Terms of Employment

• W2 Contract, 12 Months
• This position 100% remote, with occasional travel (approx. 2-3 times per year) for onsite team collaboration in Reston, VA. Candidates based in Maryland, Washington, DC, or Virginia are preferred, but not required.

Overview

Our client is seeking a seasoned data engineer with a passion for optimizing data architectures and tackling complex challenges. The Lead Data Engineer will play a pivotal role in analyzing and enhancing the current data landscape, while also contributing to the design of our client’s future-state architecture. This role will leverage deep expertise in Ab Initio ETL, Hive data stores on AWS, and related technologies to drive performance improvements and cost reduction. This is a high-impact opportunity offering remote flexibility for US-based candidates, with occasional travel for team collaboration.

Responsibilities:

• Analyze the current data architecture (Ab Initio ETL, Hive on AWS) to identify areas for improvement in performance, scalability, and cost-efficiency.
• Design, develop, and implement robust ETL solutions using Ab Initio to ensure efficient and reliable data processing.
• Take a leadership role in specific data engineering tasks, driving initiatives and providing technical guidance.
• Troubleshoot and resolve production and performance issues related to ETL processes and data stores.
• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, including solution architects and support teams, to understand data integration points and ensure seamless data operations.
• Contribute your expertise and insights to discussions and planning for the future-state data architecture.
• Proactively identify and implement best practices for data engineering and data management.
• Stay abreast of emerging technologies and trends in data engineering, particularly in cloud platforms and data processing.
• Document data flows, processes, and technical specifications.

Required Skills & Experience:

• Demonstrated hands-on experience (10+ years suggested) in data engineering with a strong focus on ETL development and data warehousing.
• Deep and practical expertise in developing ETL solutions using Ab Initio.
• Solid understanding and hands-on experience working with database technologies, specifically Hive.
• Significant experience with cloud platforms, particularly Amazon Web Services (AWS).
• Proven track record in providing operational support for data pipelines and data stores, including performance tuning, troubleshooting, and resolving production issues in complex, integrated environments.
• Experience working with complex, multi-technology environments and understanding data integration challenges.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to work independently and take initiative as a lead.
• Excellent aptitude for learning new technologies and a positive, collaborative attitude towards teamwork.
• Master's degree in a relevant field (e.g., Computer Science, Engineering, Information Technology) or equivalent professional experience.

Preferred Skills & Experience:

• Experience or familiarity with Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Generative AI (GenAI) concepts and their application in operational contexts or automation.
• Previous experience working within the healthcare or health insurance industry.
• Experience contributing to the design and evolution of data architecture.
• Relevant certifications such as AWS Certified Big Data – Specialty or Cloudera Certified Data Engineer (CCDH) are a plus, but hands-on experience is prioritized.
• OCP Java certification.