Senior Principal AI Data Engineer
Crystal City, VA On-site
$174,250–$235,750 a yearJobFig found this opening at its original source and checks that it remains available.
About the role
Iron EagleX is seeking a Senior Principal AI Data Engineer to support our AI team in Crystal City, VA . In this role, you will design, build, and operate data pipelines that ingest, store, and process high-volume, multi-source data primarily for modern AI/ML processes. You will partner with software, analytics, and product teams to create model-ready datasets (including features, embeddings, and prompts), implement scalable storage layers (such as a data lakehouse and vector stores), and enable low-latency retrieval for query, inference, and retrieval-augmented generation (RAG). As a Senior Principal AI Data Engineer, you will turn raw, multi-source data into reliable, high-performance inputs that directly power AI models and advanced analytics.
What you'll bring
- Apache Airflow, Database Optimization, Extract Transform Load (ETL), Git, Structured Query Language (SQL)Certifications:
- 10 + years of related experience
- Experience with Apache Airflow for workflow orchestration.
- Strong programming skills in Python.
- Experience with ElasticSearch /OpenSearch for data indexing and search functionalities.
- Understanding of vector databases, embedding models, and vector search for AI applications.
- Expertise in event-driven architecture and microservices development.
- Hands-on experience with cloud services ( e.g. MinIO ), including data storage and compute resources.
- Strong understanding of data pipeline orchestration and workflow automation.
- Working knowledge of Linux environments and database optimization techniques.
- Strong understanding of version control with Git.
- Clearance: Current TS/SCI Clearance with current or willingness to obtain CI polygraph