Senior Data Engineer (Enterprise Operations)

The Aerospace Corporation; Chantilly (VA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 228,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health care

Paid time off

Telework options

401(k) plan

Flexible spending accounts

Bonus program

Relocation assistance

Professional growth programs

Education assistance

Job summary

The Aerospace Corporation is seeking a Senior Data Engineer to design, build, and optimize scalable data pipelines and infrastructure. You will work with data scientists, software engineers, and mission teams to ensure high-quality data supports analytics, AI/ML initiatives, and critical business operations.

You will contribute to data storage architectures, data quality, and scalable solutions across cloud and on-premise environments, with mentoring of junior engineers and collaboration across

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Data Engineering, Information Systems, or a related STEM field.
• 8–10 years of experience in data engineering or related field.
• Strong SQL and one programming language (Python/Java/Scala).
• Hands-on experience with data pipelines (Airflow, Spark, Kafka).
• Experience with cloud data platforms (AWS/Azure/GCP).
• Understanding of data modeling and data warehousing concepts.
• Willing to travel domestically (approx. 10%).
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and maintain robust ETL/ELT pipelines across the enterprise.
• Collaborate with data scientists, engineers, and stakeholders to meet data needs.
• Architect and optimize storage: databases, data lakes, data warehouses.
• Implement data quality checks, monitoring, and alerting.

Skills

SQL

Programming languages

Airflow

Spark

Kafka

Cloud platforms

Data modeling

Data warehousing

Security clearance

Education

Bachelor’s degree in CS/DI/IS

Job description

The Aerospace Corporation is the trusted partner to the nation’s space programs, solving the hardest problems and providing unmatched technical expertise. As the operator of a federally funded research and development center (FFRDC), we are broadly engaged across all aspects of space— delivering innovative solutions that span satellite, launch, ground, and cyber systems for defense, civil and commercial customers. When you join our team, you’ll be part of a special collection of problem solvers, thought leaders, and innovators. Join us and take your place in space. Aerospace is the trusted partner to the nation's space enterprise, solving the hardest problems with innovative solutions. Within Aerospace’s Office of the CIO, the newly constructed Data and AI Services team provides advanced modeling, machine learning, and predictive analytics capabilities that inform enterprise services operations and facilitate strategic decision-making across the corporation. Our Data Engineering team will build and maintain the data infrastructure, pipelines, and platforms. We are looking for a Senior Data Engineer. This role will design, build, and optimize scalable data pipelines and infrastructure that enable reliable, timely, and secure access to data across the enterprise. This position offers the opportunity to work closely with data scientists, software engineers, and mission teams to ensure that high-quality data is available to support advanced analytics, AI/ML initiatives, and critical business operations.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Design, build, and maintain robust, scalable ETL/ELT pipelines to ingest, transform, and deliver data from diverse sources across the enterprise
• Partner with data scientists, software engineers, and business stakeholders to understand data requirements and deliver reliable, high-quality data solutions
• Architect and optimize data storage solutions, including relational databases, data lakes, and data warehouses, to support analytics and reporting needs
• Implement data quality checks, monitoring, and alerting to ensure the accuracy, completeness, and timeliness of data across pipelines
• Lead efforts to improve pipeline performance, scalability, and cost-efficiency across cloud and on-premise environments
• Mentor junior data engineers and promote best practices in data engineering, including code quality, testing, and documentation (Fosters Innovation, Leads Change)
• Collaborate cross-functionally to support the integration of new data sources and emerging technologies, driving continuous improvement in the data platform (Operates Strategically)

What You Need to be Successful

Minimum Requirements for Senior Data Engineer (Data Technical Lead Staff IV):

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Data Engineering, Information Systems, or a related STEM field
• 8-10 years of experience in data engineering, software engineering, or a related technical field
• Strong proficiency in SQL and at least one programming language such as Python, Java, or Scala
• Hands‑on experience building and maintaining data pipelines using tools such as Apache Airflow, Spark, or Kafka
• Experience with cloud data platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure, or GCP), including services for storage, compute, and data processing
• Strong understanding of data modeling, data warehousing concepts, and database design principles
• Willing to travel occasionally to work locations or customer sites domestically, approx. 10%
• A minimum of 10 or more years data engineering, software engineering, or a related technical field
• Familiarity with streaming data architectures and real-time data processing
• This position requires the ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance, which is issued by the U.S. government. U.S. citizenship is required to obtain a security clearance.

How You Can Stand Out

It would be impressive if you have one or more of these:

• Master’s degree in Computer Science, Data Engineering, or a related STEM field
• 15+ years of experience in data engineering, with prior experience in aerospace, defense, or government environments
• Experience with containerization and orchestration tools (e.g., Docker, Kubernetes) and Infrastructure-as-Code (e.g., Terraform)
• Relevant certifications (e.g., AWS Certified Data Analytics, Google Professional Data Engineer)

We Offer a Competitive Compensation Package

The grade-based pay range for this job is listed below. Individual salaries within that range are determined through a wide variety of factors including but not limited to education, experience, knowledge and skills. (Min - Max) $120,300.00 - $228,000.00 Pay Basis: Annual

Leadership Competencies

Our leadership philosophy is simple: every employee, regardless of level and role, can demonstrate leadership. At Aerospace, our commitment is our people. To cultivate our talent and ensure that we have a strong pipeline of future leaders, we want individuals who:

• Operate Strategically
• Lead Change
• Engage with Impact
• Foster Innovation
• Deliver Results

Ways We Reward Our Employees During your interview process, our team will provide details of our industry-leading benefits.

Benefits

• Comprehensive health care and wellness plans
• Paid holidays, sick time, and vacation
• Standard and alternate work schedules, including telework options
• 401(k) Plan — Employees receive a total company-paid benefit of 8%, 10%, or 12% of eligible compensation based on years of service and matching contributions; employees are immediately eligible and vested in the plan upon hire
• Flexible spending accounts
• Variable pay program for exceptional contributions
• Relocation assistance
• Professional growth and development programs to help advance your career
• Education assistance programs
• An inclusive work environment built on teamwork, flexibility, and respect

Equal Opportunity Commitment

The Aerospace Corporation is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, age, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, color, religion, genetic information, marital status, ancestry, national origin, protected veteran status, physical disability, medical condition, mental disability, or disability status and any other characteristic protected by state or federal law. If you’re an individual with a disability or a disabled veteran who needs assistance using our online job search and application tools or need reasonable accommodation to complete the job application process, please contact us by phone at 310.336.5432 or by email at [e-mail] . You can also review Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal.

Right Place

The Aerospace Corporation has over 26 locations nationwide, which allows us to build a workforce that will nurture the best ideas, and generate the most novel innovations and solutions to our nation’s toughest space enterprise challenges.

Right Path

Right Path Aerospace covers all stages of the space lifecycle, from concept to operations. We believe our people are our most valuable resource and that’s why we propel our employees forward in their careers through ongoing education, training, and professional development.

Right Purpose

We can all serve a mission much greater than ourselves, and at Aerospace that is exactly what we do. By hiring the industry’s most preeminent scientists and engineers, Aerospace advances emerging technologies that protect some of the most critical missions on Earth and above it.