Data Engineer Jobs in District of Columbia
Data Engineer jobs in District of Columbia are concentrated in Washington DC, with additional demand in the surrounding Northern Virginia corridor and suburban Maryland, driven by federal agencies, defense contractors, and policy research organizations that run some of the largest data infrastructure programs in the country. Employers like Booz Allen Hamilton, Leidos, and the General Services Administration regularly hire data engineers for specialties including cloud data architecture, federal data governance, and real-time analytics pipelines. The market draws candidates at every level from junior pipeline developers to principal architects with security clearance experience. Scan the live roles below and apply to whichever ones fit.
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Are you ready to put your AWS expertise to work on cloud challenges that few engineers get the chance to tackle?
Virtual Service Operations (VSO) is seeking an experienced AWS MDM / Big Data (Data Lake) Engineer to join a highly skilled team delivering advanced cloud engineering capabilities for a mission-critical, security-sensitive initiative. Shape the next generation of secure enterprise data platforms. You will help make complex datasets discoverable, governed, and useful through scalable AWS data engineering and modern data architecture. You will work with experienced technical partners in a collaborative environment where careful engineering and measurable results matter.
Key Responsibilities:
- Design and evolve AWS data lakes using Amazon S3, AWS Glue, and Lake Formation.
- Build and maintain metadata catalogs, schema ingestion, and data discovery capabilities.
- Create ETL/ELT pipelines and optimize data access for analytics workloads.
- Implement fine-grained data governance, tagging, and attribute-based access patterns.
Qualifications:
- 5+ years of data engineering experience with hands-on AWS delivery.
- Experience with data ingestion, transformation, catalogs, and lake architectures.
- Strong understanding of data governance and secure access controls.
- Hands-on AWS cloud experience and ability to work effectively in highly controlled environments.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Data mesh or zero-trust data architecture experience.
- Athena, OpenSearch, EMR, or complex metadata management platforms.
- Relevant AWS professional or specialty certifications; Security+ or CISSP where applicable.
- Active TS/SCI clearance; must be eligible for applicable SCI read-on/indoctrination and additional program-specific access approvals.
- Must reside within commuting distance of one of the following 4 approved secure work locations: Herndon, VA; Washington, DC; Seattle, WA; or Denver, CO.
- Regular on-site work in an approved secure facility and occasional work at authorized customer facilities may be required. This is not a remote position.
- Full-time position, on-site
- Please note that pursuant to a government contract, this specific position requires U.S. citizenship status
What is Important to Us:
- You are an excellent communicator in writing and speaking.
- You have the ability to work independently but also value teamwork.
- Your problem-solving skills are excellent.
- You are looking for a job where performance appraisals occur regularly, and you look forward to advancing your career.
- You seek a community of virtue-centered co-workers and clients.
What we offer you: As part of the VSO company, you will be part of a virtue-centered team who value their work and teammates. This is a no-jerk zone. We provide ongoing learning and development opportunities to foster continuous growth. We offer competitive salaries, health benefits, and flexible work arrangements.
More About VSO: VSO is a hybrid cloud and managed services consulting firm. Much of VSO’s success can be attributed to our deep partnerships with IT services industry leaders such as AWS, IBM, Microsoft and others. VSO leverages numerous other partner relationships so as to provide our customers with optimal support. Additionally, we take pride in taking care of our employees. We offer a wide variety of benefits for eligible employees related to health, retirement, professional development, and more! For more information, please visit our website at https://vso-inc.com/careers
Are you ready to put your AWS expertise to work on cloud challenges that few engineers get the chance to tackle?
Virtual Service Operations (VSO) is seeking an experienced AWS MDM / Big Data (Data Lake) Engineer to join a highly skilled team delivering advanced cloud engineering capabilities for a mission-critical, security-sensitive initiative. Shape the next generation of secure enterprise data platforms. You will help make complex datasets discoverable, governed, and useful through scalable AWS data engineering and modern data architecture. You will work with experienced technical partners in a collaborative environment where careful engineering and measurable results matter.
Key Responsibilities:
- Design and evolve AWS data lakes using Amazon S3, AWS Glue, and Lake Formation.
- Build and maintain metadata catalogs, schema ingestion, and data discovery capabilities.
- Create ETL/ELT pipelines and optimize data access for analytics workloads.
- Implement fine-grained data governance, tagging, and attribute-based access patterns.
Qualifications:
- 5+ years of data engineering experience with hands-on AWS delivery.
- Experience with data ingestion, transformation, catalogs, and lake architectures.
- Strong understanding of data governance and secure access controls.
- Hands-on AWS cloud experience and ability to work effectively in highly controlled environments.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Data mesh or zero-trust data architecture experience.
- Athena, OpenSearch, EMR, or complex metadata management platforms.
- Relevant AWS professional or specialty certifications; Security+ or CISSP where applicable.
- Active TS/SCI clearance; must be eligible for applicable SCI read-on/indoctrination and additional program-specific access approvals.
- Must reside within commuting distance of one of the following 4 approved secure work locations: Herndon, VA; Washington, DC; Seattle, WA; or Denver, CO.
- Regular on-site work in an approved secure facility and occasional work at authorized customer facilities may be required. This is not a remote position.
- Full-time position, on-site
- Please note that pursuant to a government contract, this specific position requires U.S. citizenship status
What is Important to Us:
- You are an excellent communicator in writing and speaking.
- You have the ability to work independently but also value teamwork.
- Your problem-solving skills are excellent.
- You are looking for a job where performance appraisals occur regularly, and you look forward to advancing your career.
- You seek a community of virtue-centered co-workers and clients.
What we offer you: As part of the VSO company, you will be part of a virtue-centered team who value their work and teammates. This is a no-jerk zone. We provide ongoing learning and development opportunities to foster continuous growth. We offer competitive salaries, health benefits, and flexible work arrangements.
More About VSO: VSO is a hybrid cloud and managed services consulting firm. Much of VSO’s success can be attributed to our deep partnerships with IT services industry leaders such as AWS, IBM, Microsoft and others. VSO leverages numerous other partner relationships so as to provide our customers with optimal support. Additionally, we take pride in taking care of our employees. We offer a wide variety of benefits for eligible employees related to health, retirement, professional development, and more! For more information, please visit our website at https://vso-inc.com/careers
See All 77 Data Engineer Jobs in District of Columbia
Find roles in District of Columbia that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Data Engineer JobsData Engineer Jobs by City in District of Columbia
Where District of Columbia roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Data Engineer Job Market in District of Columbia
A snapshot from current District of Columbia openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Aerospace & Defense
- Technology & Software
What District of Columbia Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in data engineer jobs across District of Columbia.
- Bachelor's degree in computer science, information systems, or a closely related field
- Proficiency in SQL, Python, or Scala for data pipeline development and transformation
- Hands-on experience with cloud platforms such as AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud
- Familiarity with big data tools including Spark, Kafka, Airflow, or dbt
- Experience designing and maintaining data warehouses or lakehouse architectures
- Active or obtainable federal security clearance preferred for many DC-area roles
Data Engineer Jobs in District of Columbia: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a data engineer in District of Columbia?
There is no state-issued license required to work as a data engineer in the District of Columbia. Employers typically hire candidates who hold a bachelor's degree in computer science, engineering, or a related technical field, combined with demonstrated experience building data pipelines and working with cloud infrastructure. Earning vendor certifications from AWS, Google Cloud, or Microsoft Azure is a strong differentiator in the DC market, and many federal contractors require candidates to be eligible for a security clearance before extending offers.
Which companies hire data engineers in District of Columbia?
Employers hiring data engineers in District of Columbia right now include Guidehouse, AARP, and Esri, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. The DC market skews heavily toward federal contractors and government agencies, so many of the most active employers hold long-term government contracts that create sustained demand for data engineering talent across multiple programs.
Which District of Columbia cities have the most data engineer jobs?
The largest concentration of data engineer openings in District of Columbia is in Washington and Bolling AFB, reflecting the region's dense cluster of federal agencies, defense contractors, and technology-focused consulting firms that anchor hiring in Washington DC proper while suburban offices in Northern Virginia and Maryland add a significant share of additional roles.
Are there remote data engineer jobs in District of Columbia?
Yes, and more than most fields. About 60% of data engineer openings tied to District of Columbia are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, which is consistent with the analytical and desk-based nature of the work. That said, roles tied to classified federal projects or sensitive government data environments frequently require candidates to work on-site at a cleared facility, so remote availability depends heavily on the agency or contract involved.
How can I get hired as a data engineer in District of Columbia with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is through a junior data analyst or business intelligence developer role, which several large DC-area federal contractors use as a feeder position into full data engineering work. Organizations like Booz Allen Hamilton and SAIC run structured early-career programs that place recent graduates on data-intensive government contracts with mentorship built in. Building a portfolio of end-to-end pipeline projects using public federal datasets, and earning an entry-level cloud certification, gives candidates a concrete edge when competing for those associate-level openings.
Where can I find and apply to data engineer jobs in District of Columbia?
You can find and apply to data engineer jobs in District of Columbia on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from employers actively hiring in the region. Search the available roles, identify the ones that match your experience and specialization, and apply directly to the ones that fit your background.
See All 77 Data Engineer Jobs in District of Columbia
Find roles in District of Columbia that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Data Engineer Jobs