Data Engineer III - SME

National Capitol Contracting LLC (NCC) is seeking a Senior Data Engineer to support mission-driven data initiatives for teams in need of reliable pipelines, relational databases, and reporting platforms. This onsite role in Norfolk, VA focuses on building and optimizing enterprise data solutions, serving as a primary PostgreSQL DBA, and administering Qlik Sense and related analytics environments with an active Secret clearance required.

What you’ll do

• Design, build, and maintain scalable data pipelines and automated ETL/ELT processes.
• Integrate and transform data from multiple structured and unstructured sources.
• Act as the primary PostgreSQL Database Administrator, including installation, configuration, maintenance, security, backup/recovery, monitoring, and performance optimization.
• Develop and optimize PostgreSQL databases and objects, including SQL queries, stored procedures, views, indexes, and other database components.
• Lead performance tuning and troubleshooting through capacity planning, indexing strategy, query optimization, and production issue resolution.
• Build Python-based solutions for ingestion, transformation, automation, validation, and reporting workflows.
• Create and maintain enterprise data models and schemas for operational reporting, analytics, and business intelligence.
• Administer and support Qlik Sense applications, dashboards, data models, and reporting solutions, including managing connections, reload schedules, security rules, and application performance.
• Support and enhance enterprise reporting environments as needed, including Power BI and Tableau in addition to Qlik Sense.
• Monitor data quality, validate data integrity, and troubleshoot inconsistencies across systems.
• Collaborate with business stakeholders, analysts, and technical teams to gather requirements and deliver scalable data solutions, translating business needs into technical specifications.
• Implement data governance standards, security controls, backup strategies, and best practices for enterprise data management.
• Support production deployments, enhancements, upgrades, and ongoing maintenance activities.
• Lead technical initiatives and provide mentorship to junior engineers and analysts; participate in planning, prioritization, and continuous process improvement.
• Document database architectures, data flows, ETL processes, system configurations, and reporting procedures.
• Ensure compliance with organizational, contractual, and security requirements for enterprise data environments.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Active Secret clearance or higher at the time of application.
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, Mathematics, or a related technical field.
• Minimum 9 years of experience in data engineering, database administration, business intelligence, or enterprise analytics environments.
• Strong hands-on PostgreSQL DBA experience, including database administration, backup/recovery, performance tuning, security management, and system optimization.
• Advanced SQL development expertise, including complex queries, stored procedures, views, indexing strategies, query optimization, and transformation logic.
• Strong Python proficiency for data engineering, automation, scripting, ETL processing, and data validation.
• Experience designing and maintaining ETL/ELT pipelines and automated data workflows.
• Hands-on experience developing and administering Qlik Sense dashboards, applications, and reporting solutions.
• Experience with Qlik Sense data modeling, scripting, reload management, and security administration.
• Experience integrating data from multiple enterprise systems and data sources.
• Experience with relational database design, data modeling, and enterprise reporting architectures.
• Strong understanding of data governance, data validation, database security, and quality assurance best practices.
• Ability to troubleshoot and resolve database, data pipeline, reporting, and analytics platform issues in production environments.
• Experience gathering business requirements and translating them into scalable technical solutions.
• Demonstrated ability to lead technical efforts, manage priorities, and mentor junior team members.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to work effectively with technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Technology focus

• PostgreSQL, SQL, Python, Qlik Sense, Power BI, Tableau

Preferred qualifications

• Experience with cloud-based data platforms and modern analytics architectures.
• Experience with Agile methodologies and DevOps/DataOps practices.
• Knowledge of enterprise data security, access management, and compliance processes.

Compensation: USD 175,000 - 185,000 per year. The compensation range is a good-faith estimate and may vary based on responsibilities, education, experience, skills, internal equity, budget, market data, and applicable laws.

Location: Norfolk, VA (onsite)