Job Title: Data Engineer

Location(s): Arlington, VA & Washington DC (DUE TO CUSTOMER REQUIREMENTS YOU MUST BE LOCATED IN THE GREATER WASHINGTON DC AREA)

Workplace: Hybrid

Clearance Required: Must have a IRS Public Trust w/a Full Background Investigation

Requisition Type: Pipeline – this is not a current opening but rather a talent pipeline for Data Engineers of all levels with an IRS Public Trust w/ background investigation interested in supporting the Government customer. When new IRS Data Engineer positions become available, this talent community will be the first place our recruiters look to fill the roles. Candidates with profiles in this talent community can also expect to receive regular updates on relevant new job opportunities. Be sure to also apply to any relevant current funded/awarded openings, if available.

Position Overview:

As a Data Engineer, you will work directly with clients, managers, and technical staff to understand business needs, develop technical plans, and deliver data-driven analytical solutions and tools that solve client problems. The Data Engineer will primarily create and deploy robust, repeatable, and automated data pipelines that will ingest and transform raw data to support various advanced analytics and machine learning models. The resulting pipeline should be developed to be deployed into existing large-scale applications or different data visualization platforms available.

This is also where you can add specific information about the BU that the position will be working within.

Position Requirements:

Required Clearance: Must have a IRS Public Trust w/a Full Background Investigation

Required Education: Undergraduate and/or graduate degrees in engineering, computer science, analytics, math, finance, accounting, management information systems, social sciences, physics, or decision science.

Required Skills / Experience:

• Design and deploy robust data engineering and ML pipelines using Python, R, and SQL to transform raw data into analytics-ready formats.
• Develop and maintain end-to-end ML solutions across on-premises and cloud environments, integrating backend systems with user-facing applications.
• Partner with data scientists, analysts, product managers, and client teams to align technical solutions with business objectives.
• Modernize and optimize ML workflows by implementing best practices that enhance performance, scalability, and maintainability.
• Thrive in agile, fast-paced environments by contributing to collaborative development cycles and iterative problem-solving.
• Translate client and stakeholder needs into actionable technical requirements through effective communication and engagement.
• Embrace continuous learning, willingly step outside comfort zones, and foster a knowledge-sharing culture within the team.
• Willing to travel and work on-site with clients as needed, adapting to varying project demands and team environments.

Essential Functions:

• Excel in troubleshooting and problem-solving across complex, cross-functional environments with minimal supervision.
• Leverage diverse data types—quantitative and textual—to drive informed, strategic decision-making.
• Partner with data scientists and stakeholders to design and deploy impactful data applications and visualizations.
• Write and refine reusable code in Python, SQL, Java, and other languages through collaborative peer reviews.
• Build and maintain secure, scalable data pipelines and end-to-end systems, including in air-gapped environments.
• Lead and contribute across the full engineering lifecycle, from concept through deployment and ongoing support.
• Produce technical documentation, manage infrastructure, and create tailored presentations for technical and non-technical audiences.
• Translate business needs into actionable data solutions through clear, consultative communication with clients and teams.

Preferred Skills and Qualifications:

• Advanced degree (MS) in a relevant field (analytics, math, statistics, computer science, management information systems, social sciences, engineering, physics, decision science, or business, etc.,)
• Experience using version control (e.g. git, svn, Mercurial) and collaborative programming techniques (e.g. pair programming, code reviews)
• Experience with containerization and environment management (venv, conda, etc.,)
• Experience with one or more technologies, such as R Shiny, Databricks, AWS, Azure
• Familiarity with vector, object, and document storage databases
• Experience implementing data engineering processes in a remote, austere environment to include using bash,
• Experience with business intelligence and data visualization platforms (Power BI, Tableau, etc.,).
• Understanding of the data analytics lifecycle (e.g. CRISP-DM)

About Elder Research, Inc

People Centered. Data Driven

Elder Research is a fast growing consulting firm specializing in predictive analytics. Being in the data mining business almost 30 years, we pride ourselves in our ability to find creative, cutting edge solutions to real-world problems. We work hard to provide the best value to our clients and allow each person to contribute their ideas and put their skills to use immediately.

Our team members are passionate, curious, life-long learners. We value humility, servant-leadership, teamwork, and integrity. We seek to serve our clients and our teammates to the best of our abilities. In keeping with our entrepreneurial spirit, we want candidates who are self-motivated with an innate curiosity and strong team work.

Elder Research believes in continuous learning and community - each week the entire company attends a “Tech Talk” and each office location provides lunch. Elder Research provides a supportive work environment with established parental, bereavement, and PTO policies. By prioritizing a healthy work-life balance - with reasonable hours, solid pay, low travel, and extremely flexible time off - Elder Research enables and encourages its employees to serve others and enjoy their lives.

Elder Research, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability.

Elder Research is a Government contractor and many of our positions require US Citizenship.