Senior Data Engineer

Dark Wolf; Herndon (VA); On-site; USD 130,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Dark Wolf is seeking a Senior Data Engineer to design, build, and optimize data pipelines, warehouses, and streaming solutions in multi-cloud secure environments. You will integrate heterogeneous data sources, automate workflows, and deploy containerized data services.

Required TS/SCI clearance and a Bachelor's in a related field with 4–7+ years of experience. Proficiency in PySpark, Airflow, Kafka, dbt, Python, SQL, and container tech is expected.

Qualifications

• Active TS/SCI with Full-Scope Polygraph required.
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or related field; Master’s preferred.
• 4–7+ years of data engineering experience.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement batch and real-time streaming data ingestion pipelines using Spark, Kafka, and Airflow.
• Model and build performant data structures in data warehouses (Snowflake, Redshift, BigQuery).
• Deploy and manage containerized data microservices with Docker, Kubernetes, and Helm.
• Integrate security scanning and credential management tools into CI/CD data pipelines.
• Collaborate in Agile teams to estimate user stories, review code, and mentor junior data engineers.

Skills

PySpark

Airflow

Kafka

dbt

Python

SQL

Scala/Java

REST API development

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/IS/Engineering

Master’s degree preferred

Tools

Snowflake

Redshift

BigQuery

Docker

Kubernetes

Helm

Job description

Dark Wolf constructs and deploys data management and analytics solutions for the defense and intelligence communities. We’re proud to boast a world-class engineering team that thrives on rolling up their sleeves to solve your mission’s biggest challenges.

Dark Wolf is seeking a Senior Data Engineer to design, build, and optimize robust data pipelines, data warehouses, and streaming solutions. You will be responsible for integrating heterogeneous data sources, building complex analytical data models, automating workflows, and deploying containerized data services within multi-cloud secure environments.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and implement batch and real-time streaming data ingestion pipelines utilizing Spark, Kafka, and Airflow.
• Model and build performant data structures within enterprise data warehouses (e.g., Snowflake, Redshift, BigQuery).
• Deploy and manage containerized data microservices using Docker and Kubernetes.
• Integrate automated security scanning and credential management tools into continuous integration (CI/CD) data pipelines.
• Collaborate within Agile teams to estimate user stories, review code, and mentor junior data engineers.

Qualifications

• Clearance: Must be a US Citizen holding an active TS/SCI security clearance with an active Full-Scope Polygraph.
• Education: Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or a related technical field (Master’s degree preferred).
• Experience: 4-7+ years of data engineering experience.

Technical Competencies

• Data Processing Frameworks: Hands-on experience with PySpark, Apache Airflow, Kafka, and dbt.
• Database Systems: Strong expertise with MPP databases, distributed data stores, and graph or key-value engines.
• Data Modeling: Proficiency in Kimball dimensional modeling, Data Vault 2.0, and high-performance schema optimization.
• Programming & Scripting: Strong proficiency in Python, SQL, Scala, or Java, alongside REST API development.
• Containerization: Proficient with Docker container orchestration, Kubernetes deployment, and Helm charts.
• Agile Frameworks: Active participation in Agile sprint execution, story point estimation, and backlog grooming.
• Multi-Cloud Architecture: Experience configuring and optimizing managed cloud data platforms in AWS GovCloud or Azure.
• Security Scanning Tooling: Experience embedding SAST/DAST tools and data-at-rest encryption practices into CI/CD pipelines.

Desired Qualifications

• Certifications such as AWS Certified Data Engineer, Databricks Certified Data Engineer, or CKA (Certified Kubernetes Administrator).
• Experience implementing fine-grained access control (ABAC/RBAC) in classified environment databases.

Position Clearance Requirement

US Citizenship with an active TS/SCI security clearance with Full-Scope Polygraph

Location

Chantilly/Herndon, VA.

Target Salary Range

$130,000.00 – $170,000.00 (Commensurate with specialized expertise and technical skillset).

Equal Opportunity Employer

We are proud to be an EEO/AA employer Minorities/Women/Veterans/Disabled and other protected categories.

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire.

We are strictly looking for direct, full-time W2 employees. We do not engage with third-party staffing agencies, C2C, or 1099 independent contractors for this role.