Senior AI Data Engineer: Lead Data Pipelines & Vector AI

General Dynamics Information Technology; Arlington (VA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

IronEagleX (IEX), a subsidiary of General Dynamics Information Technology, seeks a Senior Principal AI Data Engineer to design and operate data pipelines for AI/ML workloads in Crystal City, VA. You will build model-ready datasets, enable low-latency AI retrieval, and collaborate with software, analytics, and product teams to support innovation.

Role requires TS/SCI clearance eligibility, 10+ years of related experience, and a BA/BS in CS or related field.

Qualifications

• Experience with Apache Airflow for workflow orchestration.
• Strong programming skills in Python.
• Experience with ElasticSearch/OpenSearch for data indexing and search functionalities.
• Understanding of vector databases, embedding models, and vector search for AI applications.
• Expertise in event‑driven architecture and microservices development.
• Hands‑on experience with cloud services (e.g., MinIO), including data storage and compute resources.
• Strong understanding of data pipeline orchestration and workflow automation.
• Working knowledge of Linux environments and database optimization techniques.
• Strong understanding of version control with Git.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and implement scalable data pipelines and ETL processes using Apache Airflow, with a focus on data for AI.
• Build and tune search and retrieval capabilities using ElasticSearch/OpenSearch, including indexing strategies, schema mappings, and relevance/performance optimization.
• Enable low-latency retrieval for AI inference and RAG applications by optimizing data access patterns, caching approaches, and index refresh strategies.
• Collaborate with analytic teams to define requirements, schemas, and interfaces for downstream consumption.
• Use Git for version control, peer code reviews, CI/CD workflows, and reproducible pipeline deployments across environments.
• Operate within Linux environments and perform performance tuning across pipeline components, storage layers, and compute resources.

Skills

Python programming

Airflow

Data pipelines

Linux

Git

Vector databases

Embedding models

Vector search

Event-driven architecture

Microservices

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science/Software Engineering or related field

Tools

Apache Airflow

ElasticSearch/OpenSearch

MinIO

Linux

Git

Job description

IronEagleX (IEX), a subsidiary of General Dynamics Information Technology, seeks a Senior Principal AI Data Engineer to design and operate data pipelines for AI/ML workloads in Crystal City, VA. You will build model-ready datasets, enable low-latency AI retrieval, and collaborate with software, analytics, and product teams to support innovation.

Role requires TS/SCI clearance eligibility, 10+ years of related experience, and a BA/BS in CS or related field.