Senior IT Big Data Engineer

The Senior IT Big Data Developer supports the Data Architecture, Technology, and Analytics (DATA) function, enabling advanced data capabilities across enterprise environments. This role is responsible for designing, building, and optimizing scalable data architectures and pipelines that support large-scale analytics, reporting, and mission-critical research initiatives.

You will be expanding and optimizing our data and data pipeline architecture, as well as optimizing data flow and collection for economic policy and research teams. The ideal candidate is an experienced hands-on data modeler with working knowledge of database design and administration, data pipeline building, and data wrangling who enjoys improving existing data systems and/or building them from the ground up. The Data Architect/Engineer will support our economists and technical experts and will ensure optimal data delivery architecture is designed and developed. They must have a service mindset, be self-directed, and be comfortable supporting the data needs of multiple teams and systems. You will be excited by the prospect of optimizing or even re-designing the R&S division’s data architecture to support our next generation of data initiatives.

• Design, develop, and maintain scalable data architectures, data pipelines, and data processing frameworks.
• Expand and optimize data flow, collection, and integration processes across multiple systems and environments.
• Build and manage ETL/ELT pipelines to ingest, transform, and deliver structured and unstructured data.
• Develop and maintain databases, data lakes, and enterprise data platforms supporting high-volume workloads.
• Perform data modeling, schema design, and database optimization to improve system performance and scalability.
• Collaborate with analysts, economists, and technical teams to support data-driven research and decision-making.
• Ensure data quality, integrity, and accessibility across enterprise systems.
• Analyze existing data systems and implement improvements, enhancements, or re-architecture as needed.
• Support cloud and on-premises data environments, including data migration and pipeline modernization efforts.
• Provide technical guidance and support to stakeholders on data architecture and best practices.

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, or related field with 7+ years of relevant experience (advanced degree preferred).
• Advanced working knowledge of SQL and experience working with relational database platforms including PostgreSQL, Microsoft SQL Server, and MySQL.
• Advanced working knowledge of Python, R, and other scripting languages used for data engineering and analytics.
• Experience working with large-scale data systems, including distributed computing, scalable data processing, data storage architecture, and optimization of high-volume data workloads.
• Experience designing, developing, and automating ETL/ELT workflows and data integration pipelines.
• Experience building, optimizing, and maintaining scalable databases, data pipelines and data processing frameworks.
• Experience with workflow orchestration and pipeline automation tools such as Apache Airflow, Prefect, Dagster, or AWS Step Functions.  
• Experience migrating workflows and data pipelines between on-premises and cloud environments.
• Experience processing, analyzing, and integrating structured and unstructured data sources.
• Experience developing in Linux environments and using source control platforms such as GitLab and/or GitHub.
• Experience performing root cause analysis on internal and external data and business processes to answer business questions and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Ability to design and communicate enterprise information architecture at conceptual, logical, and physical levels.
• In-depth experience designing and implementing database, data lake, and enterprise data platform solutions.
• Strong hands-on software engineering and implementation experience, including development, testing, and deployment of data applications and services.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills with a strong customer service orientation.
• Exceptional analytical, problem-solving, and troubleshooting skills.
• Understanding of time series data and related analytical and forecasting techniques.
• Experience working in a research environment and/or with economic or financial data.
• Experience with NoSQL and graph database technologies.
• Experience developing, training, deploying, and maintaining machine learning models.
• Working experience with cloud technologies such as AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Snowflake.
• Experience implementing data warehouses utilizing Change Data Capture (CDC) methodologies.
• Experience implementing and maintaining CI/CD pipelines and DataOps platforms.
• Working knowledge of additional programming and scripting languages such as Java, Scala, JavaScript, or Perl.

Salary: $166,000 - 174,500

Additional benefits include: 

• Paid Time Off & Holiday Pay
• Medical Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Disability, Life Insurance, and AD&D
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Pre-Tax 401K and/or After-Tax Roth IRA (with employer matching contribution)
• Tuition and Technical Training Reimbursement
• Exercise Reimbursement
• Computer Reimbursement
• Employee Assistance Program

Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee may be regularly required to stand, sit, talk, hear, reach, stoop, kneel, and use hands and fingers to operate a computer, telephone, keyboard, and standard office equipment
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision requirements due to computer work
• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 15 pounds
• Fine hand manipulation (keyboarding)

Work Environment:  The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Exposure to general office conditions while conducting office duties
• Moderate noise (i.e., business office with computers, phone, and printers, light traffic)
• Ability to work in a confined area
• Ability to sit at a computer terminal for an extended period

Working at Edgewater Federal Solutions:

Edgewater Federal Solutions is a privately held government contracting firm located in Frederick, MD. The company was founded in 2002 with the vision of being highly recognized and admired for supporting customer missions through employee empowerment, exceptional services, and timely delivery. Edgewater Federal Solutions is ISO 9001, 20000-1, 270001 certified, appraised at CMMI Level 3 Maturity for Development and Services, and has been named in the Top Workplaces in the Greater Washington Area Small Companies since 2018.

Edgewater Federal Solutions is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It has been and continues to be our policy to provide equal employment to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, disability, marital status, veteran status and/or other status protected by applicable law.