[Hiring] Data Engineer - Level III @ATTAINX INC

Role Description

The Data Architect / Data Engineering Lead provides technical leadership for data architecture, data engineering, database modernization, and AI/ML enablement across the NRCS IT ecosystem. This role is responsible for guiding the transformation of legacy data platforms into scalable, cloud-native architectures on AWS. The position works in close coordination with the Enterprise Lead Architect, Government Program Managers, and cross-functional delivery teams to execute data management, modernization, and operational sustainment activities under the OMNI contract.

Qualifications

• 7 years of progressive experience in data architecture, data engineering, and database administration across enterprise environments.
• 5+ years of hands-on experience designing and deploying data solutions on AWS, including direct experience with S3, Glue, EMR/Spark, Lambda, Step Functions, DMS, RDS (PostgreSQL, Aurora), DynamoDB, OpenSearch, and Lake Formation.
• Deep expertise in Microsoft SQL Server and PostgreSQL/PostGIS.
• Proven experience building production data pipelines for batch, streaming, and geospatial workloads.
• Strong proficiency in SQL/T-SQL, Python, and PySpark.
• Demonstrated ability to design and implement enterprise data architectures including data warehouses, data lakes, lakehouses (Delta Lake), and service-layer integration patterns.
• 3+ years of experience supporting federal IT programs, with familiarity with FISMA, NIST RMF, ATO processes, and federal change management requirements.
• Experience with CI/CD pipelines, Git-based version control, Terraform or CloudFormation, Liquibase, and automated quality/security gates.
• Experience working within SAFe Agile or equivalent iterative delivery frameworks, including backlog management in Jira.

Requirements

• Direct experience with USDA systems.
• Experience with FPAC IT governance, the Technical Guidance Framework (TGF), and FPAC CI/CD pipeline standards.
• Hands-on experience with AWS Bedrock, SageMaker, and Generative AI patterns (RAG, embeddings, natural-language-to-SQL, LangChain).
• Experience with geospatial data engineering, including PostGIS, GeoPackage, ArcGIS WFS/WMS services, and spatial data pipelines.
• Experience with AI-enabled legacy modernization platforms (e.g., Rhino.ai or equivalent).
• Azure experience (Synapse, ADF, ADLS, Azure ML Studio, Databricks on Azure) as a complement to primary AWS focus.
• Relevant certifications: AWS Solutions Architect, AWS Data Analytics Specialty, Azure Data Engineer Associate (DP–203), or equivalent.
• Master’s degree in Computer Science, Data Science, or related field.

Responsibilities

• Define and maintain data architecture standards, patterns, and governance practices across all NRCS systems.
• Lead conceptual and logical decomposition of monolithic database structures into domain-aligned, modular schemas.
• Architect service-layer data access patterns to replace direct cross-database queries.
• Design and maintain data models for enterprise soil data systems.
• Align supported systems with USDA’s cloud-native Lakehouse Data Strategy.
• Register and maintain schemas, interfaces, and metadata in AWS DataZone.
• Design, build, and maintain end-to-end data engineering pipelines using AWS-native services.
• Modernize legacy SSIS-based ETL/ELT pipelines to cloud-native equivalents.
• Build and operate AWS DMS full-load and CDC pipelines.
• Implement Delta Lake standards and performance tuning across ingestion frameworks.
• Develop serverless orchestration workflows using AWS services.
• Implement data quality controls and maintain audit-ready evidence of data management activities.
• Provide senior-level DBA support for SQL Server clusters and PostgreSQL/PostGIS.
• Lead database schema versioning and deployment automation.
• Execute database modernization activities including re-platforming from on-premises SQL Server to AWS RDS/Aurora.
• Design and implement AI/ML and Generative AI solutions using AWS services.
• Support AWS migration from DISC data centers.
• Maintain audit-ready documentation for all data architecture decisions and configurations.
• Conduct architecture reviews and deliver knowledge transfer sessions.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation and benefits packages including paid vacation, medical, dental, vision, matching 401K plan, tuition/training reimbursement, and Long & Short-Term Disability.