Data Governance SME

OverviewSteampunk is seeking a Data Governance SME to design, implement, and help operationalize data governance practices — including metadata management, data cataloging, and stewardship workflows — for a large federal client's data environment, ensuring data assets are discoverable, trustworthy, and well-governed. The role also supports assessment of data quality, governance maturity, and AI-related data risk.ContributionsAssess current-state data assets, governance practices, and interoperability constraints, and deliver a Data Management FrameworkImplement and maintain data catalogs, metadata repositories, and business glossaries to improve data discoverabilitySupport definition and rollout of data stewardship and ownership models, including issue management and lifecycle processesConduct exploratory data analysis to uncover trends and identify data quality issues informing remediation prioritiesOperate a data-quality remediation tracking process with monthly reporting, supporting identification and remediation of data quality issuesFacilitate alignment between technical teams and business stakeholders on data definitions, quality expectations, and usage standardsSupport streamlined, user-centered data access-request workflows and access controls, in alignment with data classification principlesPartner with the Data Architect to ensure the underlying data environment supports accurate, complete, and consistent data, including metadata capture and lineage trackingDeliver quarterly data maturity assessments with specific improvement recommendations, including catalog coverage and adoption metricsCommunicate data quality and governance maturity findings clearly to technical and executive stakeholdersSupport technical analysis behind the AI Compliance and Risk Management Plan's bias and training-data-quality sections, including data origin, quality, and known limitationsContribute data lineage and data card documentation supporting the AI Compliance and Risk Management Plan's data origin and quality assessmentsMaintain well-organized, audit-ready documentation of data assessments, findings, and remediation activityQualificationsAbility to obtain and maintain a U.S. government security clearanceBachelor's degree, preferably in Information Systems, Data Management, Data Science, Business Analytics, Computer Science, or a related field, and 10+ years of total experience6+ years of data governance, data management, or data science experienceDemonstrated experience assessing data quality and building data governance frameworks, including stewardship operating modelsUnderstanding of metadata types (business, technical, operational), data lineage, and schema management conceptsFamiliarity with data privacy, security, and access control concepts, including experience supporting data access-request workflowsProficiency with data analysis and query tools (e.g., SQL, Excel) to assess data quality and structureWorking knowledge of machine learning/AI training data concepts sufficient to assess data quality, origin, and bias considerations (not hands-on model development)Strong written and verbal communication and facilitation skills, with the ability to translate technical data findings for both technical and executive audiencesLocal to Baltimore, MD metro area and willing to go on client site at least 2 days a weekPreferred:Experience assessing bias or quality issues in training data for AI/ML use casesFederal data governance experienceMaster's degree in a related fieldExperience with data cataloging/governance platforms (e.g., Collibra, Alation, Atlan, Informatica, or cloud-native catalog tools)Familiarity with cloud data platformsDAMA CDMP (Associate or Practitioner), Collibra Ranger, or Alation Steward certificationAbout steampunkIdentity StatementAs part of the application process, you are expected to be on camera during interviews and assessments. We reserve the right to take your picture to verify your identity and prevent fraudSteampunk is a Change Agent in the Federal contracting industry, bringing new thinking to clients in the Homeland, Federal Civilian, Health and DoD sectors. Through our Human-Centered delivery methodology, we are fundamentally changing the expectations our Federal clients have for true shared accountability in solving their toughest mission challenges. If you want to learn more about our story, visit .We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Steampunk participates in the E-Verify program. Job SummaryJob ID: 8248Clearance Requirement: Public Trust