Senior Principal AI Data Engineer

General Dynamics Information Technology, Inc.; Arlington (VA); On-site; USD 174,000 - 236,000; Full time

Job summary

Iron EagleX (IEX), a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics Information Technology, seeks a Senior Principal AI Data Engineer to design, build, and operate data pipelines for AI/ML workloads in Crystal City, VA.

You will partner with software, analytics, and product teams to create model-ready datasets, implement storage layers like a data lakehouse, and enable low-latency retrieval for inference and RAG applications.

Qualifications

• Clearance: Current TS/SCI with CI polygraph or willingness to obtain.
• 10+ years of related experience.
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related field (or equivalent).

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and operate scalable data pipelines and ETL for AI data.
• Develop search capabilities with ElasticSearch/OpenSearch and indexing strategies.
• Enable low-latency retrieval for AI inference and RAG applications.
• Collaborate with analytics to define schemas and interfaces for downstream use.
• Use Git for version control, CI/CD, and reproducible pipeline deployments.
• Optimize Linux-based pipelines, storage layers, and compute resources.

Skills

Apache Airflow

Python

SQL

Vector databases

Embedding models

Git

Linux

Event-driven architecture

Cloud services (MinIO)

Data pipelines & ETL

Education

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

Tools

ElasticSearch/OpenSearch

MinIO

CI/CD

Job description

Type of Requisition

Type of Requisition: Regular Clearance Level Must Currently Possess: Top Secret/SCI Clearance Level Must Be Able to Obtain: Top Secret SCI + Polygraph Public Trust/Other Required: None Job Family: Data Science and Data Engineering Job Qualifications: Skills: Apache Airflow, Database Optimization, Extract Transform Load (ETL), Git, Structured Query Language (SQL) Certifications: None Experience: 10 + years of related experience US Citizenship Required: Yes

Job Description

YOUR IMPACT Own your opportunity to work with the largest government agency in the nation. Make an impact by advancing the Department of War’s mission to keep our country safe and secure.

OUR COMPANY Iron EagleX (IEX), a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT), delivers agile IT and Intelligence solutions. Combining small-team flexibility with global scale, IEX leverages emerging technologies to provide innovative, user-focused solutions that empower organizations and end users to operate smarter, faster, and more securely in dynamic environments.

JOB DESCRIPTION Iron EagleX is seeking a Senior Principal AI Data Engineer to support our AI team in Crystal City, VA. In this role, you will design, build, and operate data pipelines that ingest, store, and process high-volume, multi-source data primarily for modern AI/ML processes. You will partner with software, analytics, and product teams to create model-ready datasets (including features, embeddings, and prompts), implement scalable storage layers (such as a data lakehouse and vector stores), and enable low-latency retrieval for query, inference, and retrieval-augmented generation (RAG).

MEANINGFUL WORK AND PERSONAL IMPACT

As a Senior Principal AI Data Engineer, you will turn raw, multi-source data into reliable, high-performance inputs that directly power AI models and advanced analytics. Your work will make it faster and easier for teams across engineering, analytics, and products to develop, deploy, and improve AI capabilities by ensuring datasets are ready and accessible.

JOB DUTIES (INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO)

• 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

REQUIRED SKILLS

• 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

WHAT YOU’LL NEED TO SUCCEED

Clearance: Current TS/SCI Clearance with current or willingness to obtain CI polygraph

Experience: 10+ years of related experience

Education: Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent experience) Role requirements: Work is onsite in Crystal City, VA with optional CONUS travel Due to US Government Contract Requirements, only US Citizens are eligible for this role

GDIT IS YOUR PLACE

At GDIT, the mission is our purpose, and our people are at the center of everything we do. Growth: AI-powered career tool that identifies career steps and learning opportunities Support: An internal mobility team focused on helping you achieve your career goals Rewards: Comprehensive benefits and wellness packages, 401K with company match, competitive pay and paid time off Community: Award-winning culture of innovation and a military-friendly workplace OWN YOUR OPPORTUNITY Explore a career at GDIT and you’ll find endless opportunities to grow alongside colleagues who share your passion for the mission and delivering results. #iexjobs #iexpriority Equal Opportunity Employer / Individuals with Disabilities / Protected Veterans

Equal Opportunity Employer / Individuals with Disabilities / Protected Veterans Opportunity Owned From working with technologies like AI, cyber and cloud to careers in intelligence and health, we offer endless opportunities to apply your expertise to create a safer, smarter world.

Salary

The likely salary range for this position is $174,250 - $235,750. This is not, however, a guarantee of compensation or salary. Rather, salary will be set based on experience, geographic location and possibly contractual requirements and could fall outside of this range.

Work Hours & Travel

Scheduled Weekly Hours: 40 Travel Required: None Telecommuting Options: Onsite Work Location: USA VA Crystal City Additional Work Locations: Total Rewards at GDIT: Our benefits package for all US-based employees includes a variety of medical plan options, some with Health Savings Accounts, dental plan options, a vision plan, and a 401(k) plan offering the ability to contribute both pre and post-tax dollars up to the IRS annual limits and receive a company match. To encourage work/life balance, GDIT offers employees full flex work weeks where possible and a variety of paid time off plans, including vacation, sick and personal time, holidays, paid parental, military, bereavement and jury duty leave. To ensure our employees are able to protect their income, other offerings such as short and long-term disability benefits, life, accidental death and dismemberment, personal accident, critical illness and business travel and accident insurance are provided or available. We regularly review our Total Rewards package to ensure our offerings are competitive and reflect what our employees have told us they value most.

Identity Verification Process

Our Identity Verification Process: As part of the hiring process, we will ask you to complete an identity verification process that leverages advanced biometrics and artificial intelligence to ensure authenticity and protect against identity fraud. You are expected to be on camera during virtual interviews. We reserve the right to take your picture to verify your identity and prevent fraud. By proceeding, you authorize the collection, processing, and use of your biometric data for identity verification and security purposes.

About Our Work

We are GDIT. A global technology and professional services company that delivers technology solutions and mission services to every major agency across the U.S. government, defense and intelligence community. Our 26,000 experts extract the power of technology to create immediate value and deliver solutions at the edge of innovation. We operate across 50+ countries worldwide, offering leading mission-ready capabilities in AI, cloud, cyber and software development.