Intermediate Strategic Data Specialist

Intermediate Strategic Data Specialist

LOCATION: Pentagon - Washington, DC

JOB STATUS: Full Time

CLEARANCE: Top Secret

TRAVEL: As Needed

Astrion has an exciting opportunity for an Intermediate Strategic Data Specialist, supporting the Air Force. In this role, the Data Specialist supports strategic data initiatives at Headquarters Air Force (HAF) A2/A6 to support the Air Force Element of the Intelligence Community (IC). The selected candidate will assist with governance, strategic planning, enterprise architecture, capability PfM, solutions analysis & implementation planning, performance and risk management, project management, data and analytics, program analysis, policy analysis, information technology analysis, and administrative technical support. The candidate will also support existing, ongoing, and expanding programs, projects, technologies, processes, and workforce innovations throughout the Air Force Intelligence Community (AF IC) Information Environment.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS / SKILLS

• STEM related bachelor's degree (master's degree is a plus)
• Bachelor's Degree and 4 to 8 years of directly related experience required.
• Ability to advise senior management (e.g., CIO) on cost/benefit analysis of AF IC Information Environment programs, policies, processes, and systems, and elements
• Data Mgt/Governance: Comprehensive knowledge of data management principles, ontology, data governance frameworks (e.g., DAMA-DMBOK), and best practices. Experience implementing or supporting data governance programs, including defining data policies, standards, and procedures
• Data Architecture: Experience working with or contributing to the design and implementation of data architectures
• Cloud Computing: Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) and their data services, including storage, compute, analytics, and security offerings. Familiarity with cloud-based data warehousing, data lake solutions, and cloud migration strategies
• Understanding of the IC: Knowledge of IC data standards, policies, and practices would be highly valuable
• Data Integration/ELT: Familiarity with the concepts and principles of building and scaling Extract, Load, Transform (ELT) pipelines. Experience overseeing or managing projects involving data pipeline orchestration, data quality management, and performance optimization. Knowledge of common ELT tools like Apache Airflow, Informatica PowerCenter, or cloud-native data integration services is a plus
• Data Science/AI & Data Standards: Understanding of how data standards impact data science and AI/ML initiatives. Experience contributing to or managing projects that apply data standards in data preparation, feature engineering, model training, and validation. Familiarity with data governance tools and processes relevant to AI/ML workflows.
• DB Mgt (SQL & NoSQL): Practical understanding of SQL and NoSQL database technologies, including relational (e.g., PostgreSQL, MySQL, Oracle) and NoSQL databases (e.g., MongoDB, Cassandra, Neo4j). Experience with projects involving data modeling, query optimization, and database administration. Familiarity with graph databases (e.g., Neo4j) and search/analytics platforms like the ELK stack is desirable

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS / SKILLS

• Working knowledge of USAF, DoD, and IC infrastructures.
• Knowledge of the Intelligence Community
• Experience working technical projects or innovation initiatives (e.g., technical writing, problem solving, policy analysis and development, project mgt)
• Knowledge of cloud computing deployment models in private, public, and hybrid environment and the difference between on-premises and off-premises environments
• Analytical Skills, ability to perform needs analysis to determine opportunities for new and improved business process solutions.

RESPONSBILITIES:

This position will support the AF IC Chief Data Officer in advancing a major digital infrastructure transformation from hardware based industrial solutions and processes to software based digital processes.

• Data Strategy Development: Develop and publish a formal Data Strategy aligned with existing ISR, IC Data Strategy, and CDAO publications

• Data Catalog Implementation: Establish a Data Catalog capability to improve data discovery and access

• Data Governance Council Establishment: Establish a Data Governance Council to oversee data management and governance activities

• Object-Based Intelligence (OBI) Policy Development: Develop an OBI policy to guide implementing and adopting OBI principles and practices

• Zero Trust Data Pillar Coordination: Ensure data governance activities align with Zero Trust principles and requirements

What We Offer

• Competitive salaries
• Continuing education assistance
• Professional development allotment
• Multiple healthcare benefits packages
• 401K with employer matching
• Paid time off (PTO) along with a federally recognized holiday schedule

Who We Are

At Astrion, we innovate, elevate, and shape the world of tomorrow. At our core is our purpose to "Be the Difference". This means we encourage our employees to take action and be the driving force for positive change. We foster an environment where innovative solutions flourish, and our company continuously evolves.

We have a culture of care, empathy, and making a tangible difference within our organization and communities. We embrace continuous learning, growth, and innovation,

and pushing the boundaries of what's possible. We promote collaboration and empowering our teams is at the core of our success.

Be the Difference

Astrion offers comprehensive services that boost preparedness, optimize performance, and ensure success across various domains, from Cyber to Digital, Mission and Systems, servicing our nation's Civilian, Defense and Space communities. We support customers with Centers of Excellence in Washington DC, and Huntsville, AL with an additional 36 locations across the U.S.

Join Astrion and Be the Difference in your career and the world!

Astrion is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. We provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibit discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

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