Senior Data Engineer with Security Clearance

Cornerstone Defense; Fairfax (VA); On-site; USD 130,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Cornerstone Defense seeks a Senior Data Engineer to advance data pipelines and ML initiatives in a Secure Federal context. You will collaborate with the AI team to operationalize pipelines, deploy Python-based ML models, and present insights to stakeholders.

Applicants should have 10+ years of data/ML engineering, strong ETL skills, and experience in AWS cloud environments with IL6+ readiness. This on-site role at Tysons Corner offers growth and impact across missions.

Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years of experience in data/ML engineering and related disciplines.
• Bachelor's degree in CS/IT/Engineering or equivalent experience.
• 8+ years in data/ML engineering with hands-on ETL/data pipelines.

Responsibilities

• Work with AI team to operationalize data pipelines and ML tasks.
• Deploy Python-native ML pipelines and perform data engineering tasks to enable AI/ML capabilities.
• Present results to diverse audiences in presentation or report form.
• Support security-focused data architectures and identity management system integration.
• Advise leadership and senior executives on security architecture and related domains.

Skills

10+ years exp

Data/ML engineering

ETL processes

Data labeling

Data preparation

Python

SQL

Kafka

Cloudera

DataBricks

Snowflake

NiFi

AWS IL6+

AI/ML deployment

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science / IT / Engineering

Tools

AWS

Cloud services

Job description

Senior Data Engineer Tysons Corner, VA Active TS/SCI with Poly

Company Overview

Cornerstone Defense is the Employer of Choice within the Intelligence, Defense, and Space communities of the U.S. Government. Realizing early on that our most prized assets are our employees, we continually focus our attention on improving the overall work/life experience they have supporting the mission. Our Team is pushed every day to use their industry leading knowledge to provide end-to-end solutions to combat our nation's toughest and most secure problems. If you are looking for a place to not only be professionally challenged, but encouraged and supported by a company that cares, don't look any further than Cornerstone Defense.

Job Responsibilities

• Work with AI team members to operationalize data pipelines and ML tasks.
• Provide day-to-day support of deploying Python-native ML pipelines and perform data engineering tasks to enable AI/ML capabilities.
• Present results to a diverse audience in presentation or report form.
• Support architectural leadership, technical support, and advisement services to ensure identity management system technologies are integrated and meeting the appropriate security requirements.
• Support leadership who engage with senior level executives at a public facing Federal agency and provide subject matter expertise in security architecture and other key domain areas.

Required Skills

• Minimum 10 years experience
• Bachelors Degree in Computer Science, Information Technology Management or Engineering, or other comparable degree or experience
• 8+ years of experience in Data/ML engineering
• Expert Experience with ETL, data labeling, and data preparation
• 8+ years experience with at least 2 of the following technologies: Cloudera, DataBricks, Snowflake, NiFi, Python, SQL, Kafka
• Expert experience designing, developing, and deploying data solutions in classified AWS cloud environments up to IL6+
• Expert experience designing, implementing, and maintaining data architecture and services to be used for AI/ML. Additionally, operationalizing and maintaining AI/ML models in production.
• Strong communication skills, ability to communicate technical concepts in both layman and technical terms to technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Ability to perform data analytics on program related or system related activities. -This will include assessing performance and manual processes implementing methods/algorithms to automate/optimize

Company Benefits

• Cornerstone Defense offers a comprehensive list of benefits, designed to give employees and their families several options to choose from when selecting benefits that best fit their needs. These offerings include not only a full suite of the traditional Medical/Dental/Vision insurances, but also a number of other benefits and perks to include, but not limited to: A 401(K) plan with a company match, tuition and training assistances, paid vacation/leave, a fitness reimbursement program, college savings plan, commuter benefits, financial advisory services, flex spending accounts, health savings accounts, STD/LTD coverage, life and AD&D insurance, employee assistance programs, life financial planning assistance, and legal resources.