Remote

Day to Day Work Responsibilities:

• Support the Database Engineer SME in implementing ETL pipeline transformation logic, data quality checks, and schema validation rules
• Execute prototype data ingestion workflows, running representative data through ETL pipelines and evaluating results against quality criteria
• Document data quality defects in the Defect and Risk Log, including severity classification, root cause analysis, and remediation recommendations
• Support the Prototype Ingest Results Report by documenting database-layer ingestion outcomes, data quality defects, severity classifications, and remediation recommendations for each prototype ingestion cycle
• Populate and maintain the Metadata and Authoritative Source Registry, researching and documenting data source attributes, refresh cadences, and data stewardship contacts
• Support database performance testing prior to production cutover, executing query performance benchmarks and identifying optimization opportunities
• Implement and validate RBAC configurations on all database objects
• Support interoperability testing by providing test datasets, executing database-layer test cases, and documenting results
• Maintain all database scripts and pipeline code in the version-controlled repository
• Support post-migration data validation during production cutover