Data Engineer, Zero Trust Program (USSOCOM) - Senior

Athenix Special Missions is seeking a Data Engineer, Zero Trust Program (USSOCOM) - Senior Position in MacDill Air Force Base (Tampa), Florida!

ASM Quality Policy: To meet or exceed our customers' expectations for quality, delivery, and service through continual improvement, striving to meet our objectives, and committing to meeting all legal and statutory requirements

Must be a U.S. Citizen

Location: MacDill AFB, Florida

Clearance Requirement: Active DoD TS/SCI Clearance

We are seeking a highly technical Data Engineer to drive the massive data discovery and classification effort for the Zero Trust initiative at U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). Before data can be protected, it must be found and understood. You will be responsible for illuminating "dark data" across the Command's complex information environment, ranging from hyperscale cloud data lakes on NIPR to legacy file shares and isolated storage arrays on the SIPR and Top-Secret networks.

As a Data Engineer, you will architect and manage the deployment of advanced discovery platforms, specifically BigID and NetApp BlueXP. You will configure these tools to crawl petabytes of structured (SQL/Oracle), semi-structured (logs/NoSQL), and unstructured (SharePoint/File Shares) data. Your primary mission is to build the "Global Data Inventory"-a dynamic, real-time map of where sensitive CUI and classified intelligence resides-enabling the security teams to apply precision protection. You will use your knowledge of data pipelines and storage infrastructure to ensure that scanning operations provide 100% visibility without degrading network performance.

Responsibilities

• Data Discovery Architecture: Deploy and manage BigID and NetApp BlueXP scanners across hybrid environments, including configuring dockerized collectors for air-gapped discovery on the Top-Secret network.
• Structured Data Mapping: Connect discovery tools to enterprise databases (SQL Server, Oracle, PostgreSQL) to scan schemas and columns for PII, DoD ID numbers, and other sensitive indicators without impacting database performance.
• Unstructured Data Crawling: Configure scans for massive file repositories (NetApp NAS, QNAP, SharePoint On-Premises), optimizing scan windows and throttling to prevent latency for mission users.
• Cloud Data Integration: Utilize Microsoft Purview Data Map and custom connectors to inventory data residing in AWS S3 buckets, Azure Blobs, and Data Lakes.
• Classification Tuning: Collaborate with mission owners to train Machine Learning (ML) classifiers to recognize unique USSOCOM data types (e.g., mission names, operational codes) and reduce false positive rates in the data inventory.

Requirements

Minimum Clearance Required to Start

• Active Top-Secret clearance with SCI eligibility.

Required Experience & Skills ("Must-Haves")

• Data Discovery Expertise: Proven experience deploying and managing enterprise data discovery and governance platforms such as BigID, Varonis, NetApp BlueXP (Data Sense), or Informatica.
• Storage & Database Knowledge: Strong understanding of storage protocols (NFS, SMB/CIFS, S3) and database structures (SQL, NoSQL) to troubleshoot connectivity and scanning access.
• Containerization: Proficiency with Kubernetes and Docker, as many modern discovery collectors are deployed as containerized microservices.
• Data Handling: Experience dealing with large-scale data inventories (Petabyte scale) and understanding of data lineage and provenance concepts.
• Senior
  • Education: MA/MS
  • Years: 10+
  • A Senior labor category has over 10 years of experience and a MA/MS degree. A Senior labor category typically works on high-visibility or mission critical aspects of a given program and performs all functional duties independently. A Senior labor category may oversee the efforts of less senior staff and/or be responsible for the efforts of all staff assigned to a specific job.

Preferred Experience & Skills ("Nice-to-Haves")

• Experience with Microsoft Purview Data Map (formerly Azure Purview).
• Knowledge of Regex for custom data pattern definition.
• Background in Data Engineering or ETL pipeline development.
• Familiarity with USSOCOM network architecture and storage standards.

Certifications

• Required: CompTIA Security+ CE (or higher) to meet DoD 8570 IAT Level II requirements.
• Preferred: Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA).
• Preferred: Azure Data Engineer Associate or BigID Certified Professional.

Why Athenix Special Missions?

Athenix Special Missions is a world leader in designing, building, and developing realistic training exercises for Special Operations, conventional forces, and partner nations. Our experience ranges from planning individual team training events to executing 2,000-person joint exercises.

Our mission-tailored solutions include tactical and strategic training events and exercises and often integrate live forces with virtual and constructive training domains. By bringing together the right combination of subject-matter expertise, domain insight, and advanced technology, we help improve mission readiness, increase situational awareness, and enhance performance.

Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability and protected veteran status