Lead Data Engineer DHS

Salary: $138,000 - 185,000 per year Requirements:

• We bring 8+ years of professional experience in data engineering or a closely related discipline.
• We have a proven track record of building resilient, scalable data pipelines and production-grade ETL/ELT solutions.
• We are highly proficient in SQL, Python, and orchestration tools such as Airflow and dbt.
• We have 2+ years of hands-on Databricks experience, including development, data processing, and pipeline tuning in a cloud environment.
• We have practical experience with big data technologies such as Spark, Kafka, and file formats including Parquet, Delta Lake, and Iceberg.
• We have deep experience with AWS-based data platforms, such as AWS Glue, S3, Redshift, and EMR, or equivalent Azure/BigQuery technologies.
• We understand data modeling, performance optimization, and how to design secure, well-structured data stores.
• We are familiar with data lake and analytics architecture patterns, including star schema, schema-on-read, and data quality frameworks.
• We have experience with CI/CD, Git, infrastructure as code such as Terraform, and NoSQL databases.
• We communicate effectively and have experience working in Agile environments, including Scrum and Kanban, across technical and non-technical teams.
• We bring strong problem-solving skills, a growth mindset, and enthusiasm for learning new technologies.
• We hold one or more relevant certifications, such as AWS Certified Machine Learning - Specialty, DASCA certifications, Databricks certifications, AWS Certified Data Analytics - Specialty, or Python/Scala programming certification.
• We are able to hold and maintain a DHS Public Trust, which requires U.S. citizenship.

• We develop and manage data processes to ensure information is available and usable.
• We build and automate data pipelines and data platforms.
• We write clean, efficient, and well-documented code to support data engineering solutions.
• We monitor data quality using automated testing frameworks.
• We collaborate with Architects, Product Owners, Data Scientists, and DevOps to design, build, and maintain scalable data solutions.
• We research data acquisition sources and assess their suitability.
• We integrate data management solutions into client environments.
• We identify and reduce data risks while supporting recovery planning.
• We build and maintain data repositories, including data warehouses, data lakes, and operational data stores.

• Airflow
• AWS
• AWS Glue
• Redshift
• Azure
• Big Data
• BigQuery
• CI/CD
• Cloud
• Databricks
• DevOps
• ETL
• Git
• Support
• Kafka
• Kanban
• Machine Learning
• NoSQL
• Python
• SQL
• Scala
• Spark
• Terraform
• dbt
• Hardware

More:

We are Excella, a transformative technology firm that helps organizations unlock new possibilities through sustainable solutions and collaborative problem-solving. We support a distributed workforce with flexible work/life integration, whether you work from a home office or a client site in Arlington, Virginia, United States. Our benefits include top-tier medical, dental, and vision coverage, bonus eligibility from day one, paid time off, parental leave, internet reimbursement, technology options, wellness support, and annual professional development funding. We are committed to growing our people and offering opportunities to build a lasting career while making a meaningful impact.

last updated 36 week of 2026