Streaming Data Architect - Real-Time IoT Streaming Infrastructure | NATS/Kafka
$140,000–$155,000 year
HybridAberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, United States
Job Summary
Architect, design, and implement high-performance streaming data platforms using NATS for IoT sensor data ingestion, processing, and distribution. Define message schemas, subject taxonomies, and data governance patterns for real-time event-driven systems while developing scalable pipelines for high-throughput, low-latency sensor data. Collaborate with engineering teams to establish data models, communication protocols, and ingestion strategies across diverse devices, integrating components seamlessly with cloud systems and downstream analytics. Optimize architecture for reliability and fault-tolerance in heterogeneous or constrained environments, including UDP-based communications and edge computing patterns. Requires active Secret clearance, US citizenship, and 8–10 years of experience with Kafka, NATS, or similar tools. Remote role with preference for proximity to Springfield, VA; up to 25% travel to Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD.
Required Qualifications
- 8–10 years of experience in data engineering, distributed systems, or related fields with significant focus on real-time or streaming architectures
- Hands-on experience with enterprise-scale streaming/messaging technologies (Kafka, NATS, Pulsar, or equivalent)
- Proven experience designing, building, and operating distributed streaming platforms for IoT or telemetry-driven workloads
- Strong background in defining message schemas, subject hierarchies/taxonomies, and structured approaches to event data organization
- Deep understanding of streaming data patterns, event-driven architecture, and high-volume messaging systems
- Solid grounding in cloud-native architectures (AWS, Azure, or GCP)
- Active Secret clearance
- US Citizenship
- Must be available for up to 25% travel
- Must be located in proximity to Springfield, VA and greater DC area for access to Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD
- Successful completion of a background screening/check/investigation
Desired Qualifications
- Direct experience building production systems with NATS (JetStream, NATS Server, client libraries, subject design)
- Experience with IoT sensor data, telemetry systems, or device communication protocols
- Experience with UDP-based communications (e.g., QUIC), especially in latency-sensitive environments
- Experience in tactical or DDIL (Denied, Disrupted, Intermittent, Limited) operational environments
- Proficiency with Go for back-end or streaming service development
- Familiarity with edge computing patterns and bridging device-to-cloud data flows
- Strong communication and collaboration skills
- Ability to explain complex distributed system concepts clearly and guide teams on architectural best practices
- A focus on performance, reliability, and continuous improvement
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