Software Developer - Big Data (Space Domain)
$135,000–$216,000 year
On-siteHerndon, Virginia, United States or Aurora, Colorado, United States
Job Summary
Design and implement scalable data ingestion pipelines using Apache NiFi to collect, transform, and route satellite telemetry, ground station data, and sensor feeds. Develop and maintain high-performance Java applications for mission-critical space domain awareness systems, managing MongoDB databases and exposing secure RESTful and GraphQL APIs. Collaborate with data scientists and mission specialists to translate requirements into technical solutions while enforcing data quality, validation, and governance processes. Monitor and optimize workflows to ensure continuous operation, contributing to the full software development lifecycle within agile methodologies. Maintain Top Secret clearance with ability to upgrade to TS/SCI and pass polygraph within 30 days.
Required Qualifications
- A Bachelor's degree with 8 years of relevant experience; OR a Master's degree with 6+ years of relevant experience. Additional four (4) years experience may be considered in lieu of a degree
- Top Secret clearance with ability to upgrade to TS/SCI and pass a polygraph within 30 days of employment or at customers request- contract requires TS/SCI with poly. The candidate must maintain the clearance.
- Proficiency in Java (Model, Entity, Data Transfer Object (DTO), Data Access (DAO))
- Experience designing, developing, and implementing scalable and efficient data ingestion pipelines using Apache NiFi to collect, transform, and route data from diverse sources (e.g., satellite telemetry, ground station data, sensor feeds, mission logs)
- Experience developing and maintaining data processing applications primarily in Java, ensuring high performance, reliability, and security for mission-critical systems
- Experience designing and managing NoSQL databases, specifically MongoDB, to store vast amounts of heterogeneous space-domain data, optimizing for both read and write performance
- Experience building and exposing secure, performant Data APIs (RESTful/GraphQL) to enable internal and external applications to access and consume processed data, facilitating integration with analytics platforms, visualization tools, and other mission systems
- Experience collaborating closely with data scientists, aerospace engineers, and mission specialists to understand data requirements and translate them into technical solutions
- Experience implementing data quality, validation, and governance processes within data pipelines to ensure data integrity and reliability
- Experience monitoring, troubleshooting, and optimizing data workflows and database performance to ensure continuous operation and efficiency
- Experience contributing to the full software development lifecycle, including requirements analysis, design, coding, testing, deployment, and documentation, adhering to agile methodologies
- Experience staying abreast of emerging technologies and best practices in data engineering, cloud computing, and the space industry
Desired Qualifications
- Experience with other big data technologies (e.g., Apache Kafka, Apache Spark, Hadoop)
- Familiarity with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) and their data services
- Experience with containerization technologies (Docker, Kubernetes)
- Knowledge of data warehousing concepts and methodologies
- Experience with version control systems (e.g., Git) and CI/CD pipelines
- Understanding of satellite data formats (e.g., NetCDF, HDF5, CCSDS)
- Active CompTIA Security+ CE certification or working toward certification
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