Introduction
At IBM, the work is about building things that matter. You will be working on real problems in a mission environment where the output of your work is used, not just presented.
We are looking for a hands-on data and engineering professional who can take messy, incomplete information and turn it into something useful and clear. This role is about going from raw data to real understanding and doing it in a way that people can act on immediately, with confidence.
You will work across the full lifecycle of work. That includes getting data, shaping it, building models where needed, and delivering outputs that help people make decisions. This is not a role where someone hands you a clean dataset or defined problem.
You will also work closely with junior team members. Part of your responsibility is helping them grow into strong, independent contributors by working alongside them, giving them ownership, and holding a high bar for quality.
Your role and responsibilities
The Data Solutions Engineer is a hands-on technologist and problem solver who works across data, systems, and analysis to deliver outcomes that are usable in real mission conditions.
This role is responsible for contributing to solutions that take raw, fragmented data and turn it into something clear, reliable, and actionable. The focus is on building work that holds up in operational use, not just in controlled environments.
You will contribute across the workflow, from how data is handled through how it is used, making practical decisions that balance technical quality with mission needs.
You will:
Team Development and Collaboration:
Required education
Bachelor's Degree
Preferred education
Bachelor's Degree
Required technical and professional expertise
Clearance & Logistics: US Citizenship is required. Candidates must possess an active Top Secret/SCI (TS/SCI) clearance with a Full Scope Polygraph on Day 1 and be able to work onsite in the Washington, DC Metro Area (Chantilly, VA). Work is performed in a secure environment with limited remote flexibility.
Education & Experience: Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, or related technical field, or equivalent practical experience, with 5 or more years of experience in data science, machine learning, or applied data roles, with a track record of applying skills to real-world problems.
Programming & Data Fundamentals: Strong proficiency in Python and working knowledge of SQL. Demonstrated ability to work directly with raw data to explore, transform, and analyze datasets without relying on pre-built tooling.
Data Processing & Systems: Experience contributing to data pipelines and processing workflows, including ingestion and transformation, and handling of large or complex datasets.
Applied Modeling and Analysis: Experience building and applying models or analytical approaches in real-world settings, with an understanding of how to adapt to changing data and requirements.
Data Types & Complexity: Experience working with multiple forms of data such as text, imagery, video, or sensor data, and the ability to extract meaningful patterns from incomplete or noisy inputs.
Operational & Secure Environment: Experience working in distributed, standalone, or secure environments, adapting approaches to system and security constraints.
Model Use & Lifecycle Awareness: Experience putting models or analytical outputs into use and monitoring performance over time, including recognizing when adjustments are needed.
Ways of Working: Ability to operate effectively in team-based environments with shared ownership and accountability. Demonstrates sound judgement when working through ambiguous or evolving problems and contributes to both delivery and team capability.
Preferred technical and professional experience
Candidates may come from different technical backgrounds but should demonstrate exposure across data, systems, and analysis.
Mission & Domain Experience: experience supporting or delivering solutions within the IC or DoD, particularly in secure, mission-driven, or air-gapped environments.
Data & Analytical Techniques: experience working with imagery data or applying computer vision techniques. Familiarity with newer modeling approaches when applied in practical, real-word settings.
Data Processing & Systems: experience working with real-time or streaming data or building workflows that support continuous data processing and analysis. Strong preference for candidates who default to code-driven analysis rather than relying on GUI-based tools.
Cloud & Infrastructure Exposure: exposure to clou or hybrid environments within secure constraints, with an understanding of how infrastructure impacts data and system design.
Integration & Tooling: experience with APIs, system integration, or container-based workflows, including adapting tools and components to fit within larger systems.
Team Development & Growth: demonstrated ability to support and develop junior team members through hands-on collaboration, guidance, and shared delivery of work.
IBM Consulting is IBM’s consulting and global professional services business, with market leading capabilities in business and technology transformation. With deep expertise in many industries, we offer strategy, experience, technology, and operations services to many of the most innovative and valuable companies in the world. Our people are focused on accelerating our clients’ businesses through the power of collaboration. We believe in the power of technology responsibly used to help people, partners and the planet.
In a world where technology never stands still, we understand that, dedication to our clients success, innovation that matters, and trust and personal responsibility in all our relationships, lives in what we do as IBMers as we strive to be the catalyst that makes the world work better.
Being an IBMer means you’ll be able to learn and develop yourself and your career, you’ll be encouraged to be courageous and experiment everyday, all whilst having continuous trust and support in an environment where everyone can thrive whatever their personal or professional background.
Our IBMers are growth minded, always staying curious, open to feedback and learning new information and skills to constantly transform themselves and our company. They are trusted to provide on-going feedback to help other IBMers grow, as well as collaborate with colleagues keeping in mind a team focused approach to include different perspectives to drive exceptional outcomes for our customers. The courage our IBMers have to make critical decisions everyday is essential to IBM becoming the catalyst for progress, always embracing challenges with resources they have to hand, a can-do attitude and always striving for an outcome focused approach within everything that they do.
Are you ready to be an IBMer?
IBM’s greatest invention is the IBMer. We believe that through the application of intelligence, reason and science, we can improve business, society and the human condition, bringing the power of an open hybrid cloud and AI strategy to life for our clients and partners around the world.
Restlessly reinventing since 1911, we are not only one of the largest corporate organizations in the world, we’re also one of the biggest technology and consulting employers, with many of the Fortune 500 companies relying on the IBM Cloud to run their business.
At IBM, we pride ourselves on being an early adopter of artificial intelligence, quantum computing and blockchain. Now it’s time for you to join us on our journey to being a responsible technology innovator and a force for good in the world.
IBM is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, pregnancy, disability, neurodivergence, age, or other characteristics protected by the applicable law. IBM is also committed to compliance with all fair employment practices regarding citizenship and immigration status.
IBM offers a competitive and comprehensive benefits program. Eligible employees may have access to:
We consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable law.
This position was posted on the date cited in the key job details section and is anticipated to remain posted for 21 days from this date or less if not needed to fill the role.
US Citizenship Required.
The compensation range and benefits for this position are based on a full-time schedule for a full calendar year. The salary will vary depending on your job-related skills, experience and location. Pay increment and frequency of pay will be in accordance with employment classification and applicable laws. For part time roles, your compensation and benefits will be adjusted to reflect your hours. Benefits may be pro-rated for those who start working during the calendar year.
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