Forward Deployed Data Engineer (Manassas, VA / Senior) [Secret]

We’re seeking a skilled Forward Deployed Data Engineer to build the next-generation data management and artificial intelligence platform for maritime domain awareness.

As a forward-deployed engineer, you’ll work on-site with customers — writing code, integrating systems, and solving hard problems in the field. You’re part engineer, part technical advisor, and wholly accountable for making the mission succeed. The position requires a current or active U.S. Secret clearance.

Spear AI is a growing defense contracting company dedicated to delivering cutting-edge solutions that support our nation’s security. As we expand, we’re building a culture where innovation meets mission-critical work. We operate with a flat organizational structure that empowers every team member to make an impact, collaborate directly with leadership, and contribute to projects that matter. Whether you’re joining our Hardware, Software, or Services division, you’ll work alongside talented professionals who are committed to excellence and advancing the capabilities that keep our nation safe and secure.

Spear AI builds sonobuoy sensors that are deployed into the water and collect edge data. We also work with the U.S. Navy to collect and process their SONAR data. You’ll have an opportunity to work on real-world projects that directly impact warfighter capabilities and mission success.

What you’ll do

We’re a small team wearing many hats, and you’d have a wide variety of responsibilities that include:

• Implement real-time data pipelines with MQTT and Redpanda for stream processing.

• Implement offline data pipelines using Dagster for batch processing.

• Parse and process binary message formats from various data sources.

• Build data warehouses using Postgres, Apache Iceberg, Parquet, and S3.

• Design data models that allow for high-performance queries.

• Validate and normalize data sources.

• Improve local development and CI/CD using modern tooling and GitHub Actions.

Who you are

We’re looking for someone with strong Software Engineering skills who shares our most important values:

• You’re fanatical about polish. Every detail matters. You love to make sure your code is linted, formatted, fully typed, and has 100% test coverage.

• You care about correctness. You take pride in the fact that downstream consumers trust libraries and services you build.

• You obsess over performance. You daydream about Lighthouse scores and query speed.

• You dive deep. It’s important for you to really know how things work. You’re always building prototypes and setting up experiments to reinforce your understanding.