Senior Data/Analytics Engineer

theta. is an SBA-Certified 8(a) & HUBZone digital integration and management firm based in Baltimore, MD, working to create a world where tech works for everybody. Our mission is to bridge the gap between the intersection of innovation & technology and practical applications that serve the public interest.

We specialize in creating software that enhances efficiency, security, and accessibility in government operations. Our commitment to be of service, be passionate, and be different drives us to deliver projects that make a significant impact.

This position is contingent upon contract award.

Position Overview:

We are seeking a Senior Data/Analytics Engineer to build and evolve an operational data pipeline that turns messy, multi-source inputs into decision-grade datasets the team can trust. You’ll ingest and normalize data from telemetry/logs, structured feedback, and technical baselines, then shape it into analysis-ready models that power dashboards, prioritization discussions, and delivery decisions.

In this role, you’ll define a minimum shared metadata standard (e.g., environment, mission phase, user role, timestamps, source), implement repeatable transformations with quality gates, and preserve clear lineage so leaders can trace an insight back to its source. You’ll also work within security and access constraints, documenting assumptions and limitations, so the data remains usable, auditable, and responsibly handled.

Key Responsibilities:

• Design and implement ingestion and transformation workflows across disparate sources.
  
• Define minimum shared metadata standards and normalization rules to support cross-environment comparison.
  
• Implement repeatable transformation patterns and data quality checks for decision-grade outputs.
  
• Enable dashboards/decision artifacts by providing curated datasets and clear source-to-insight lineage.
  
• Partner with Product, Delivery, and Engineering to translate insights into actionable work items.
  
• Operate within security/access constraints; document data handling, assumptions, and limitations.

Basic Qualifications:

• 8+ years in data engineering/analytics engineering (pipelines, transformation, quality).
  
• Strong SQL and data modeling skills; experience with semi-structured data (JSON/logs).
  
• Experience building repeatable transformations and data quality checks (dbt-style patterns or equivalent).
  
• Experience working with telemetry/log-derived datasets and/or event pipelines.
  
• Clear written communication: can explain datasets, assumptions, and limitations.
  
• U.S. Citizenship required. 
• Must be able to meet any other requirements for government contracts for which they are hired (e.g., must reside in the U.S., Security Clearances).
• Some of our clients may request or require travel from time to time. If this concerns you, we encourage you to apply and discuss it during your initial interview.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with operational dashboards and decision workflows (Grafana/Power BI-like).
• Familiarity with event/stream ingestion concepts (Kafka-like patterns).
  
• Understanding of lineage/traceability and “data as a product” practices.
  
• Experience working in regulated environments (auditability, access controls).

Why Join theta.?:

• Work on mission-driven modernization efforts serving the public interest.
• Build data foundations that help teams make better decisions faster and with greater transparency.
  
• Partner closely with delivery teams so insights turn into real, prioritized work.
  
• Competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits.

If you are a driven, results-oriented Data/Analytics Engineer who wants your work to directly improve decision-making in complex federal environments, we encourage you to apply. If you enjoy building pipelines that teams can trust, where data quality gates, clear lineage, and thoughtful assumptions prevent bad decisions, we invite you to join our team at theta.

Salary Range: $135,000 - $155,000 (DOE and project-specific details)