Lead Data Engineer (DHS)

Excella; Arlington (VA); Remote; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Parental Leave

Pet Insurance

Care.com membership

Paid vacation

Paid holidays

Floating holidays

TechEleX devices

Internet reimbursement

Professional development

HeadSpace membership

TalkSpace access

Job summary

Excella is a transformative technology firm enabling organizations to unlock new possibilities through its talented people and collaborative teams. Lead Data Engineers will design and build modern data solutions, including data lakes and cleansed repositories, while collaborating with cross-functional teams to ensure data availability, quality, and integration.

Starting day one, you’re empowered to make an impact.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of professional data engineering experience.
• Proven ability to build robust, scalable data pipelines and production-grade ETL/ELT systems.
• Strong proficiency in SQL, Python, and orchestration tools like Airflow and dbt.
• 2+ years of hands-on Databricks experience in cloud environments.
• Hands-on with Spark, Kafka, and data formats like Parquet, Delta Lake, Iceberg.
• Deep experience with AWS cloud data platforms (S3/Redshift/ Glue/EMR) or Azure equivalents.
• Solid data modeling, performance optimization, and secure data stores.
• Familiarity with data lake/analytical patterns (Star Schema, schema-on-read, data quality).
• Experience with CI/CD, Git, Terraform, and NoSQL databases.
• Excellent communication in Agile teams (Scrum/Kanban).
• Certifications: DASCA, Databricks Spark, AWS Data Analytics, Python/Scala, DHS Public Trust.

Responsibilities

• Develop and manage data processes to ensure availability and usability.
• Create and automate data pipelines and platforms.
• Write clean, efficient, and well-documented code for data solutions.
• Monitor and ensure data quality with automated tests.
• Collaborate with Architects, Product Owners, Data Scientists, and DevOps.
• Research data acquisition sources and evaluate suitability.
• Integrate data management solutions into client environments.
• Identify and mitigate data risks and ensure recovery plans.
• Build and maintain data warehouses, lakes, and operational stores.

Skills

Strong problem-solving

Growth mindset

Effective communicator

Agile experience

Tools

SQL

Python

Airflow

dbt

Databricks

Spark

Kafka

Parquet

Delta Lake

Iceberg

AWS

S3

Redshift

Terraform

NoSQL

Job description

Excella is a transformative technology firm that helps organizations unlock new possibilities. We believe the key to helping clients challenge the status quo and reach new heights lies in our talented people. That’s why we’re committed to developing talent and providing opportunities for career growth at every stage. Join our collaborative team dedicated to solving complex problems with sustainable solutions while building your future as a leader. At Excella, you’re empowered to make lasting impact, turning today’s challenges into tomorrow’s mission successes.

• Workplace locations look different for everyone. Excellians are a distributed workforce and whether you're working from your home office or a client site, we support a flexible work/life integration regardless of your location.
• We offer top of industry medical, dental, and vision benefits with multiple options to choose from such as an employer-contributed health savings account, infertility coverage, and orthodontia so you can select the plan that works best for you.
• Regardless of what stage of life you’re in, Excella wants to support you. We provide 8 weeks of Parental Leave, discounted pet insurance, and a Care.com membership with 3 back-up emergency child or elder care days annually – all available to you on your first day.
• Starting day one, every employee is bonus eligible and receives 15 days of paid vacation, 6 federal holidays, and 4 floating holidays.
• Doing your best work means having the best tools! Excella’s TechEleX program provides you with multiple options to suit your technology needs. Choose between a variety of Mac or PC devices, and to ensure your hardware remains current, at the end of a 3-year period Excella will replace your existing computer with a new model from the program. Plus, we’ll even give you the original device to keep for your personal use!
• With Excella’s Annual Internet Reimbursement benefit, all employees receive an additional $25 per month to help offset the cost of internet access. This initiative reflects our commitment to supporting you in staying connected and productive, no matter where you work.
• We'll invest in your career by providing 3 days of paid professional development every year, including an allowance for registration fees to attend classes, conferences, or obtain professional certifications.
• We encourage mindfulness and overall well-being through employee wellness events, a HeadSpace membership, as well as access to TalkSpace and mental health coverage through our medical plans.

Overview

Lead Data Engineers at Excella play a key role in designing and building modern data solutions, including data lakes and cleansed data repositories. They develop robust, scalable, and sustainable data pipelines using batch and streaming technologies. Senior Data Engineers collaborate with cross-functional teams, including Architects, Data Scientists, and DevOps, to ensure data availability, quality, and integration.

Responsibilities:

• Develop and manage data processes to ensure availability and usability.
• Create and automate data pipelines and platforms.
• Write clean, efficient, and well-documented code to support data engineering solutions.
• Monitor and ensure data quality through automated testing frameworks.
• Collaborate with Architects, Product Owners, Data Scientists, and DevOps to design, build, and maintain scalable data solutions.
• Research data acquisition sources and evaluate suitability.
• Integrate data management solutions into client environments.
• Identify and mitigate risks to data while ensuring data recovery plans.
• Build and maintain data repositories, including data warehouses, data lakes, and operational data stores.

Qualifications:

• 8+ years of professional experience in data engineering or related fields.
• Proven ability to build robust, scalable data pipelines and production-grade ETL/ELT systems.
• Strong proficiency in SQL, Python, and orchestration tools like Airflow and dbt.
• 2+ years of hands-on experience with Databricks, including development, data processing, and pipeline optimization in a cloud-based environment
• Hands-on experience with big data technologies such as Spark, Kafka, and file formats like Parquet, Delta Lake, and Iceberg.
• Deep experience with AWS cloud data platforms (e.g., AWS Glue, S3, Redshift, EMR, BigQuery, or Azure equivalents).
• Solid understanding of data modeling, performance optimization, and designing secure, well-structured data stores.
• Familiarity with data lake and analytical architecture patterns, including Star Schema, schema-on-read, and data quality frameworks.
• Experience with CI/CD, Git, infrastructure-as-code (e.g., Terraform), and NoSQL databases.
• Effective communicator with experience working in Agile environments (Scrum/Kanban) and collaborating across technical and non-technical teams.
• Strong problem-solving skills, a growth mindset, and a passion for learning new technologies.
• One or more of the following certifications:
• Data Science Council of America (DASCA) Certifcations
• Databricks Certified Developer for Apache Spark
• AWS Certified Data Analytics - Specialty
• Python or Scala Programming Certification
• Ability to hold and maintain a DHS Public Trust (requires US Citizenship)