Principal Engineer, GIS

Niyam IT; Fairfax (VA); Remote; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible hours

Remote work

Career growth

Great people

Great environment

Diversity & inclusion

Job summary

Niyam IT is seeking a Principal Engineer for GIS/Geospatial Solutions to lead technical strategy and reference architectures for our GIS accelerators. You will drive architecture across active DoD and federal engagements while shaping geospatial direction and growth.

This senior role requires deep hands-on delivery, cloud-native geospatial pipelines, and a track record of mentoring engineers. Top Secret clearance and US citizenship are required.

Qualifications

• 12+ years of progressive experience in GIS/geospatial engineering, including architecture-level design of geospatial platforms and analytics.
• Deep hands-on expertise with the Esri ArcGIS platform (ArcGIS Enterprise/Online/Pro) and geoprocessing models.
• Experience architecting cloud-native geospatial data platforms (AWS/Azure/Google Cloud).
• Proficiency in Python and/or other languages for geospatial data engineering, automation, analytics.

Responsibilities

• Define technical strategy, reference architectures, and engineering standards for geospatial data ingestion and data architectures.
• Lead GIS solution delivery across multiple contracts with hands-on architecture leadership.
• Act as lead Solution Architect on GIS-focused proposals and captures, shaping technical differentiators.
• Mentor engineers and contribute to GIS Center of Competency standards and assets.
• Author technical publications and represent Niyam at GIS conferences and events.

Skills

Geospatial engineering

Python programming

Cloud architecture

Technical leadership

Top Secret clearance

Education

Bachelor's degree in GIS/Geospatial Engineering or related field

Job description

About Niyam IT (Niyam)

Niyam was founded in 2007 by a group of consultants who shared a unique vision: a technology company steeped in orderly process yet driven by passion and innovation. For nearly two decades, we have served the U.S. Federal government delivering mission-critical IT solutions across Emergency Preparedness and Response, Civilian Agency Services, and Law Enforcement and Public Safety.

Niyam is CMMI DEV Level 3 accredited and ISO certified (ISO 9001:2015, ISO/IEC 20000-1, ISO/IEC 27001), and holds an active CMMC Level 2 certification. We are proud to be recognized as a Best Places to Work by The Washington Post (2025) and USA Today (2026).

What We Offer:

• Flexible Work Hours: Life doesn’t always fit into a 9-to-5 schedule. We offer flexibility to help you manage your work-life balance effectively.
• Remote Work: Niyam understands the value of flexibility. We offer remote work.
• Career Growth: Niyam is not just a job; it’s a career journey. We provide a supportive environment for your professional development and offer fully paid opportunities for training and advancement within the company.
• Great People: Our people are the blueprint of who Niyam is to the industry and community.
• Great Environment: Niyam fosters a great environment where innovation, collaboration, and personal growth thrive.
• Diversity & Inclusion: We believe in the strength of diverse perspectives. Your unique ideas are welcomed and celebrated every day at Niyam.

Join us in creating a workplace where innovation, diversity, and well-being thrive. Your journey at Niyam awaits.

Principal Engineer, GIS / Geospatial Solutions

Niyam is seeking a Principal Engineer, GIS / Geospatial Solutions to serve as the company's senior-most hands-on technical authority for geospatial engineering. This individual will define technical strategy and reference architecture for our GIS solution accelerators (GeoCube, SPHERE, RisQ), serve as lead Solution Architect on GIS-focused proposals and captures, and represent Niyam externally as a recognized geospatial thought leader through technical publications and conference speaking. The role combines deep hands-on delivery across active federal contracts with enterprise-level influence on Niyam's geospatial technical direction and growth strategy, and requires the ability to obtain a Top Secret clearance to support Niyam's continued expansion into DoD and Intelligence Community work.

Roles and Responsibilities

Technical Leadership & Strategy

• Serve as the company-wide expert and recognized thought leader in GIS/geospatial engineering, setting technical direction for GeoCube, SPHERE, RisQ, and related capabilities.
• Define technical strategy, reference architectures, and engineering standards for geospatial data ingestion, the Medallion (Bronze/Silver/Gold) data architecture, and the Model Lifecycle Management Framework.
• Solve the organization's most complex or ambiguous geospatial and spatial-analytics challenges, from data fusion and geoprocessing to real-time situational awareness dashboards.
• Collaborate closely with Niyam's Technical Directors (GIS, Solutions Engineering, Data Analytics) to align geospatial strategy with enterprise technical direction.
• Drive innovation, such as AI/ML-enabled geospatial analytics and predictive risk modeling, that materially improves platform capability, performance, or revenue.

Solution Architecture & Delivery

• Serve as the primary Solution Architect on GIS-related engagements, providing hands-on architecture and delivery leadership across multiple active contracts/projects concurrently.
• Design and oversee geodatabase architecture, geoprocessing models, and cloud-native geospatial pipelines that meet performance, security, and scalability requirements.
• Resolve high-impact technical risks and escalations across GIS programs, ensuring solutions align with client mission needs and Niyam engineering standards.
• Directly influence revenue and CPAR/customer-satisfaction performance by shaping technical strategy and solution quality across multiple projects.

Business Development & Proposal Leadership

• Act as lead Solution Architect and technical author on GIS-focused proposals and capture efforts, defining win themes, technical differentiators, and solution strategy.
• Advise capture leadership and executives on technical feasibility, innovation opportunities, and competitive positioning for geospatial pursuits.
• Support orals preparation, client technical due diligence, and solution demonstrations as the geospatial subject matter expert.
• Partner with the GIS Technical Director and capture teams to protect and grow revenue through differentiated, credible geospatial solution offerings.

Thought Leadership & External Representation

• Author and publish technical blog posts, white papers, and case studies that position Niyam IT as an innovator in geospatial intelligence and disaster/risk analytics.
• Speak at industry conferences, client forums, and technical webinars as a recognized geospatial subject matter expert, building Niyam's brand and pipeline visibility.
• Represent Niyam in professional GIS/geospatial communities (e.g., Esri User Conferences, GEOINT, FedGeoDay) to strengthen market positioning and teaming relationships.

Mentorship & Organizational Growth

• Mentor engineers at all levels (Associate Engineer through Staff Engineer/Lead Architect) on geospatial engineering practices and career growth.
• Make substantial contributions to the GIS/Geospatial Center of Competency (CoC), including standards, training materials, and reusable technical assets.
• Support hiring and technical interviews for geospatial roles across the organization.

Required Qualifications

• Must be a U.S. citizen and able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret (TS) security clearance.
• Bachelor's degree in GIS, Geography, Computer Science, Geospatial Engineering, or a related field (equivalent experience considered in lieu of degree).
• 12+ years of progressive experience in GIS/geospatial engineering, including architecture-level design of geospatial platforms and analytics solutions.
• Deep hands-on expertise with the Esri ArcGIS platform (ArcGIS Enterprise, ArcGIS Online, ArcGIS Pro), geodatabase design, and geoprocessing model development.
• Demonstrated experience architecting cloud-native, scalable geospatial data platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud) including data pipelines and API-enabled analytics.
• Proficiency in Python and/or other languages used for geospatial data engineering, automation, and analytics.
• Proven track record leading technical proposal content, solution architecture, and capture support for federal government contracts.
• Demonstrated experience mentoring engineers and driving technical standards across teams or programs.
• One or more industry-recognized certifications of considerable difficulty in a relevant technical discipline (e.g., Esri Technical Certification, AWS/Azure Solutions Architect, GISP).
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including experience authoring technical publications and presenting to technical and executive audiences.

Preferred Skills

• Active Top Secret clearance or prior DoD/Intelligence Community clearance eligibility.
• Experience with hazard risk modeling, emergency management, or disaster response platforms (e.g., FEMA, DHS, or similar mission areas).
• Familiarity with AI/ML-enabled geospatial analytics, predictive modeling, or the Medallion (Bronze/Silver/Gold) data architecture pattern.
• Prior publication of technical white papers, blog content, or peer-reviewed papers, and experience speaking at industry conferences (e.g., Esri UC, GEOINT Symposium, FedGeoDay).
• Experience supporting GSA MAS, OASIS+, or other federal contract vehicle proposal efforts.

Why Join Niyam

• Recognized as a Washington Post and USA Today Top Workplace (2025, 2026).
• SBA Certified HUBZone small business with a growing federal past performance portfolio (FEMA, CBP, NOAA, DOJ, TSA, and more).
• Opportunity to shape the technical direction of proprietary solution accelerators (GeoCube, SPHERE, RisQ) used across the federal government.
• Clear, transparent technical career path with growth potential to Distinguished Engineer.

Join Niyam and help us win the work that matters.

Application Deadline

This will be posted for a minimum of 2 business days or until a sufficient candidate pool has been collected. Job posting may come down early due to volume of applicants.

Niyam IT, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity (“EEO”) Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, marital status, partnership status, age, citizenship status, veteran or military status, medical condition, genetic information, national origin, disability, unemployment status or any other characteristic prohibited by federal, state and/or local laws.