Data Engineer – AI & Machine Learning

Integral is seeking a Data Engineer – AI & Machine Learning to support mission-focused work in secure federal environments. In this hybrid role based in Tysons Corner, VA, you will design data architectures and build ETL/ELT pipelines for structured and unstructured multimodal data, while integrating AI/ML workflows as part of an internal core technical group.

Role & Team Context

This position sits within Integral’s internal Office of Technology, where the team drives internal projects, builds cutting-edge capabilities, and establishes best practices. You will interface directly with federal government stakeholders, gather requirements, translate mission needs into data solutions, and present technical concepts to non-technical leaders. The work is primarily internal and non-billable, with the agility to flex onto billable client engagements as required.

What You’ll Do

• Design, build, and optimize scalable data architectures that support advanced ML models, analytics, and high-volume data processing for federal mission sets.
• Develop, construct, test, and maintain resilient data pipelines, including pipelines for synthetic data.
• Process and integrate high-velocity structured and unstructured multimodal data, including text, imagery, sensor data, and audio/video.
• Evaluate and deploy AI models, including Large Language Models.
• Ensure models and systems are optimized for performance, accuracy, and scalability within secure environments.
• Lead internal capability development while maintaining readiness for deployment onto billable engagements when needed.
• Maintain compliance with federal security, privacy, and data governance standards, including examples such as NIST, FISMA, and DoD Cloud Computing SRG.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Data Engineering, Software Engineering, or a related highly technical field.
• 3+ years of progressive data engineering experience, including at least 2+ years supporting Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning operations (MLOps).
• Strong background working with and deploying in cloud environments, particularly AWS GovCloud or Azure Government.
• Expert proficiency in Python and SQL, plus data manipulation libraries such as Pandas and PySpark.
• Proven experience building complex ETL/ELT pipelines for unstructured and multimodal data.
• Hands-on experience evaluating, fine-tuning, and deploying AI models using tools such as HuggingFace, PyTorch, and TensorFlow.
• Experience with modern data warehousing and data lake architectures such as Databricks, Snowflake, and Redshift.
• Must be eligible to obtain and maintain at least a DoD Secret Clearance.

Technologies

• Python, SQL, Pandas, PySpark
• HuggingFace, PyTorch, TensorFlow
• Databricks, Snowflake, Redshift
• AWS GovCloud, Azure Government

Benefits

• Paid parental leave
• Immediate vesting in 401(k)
• Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Short-Term and Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Life Insurance
• Paid Time Off & Holidays
• Earned Bonuses & Awards
• Professional Training Reimbursement
• Employee Assistance Program

Preferred Qualifications

• Currently holding an active DoD Secret, Top Secret, or TS/SCI clearance is desirable.
• Master’s degree in Data Science, AI, or a related field.
• Prior experience consulting or working directly with the DoW, Intelligence Community, or DHS.
• Deep understanding of MLOps frameworks, containerization (Docker, Kubernetes), and CI/CD pipelines for machine learning.

Compensation & Clearance

• Salary range: $150,000 - $200,000 per year
• Clearance requirement: Ability to obtain and maintain a DoD Secret Clearance (Active Secret or higher preferred)

About Integral

Integral partners with federal defense, intelligence, and civilian leaders to tackle their most important challenges and deliver positive outcomes. Founded in 1998, the company helps clients leverage existing and emerging technologies to transform enterprises, empower growth, drive innovation, and build sustainable success. Integral is headquartered in McLean, VA and serves clients throughout the country.