About ERT/NGWPC
We are developing next generation, high-performance systems for nationwide flood inundation modeling for the federal government. We are seeking a skilled Data Engineer to architect, build, and optimize the data pipelines and computational infrastructure that power our scientific models. Your work will be critical in realizing and scaling flood modeling solutions developed by your team members to a nationwide level.
Responsibilities
Design, develop, and maintain scalable and efficient data pipelines for ingesting, processing, and distributing large-scale geospatial and scientific datasets (e.g., terrain, river flows, modeling results).Architect and implement cloud-based solutions (AWS) for data storage, management, and high-performance computation.Develop and optimize workflow orchestration using tools like Prefect, Airflow, or AWS Step Functions to manage complex scientific modeling jobs.Build and containerize applications and services using Docker, ensuring consistency across all environments.Implement robust monitoring, logging, and alerting systems to ensure pipeline health and data quality.Collaborate with flood modelers and scientists to understand data requirements and engineer effective solutions.Write clean, well-documented, and tested code. Conduct thorough code reviews to maintain high standards of quality.Manage infrastructure as code (IaC) using tools like Terraform or CloudFormation.Requirements
Minimum 4 years of professional working experience, 8+ years preferredStrong proficiency in Python, SQL, and DuckDB for building data pipelines and backend services.Expertise with cloud platforms (AWS preferred) and their data services (e.g., S3, SQS, Lambda, EC2, Batch, RDS).Experience with workflow orchestration tools such as Prefect, Airflow, Luigi, or similar.Experience with containerization (Docker) and container orchestration (Kubernetes, Nomad, or ECS).Solid understanding of data engineering principles, data structures, and database systems (SQL and NoSQL).Proficiency with Git and collaborative development practices.Excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to design systems for scalability and reliability.Must be a US Citizen or Permanent Resident and be able to pass a background investigation to obtain a security badge to enter the applicable government facility.Desired
Familiarity with geospatial data concepts, formats (e.g., GeoTIFF, NetCDF, GeoParquet, Shapefile), and libraries (e.g., GDAL, Rasterio).Exposure to scientific computing or numerical modeling environments.A curiosity about hydrology, hydraulics, or environmental science; motivation to learn the "why" behind the data.Experience with high-performance computing (HPC) or GPU-accelerated computing.Education
Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related technical field, or equivalent.
Location
This is a remote position supporting work in Silver Spring, MD.
Compensation
The salary range for this role is approximately $110,000 - 190,000/year. This range is a good faith estimate based on similar roles across the organization. ERT uses several factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to, the position's scope and expected duties, a candidate’s work experience, education/training, and key skills.
Benefits
All full-time employees are eligible to participate in our flexible benefits package, which includes:
Medical, Rx, Dental, and Vision Insurance401(k) retirement plan with company-matching11 Paid Federal Government HolidaysPaid Time Off (PTO)Basic Life & Supplemental LifeHealth Savings Account, Flexible Spending and Dependent Care Flexible Spending AccountsShort-Term & Long-Term DisabilityEmployee assistance program (EAP)Tuition Reimbursement, Personal Development & Learning OpportunitiesSkills Development & CertificationsProfessional Membership ReimbursementEmployee Referral ProgramCompetitive compensation planDiscretionary variable incentive bonuses based on factors such as individual performance, business unit performance, and/or the company’s performancePublication and Conference Presentation Awards with bonusesERT is a VEVRAA Federal Contractor and Equal Opportunity employer - All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or protected Veteran status.
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