Mission Data Engineer

Spear AI; Washington; On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Spear AI delivers advanced AI solutions for maritime defense and national security. We seek a Data Engineer to build robust, secure data infrastructure powering analytics for a Sensitive IC Task Force in Washington, DC.

You will design resilient pipelines and collaborate with engineers and data scientists to support decision-making. The role requires 3–7 years in data engineering, proficiency with Python, Spark, SQL and Airflow, and an Active Secret clearance.

Qualifications

• 3–7 years of data engineering experience, preferably in secure environments.
• Active Secret clearance required.
• Experience with Python, Spark, SQL, and data orchestration tools (Airflow).
• Experience handling classified data and secure networking.

Responsibilities

• Design and manage secure data pipelines for ML and analytics workflows.
• Ingest, transform, and validate data with auditable, secure processes.
• Collaborate with mission engineers and data scientists to align infrastructure with ops.
• Optimize data processing and storage for real-time and batch workloads.
• Ensure compliance with DIA data governance and cross-domain security standards.

Skills

Python

Apache Spark

SQL

Airflow

Tools

Airflow

AWS GovCloud

Job description

Data Engineer – Spear AI

Location: On-site, Washington, DC

Clearance Required: Secret (active)

Employment Type: Full-time, salaried, benefits-eligible

About Spear AI

Spear AI delivers cutting-edge artificial intelligence solutions tailored specifically for maritime defense and national security operations. Leveraging advanced data management, AI-driven decision intelligence software, and innovative sensor technologies, Spear AI provides mission-critical capabilities to government, defense, and intelligence customers. Founded by maritime and technology experts with extensive operational experience, Spear AI is positioned to be a leading provider of scalable, integrated AI solutions for defense applications.

About the Role

Spear AI seeks a Data Engineer to build robust, secure data infrastructure supporting the an IC Task Force. The role involves creating resilient pipelines to power analytics and decision support systems.

Primary Responsibilities

• Design and manage secure data pipelines enabling ML and analytics workflows.
• Handle data ingestion, transformation, and validation with auditable, secure processes.
• Collaborate with mission engineers and data scientists to align infrastructure with operational objectives.
• Optimize data processing and storage for real-time and batch operations.
• Ensure compliance with DIA’s data governance and cross-domain security standards.

Required Experience

• Active Secret clearance.
• 3–7 years in data engineering, preferably within secure, high-side environments.
• Proficiency in Python, Spark, SQL, and data orchestration tools (e.g., Airflow).
• Experience with classified data management, secure networking, and infrastructure optimization.

Preferred Experience

• Familiarity with IC standards (UDS, IC ITE) and secure cloud environments (AWS GovCloud, C2S).
• Strong troubleshooting and optimization skills within complex operational settings.