Platform Data Engineer - US Defense Public Sector

McKinsey & Company; Dallas (TX); On-site; USD 176,000 - 179,500; Full time

Job summary

McKinsey & Company in the United States is seeking a data engineer focused on defense sector platforms. You will join a cross‑functional team including senior leaders, engineers, data scientists, and designers to deploy GenAI-enabled data platforms with Python, data workflows, and knowledge graphs.

You will build data ingestion pipelines, develop CI/CD pipelines, and work across AWS, Azure, and GCP, using Docker containers.

Qualifications

• U.S. citizenship required.
• Defense data handling across classification levels preferred.
• SECRET security clearance required; TS+ preferred.
• 3+ years of data engineering with cloud-based data platforms (AWS; Azure/GCP a plus).
• Experience with Neo4j knowledge graphs and relational databases.
• Hands-on Docker experience; strong coding standards and testing.
• Solid data pipeline performance and diagnostics background.
• Excellent cross-functional collaboration and communication.

Responsibilities

• Develop data ingestion pipelines using Python to support GenAI apps.
• Create and modify GitHub Actions CI/CD pipelines across cloud infra.
• Work with AWS/Azure/GCP environments and Docker containers.
• Collaborate with data engineers, data scientists, and UI/UX designers.
• Write tests and ensure clean, modular code with proper error handling.

Skills

Data engineering

Cloud data engineering (AWS)

Knowledge graphs

Tools

Docker

Neo4j

GitHub Actions

Job description

Do you want to do work that matters, alongside supportive leaders who will help you grow faster than you ever thought possible? Are you a creative problem‑solver who is energized by challenges? You've come to the right place.

YOUR IMPACT

• You will work with a cross‑functional team that includes senior firm leaders, CST leaders, practice leaders and cutting‑edge engineers.
• Your team is led by some of our firm's most senior leaders and is scaling to a large team of full‑stack engineers, data engineers, data scientists, and designers.
• You will specifically focus on customization and additional features required to deploy this platform for Defense and other Government clients.
• Your expertise in Python development, including data workflows, knowledge graphs and generative AI, will serve you well.
• You will work closely with software engineers, data scientists, UI/UX designers, and other technologists.
• Your work will include, but will not be limited to, creation of Python code, tests, creation and modification of CI/CD pipelines, and working with multiple cloud infrastructures (AWS, Azure, GCP) and Docker containers.
• You will work in a team of data engineers to develop data ingestion pipelines, create and mature data processing capabilities that ingest data into a data system used by GenAI applications. This work includes, but is not limited to, creation of Python code, tests, creation and modification of GitHub Action CI/CD pipelines, and working with multiple cloud infrastructures and Docker containers.

YOUR GROWTH

Driving lasting impact and building long‑term capabilities with our clients is not easy work. You are the kind of person who thrives in a high‑performance/high‑reward culture—doing hard things, picking yourself up when you stumble, and having the resilience to try another way forward.

In return for your drive, determination, and curiosity, we will provide the resources, mentorship, and opportunities you need to become a stronger leader faster than you ever thought possible. Your colleagues at all levels will invest deeply in your development, just as much as they invest in delivering exceptional results for clients. Every day, you will receive apprenticeship, coaching, and exposure that will accelerate your growth in ways you won’t find elsewhere.

• Continuous learning: Our learning and apprenticeship culture, backed by structured programs, focuses on helping you grow while creating an environment where feedback is clear, actionable, and development‑focused. The real magic happens when you take the input from others to heart and embrace fast‑paced, learning experience, owning your journey.
• A voice that matters: From day one, we value your ideas and contributions. You will make a tangible impact by offering innovative ideas and practical solutions, upholding our unwavering commitment to ethics and integrity. Diverse perspectives are encouraged and critical to driving us toward the best possible outcomes.
• Global community: With colleagues across 65+ countries and over 100 nationalities, our firm’s diversity fuels creativity and helps us come up with the best solutions for our clients. You will also have the opportunity to learn from exceptional colleagues with diverse backgrounds and experiences.
• World‑class benefits: On top of a competitive salary (based on location, experience, and skills), we provide a comprehensive benefits package that enables holistic well‑being for you and your family.

YOUR QUALIFICATIONS AND SKILLS

• US Citizenship required.
• Defense experience and experience working with data at various classification levels required.
• SECRET Security Clearance required; TS+ clearance preferred.
• 3+ years of professional experience as a data engineer, with a strong focus on cloud‑based data engineering using AWS services; other clouds (Azure, GCP) are a plus.
• Previous enterprise platform experience preferred.
• Significant previous experience with Neo4j and strong understanding of knowledge graphs, as well as strong experience with relational databases.
• Practicing high coding standards with clean code, modularity, error handling, testing automation and more.
• Hands‑on experience with Docker.
• Solid, demonstrable background in data pipeline performance and diagnostics.
• Excellent problem‑solving skills and the ability to analyze and resolve complex data engineering challenges.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively in a cross‑functional team environment.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Please review the additional requirements regarding essential job functions of McKinsey colleagues.

Our unwavering commitment to integrity drives everything we do, guiding us to act in the best interests of our clients, our people, and the communities we serve.

INDUSTRIES

• Aerospace & Defense

CAPABILITIES

• Technology

EMPLOYER INFORMATION

FOR U.S. APPLICANTS: McKinsey & Company is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected Veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

FOR NON‑U.S. APPLICANTS: McKinsey & Company is an Equal Opportunity employer. For additional details regarding our global EEO policy and diversity initiatives, please visit our McKinsey Careers and Diversity & Inclusion sites.

COMPENSATION

The salary range for new joiners in this role in the United States, covering all office locations where the job may be performed, is $176,000 - $179,500 USD gross per year. Factors such as office location, experience, skill set, start date, and organizational needs impact the final figure. Certain roles may also be eligible for bonuses, subject to McKinsey’s discretion and performance factors.

We also provide a comprehensive benefits package that reflects our commitment to the well‑being of our colleagues and their families. This includes medical, mental health, dental and vision coverage, telemedicine services, life, accident and disability insurance, parental leave and family planning benefits, caregiving resources, a generous retirement contributions program, financial guidance, and paid time off.