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.
Find Data Engineer JobsOverview
Showing 5 of 65+ Data Engineer jobs
Full time
Hybrid model
Washington, DC
The Data Engineer in this role will support programs involving one or more of the following:
responsible for building persistent cloud data pipelines, integrating microservices, and structuring data to power Amazon OpenSearch, Amazon Neptune (Knowledge Graphs), and Amazon SageMaker for advanced analytics.
2. Scope of Work
2.1 Pipeline Development and Implementation
- Build continuous, event-driven streaming pipelines using Amazon EventBridge and SQS.
- Orchestrate complex ELT transformations using EKS and Databricks.
- Develop automated data feeds for the enterprise data platform and downstream applications.
- Design and populate graph data models for Amazon Neptune to support entity relationship tracking.
- Build and optimize vector indexes for Amazon OpenSearch to power the platform's AI/ML and RAG Q&A capabilities.
- Ensure real-time or near-real-time data latency targets are met for operational dashboards.
- Partner directly with AI/ML Data Scientists to ensure data is properly curated, partitioned, and served for real-time model inference.
- Support front-end developers by building reliable, performant data APIs.
- Present pipeline architectures during technical reviews.
- Implement fine-grained, row-level Access Control to secure sensitive procurement data.
- Set up Amazon CloudWatch and Dynatrace for continuous pipeline monitoring, alerting, and telemetry.
- Ensure data served to AI models is clean and unbiased according to institutional guidelines.
- Maintain architectural diagrams for streaming data flows.
- Write API endpoint documentation and AI data prep runbooks.
3.1 Education
- Bachelor’s or Master’s in Computer Science, Data Engineering, or a related quantitative field.
- AWS Certified Data Engineer – Associate or Microsoft Certified Azure Data Engineer. OR AWS ML Specialty
- 5+ years building continuous data pipelines, real-time streaming architectures, and preparing data for machine learning workflows.
- Expert SQL and Python.
- Deep expertise in AWS ecosystem (EKS, Lambda, SQS, OpenSearch, Neptune, Bedrock) and Apache Spark/Databricks.
- Strong architectural mindset, capability to handle hight-veolocity data, and enthusiasm for integrating foundational AI/ML services.
Application Accepted: 7/30/2026
Benefits: Cognizant offers the following benefits for this position, subject to applicable eligibility requirements:
Salary and Other Compensation:
The annual salary for this position is between $125,000 - $140,000 depending on experience and other qualifications of the successful candidate
Medical/Dental/Vision/Life Insurance
- Paid holidays plus Paid Time Off
- 401(k) plan and contributions
- Long-term/Short-term Disability
- Paid Parental Leave
- Employee Stock Purchase Plan
Our strength is built on our ability to work together. Our diverse backgrounds offer different perspectives and new ways of thinking. It encourages lively discussions, creativity, productivity, and helps us build better solutions for our clients. We want someone who thrives in this setting and is inspired to craft meaningful solutions through true collaboration.
If you are content with ambiguity, excited by change, and excel through autonomy, we’d love to hear from you!
#LI-AV1#CB#Ind123
Full time
Hybrid model
Washington, DC
The Data Engineer in this role will support programs involving one or more of the following:
responsible for building persistent cloud data pipelines, integrating microservices, and structuring data to power Amazon OpenSearch, Amazon Neptune (Knowledge Graphs), and Amazon SageMaker for advanced analytics.
2. Scope of Work
2.1 Pipeline Development and Implementation
- Build continuous, event-driven streaming pipelines using Amazon EventBridge and SQS.
- Orchestrate complex ELT transformations using EKS and Databricks.
- Develop automated data feeds for the enterprise data platform and downstream applications.
- Design and populate graph data models for Amazon Neptune to support entity relationship tracking.
- Build and optimize vector indexes for Amazon OpenSearch to power the platform's AI/ML and RAG Q&A capabilities.
- Ensure real-time or near-real-time data latency targets are met for operational dashboards.
- Partner directly with AI/ML Data Scientists to ensure data is properly curated, partitioned, and served for real-time model inference.
- Support front-end developers by building reliable, performant data APIs.
- Present pipeline architectures during technical reviews.
- Implement fine-grained, row-level Access Control to secure sensitive procurement data.
- Set up Amazon CloudWatch and Dynatrace for continuous pipeline monitoring, alerting, and telemetry.
- Ensure data served to AI models is clean and unbiased according to institutional guidelines.
- Maintain architectural diagrams for streaming data flows.
- Write API endpoint documentation and AI data prep runbooks.
3.1 Education
- Bachelor’s or Master’s in Computer Science, Data Engineering, or a related quantitative field.
- AWS Certified Data Engineer – Associate or Microsoft Certified Azure Data Engineer. OR AWS ML Specialty
- 5+ years building continuous data pipelines, real-time streaming architectures, and preparing data for machine learning workflows.
- Expert SQL and Python.
- Deep expertise in AWS ecosystem (EKS, Lambda, SQS, OpenSearch, Neptune, Bedrock) and Apache Spark/Databricks.
- Strong architectural mindset, capability to handle hight-veolocity data, and enthusiasm for integrating foundational AI/ML services.
Application Accepted: 7/30/2026
Benefits: Cognizant offers the following benefits for this position, subject to applicable eligibility requirements:
Salary and Other Compensation:
The annual salary for this position is between $125,000 - $140,000 depending on experience and other qualifications of the successful candidate
Medical/Dental/Vision/Life Insurance
- Paid holidays plus Paid Time Off
- 401(k) plan and contributions
- Long-term/Short-term Disability
- Paid Parental Leave
- Employee Stock Purchase Plan
Our strength is built on our ability to work together. Our diverse backgrounds offer different perspectives and new ways of thinking. It encourages lively discussions, creativity, productivity, and helps us build better solutions for our clients. We want someone who thrives in this setting and is inspired to craft meaningful solutions through true collaboration.
If you are content with ambiguity, excited by change, and excel through autonomy, we’d love to hear from you!
#LI-AV1#CB#Ind123
See All 65 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
- Esri4
- BigBear.ai4
- Simple Technology Solutions3
- TekSynap2
- andrew morgan2A
Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software8
- Aerospace & Defense1
- Transportation & Logistics1
- Banking & Financial Services1
- Non-Profit & Social Services1
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 Esri, BigBear.ai, and Simple Technology Solutions, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of July 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 District of Columbia, 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 71% of data engineer openings tied to District of Columbia are remote or hybrid as of July 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 65 Data Engineer Jobs in District of Columbia
Find roles in District of Columbia that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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