Software Guidance & Assistance, Inc., (SGA), is searching for a Junior Big Data Engineer (AI-Forward) for a CONTRACT assignment with one of our premier Regulatory clients in the DMV area.
We are seeking an early-career Big Data Engineer who works AI-first. This role is for someone 1-2 years into their career who already treats AI tools as a core part of how they build, not an occasional autocomplete, and who has real projects to show for it.
You will build and maintain data pipelines alongside senior engineers using Spark, Python, and AWS. SQL and coding fundamentals matter, but we're not screening for deep expertise. We'll teach the data engineering. What we can't teach is the instinct to reach for AI, get a working prototype fast, and then have the judgment to know when the output is wrong.
The X factor: you've built something nobody asked you to build, largely with AI assistance, and you can explain both what it does and where the AI got it wrong.
Build and maintain data processing pipelines using Spark and Python, with mentorship from senior engineers
Use AI coding assistants as your default working mode for scaffolding pipelines, generating tests, understanding unfamiliar code, and drafting documentation, then review and validate everything before it ships. Write automated unit and integration tests for data quality, and debug pipeline failures using AI to speed up root-cause analysis
Document what you build and share what's working, including prompts, workflows, and AI patterns that made you faster
Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or related discipline with 1-2 years of relevant experience. Internships, co-ops, research work, open-source contributions, and substantial personal projects all count. AI Skills (Core Requirement)
Daily hands-on use of AI development tools such as GitHub Copilot, Q Developer, ChatGPT, Claude, Cursor, or Kiro
Critical validation: you can spot when AI code is subtly wrong, including bad edge-case handling, hallucinated APIs, and plausible-looking logic errors. Prototyping speed and workflow design: you've used AI to go from idea to working demo fast, and you've changed how you work to take advantage of it
Bonus: experience with AI agents, MCP servers, RAG, or LLM APIs in something you actually built
Solid programming ability in Python, writing clean, readable code you can explain line by line, with comfort using Git and code review
Working SQL: joins, aggregations, filtering, and awareness of NULLs and duplicates. Some exposure to Spark and AWS (S3 at minimum) in any setting, including coursework, internship, personal project, or free-tier Databricks, plus a basic grasp of why moving data between machines is expensive
Strong communication and fast learning, with the ability to explain a technical problem to someone who wasn't in your head and the instinct to ask for help early
At least one project you can walk us through, covering what you built, how you used AI to build it, what broke, and what you'd do differently
Comfortable pushing back respectfully, on people and on AI output
Prior Agile team experience (Scrum or Kanban)
Hackathons, Kaggle, technical blog posts, or AWS certifications
Financial Services exposure
By applying for a job with SGA, you agree to allow SGA to process your application for this and future opportunities in accordance with our Privacy Policy. Also, to ensure timely processing, you agree to be contacted by our AI recruiter via email, text, or phone. Message frequency varies and data rates may apply, but you can reply STOP to any SMS message to opt-out of texts and may contact SGA at to opt-out of AI communications. The choice not to engage with AI will not adversely impact your consideration for placement. AI is not used to make any hiring determinations.
We are a women-owned business. Our mission: to solve big IT problems with a more personal, boutique approach. You'll join a diverse team built on these core values: customer service, employee development, and quality and integrity in everything we do. SGA is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of Race, Color, Sex, Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, Religion, National Origin, Disability, Veteran Status, Age, Marital Status, Pregnancy, Genetic Information, or Other Legally Protected Status. We are committed to providing access, equal opportunity, and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, and our services, programs, and activities. Please visit our company EEO page to request an accommodation or assistance regarding our policy.
We are seeking an early-career Big Data Engineer who works AI-first. This role is for someone 1-2 years into their career who already treats AI tools as a core part of how they build, not an occasional autocomplete, and who has real projects to show for it.
You will build and maintain data pipelines alongside senior engineers using Spark, Python, and AWS. SQL and coding fundamentals matter, but we're not screening for deep expertise. We'll teach the data engineering. What we can't teach is the instinct to reach for AI, get a working prototype fast, and then have the judgment to know when the output is wrong.
The X factor: you've built something nobody asked you to build, largely with AI assistance, and you can explain both what it does and where the AI got it wrong.
Build and maintain data processing pipelines using Spark and Python, with mentorship from senior engineers
Use AI coding assistants as your default working mode for scaffolding pipelines, generating tests, understanding unfamiliar code, and drafting documentation, then review and validate everything before it ships. Write automated unit and integration tests for data quality, and debug pipeline failures using AI to speed up root-cause analysis
Document what you build and share what's working, including prompts, workflows, and AI patterns that made you faster
Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or related discipline with 1-2 years of relevant experience. Internships, co-ops, research work, open-source contributions, and substantial personal projects all count. AI Skills (Core Requirement)
Daily hands-on use of AI development tools such as GitHub Copilot, Q Developer, ChatGPT, Claude, Cursor, or Kiro
Critical validation: you can spot when AI code is subtly wrong, including bad edge-case handling, hallucinated APIs, and plausible-looking logic errors. Prototyping speed and workflow design: you've used AI to go from idea to working demo fast, and you've changed how you work to take advantage of it
Bonus: experience with AI agents, MCP servers, RAG, or LLM APIs in something you actually built
Solid programming ability in Python, writing clean, readable code you can explain line by line, with comfort using Git and code review
Working SQL: joins, aggregations, filtering, and awareness of NULLs and duplicates. Some exposure to Spark and AWS (S3 at minimum) in any setting, including coursework, internship, personal project, or free-tier Databricks, plus a basic grasp of why moving data between machines is expensive
Strong communication and fast learning, with the ability to explain a technical problem to someone who wasn't in your head and the instinct to ask for help early
At least one project you can walk us through, covering what you built, how you used AI to build it, what broke, and what you'd do differently
Comfortable pushing back respectfully, on people and on AI output
Prior Agile team experience (Scrum or Kanban)
Hackathons, Kaggle, technical blog posts, or AWS certifications
Financial Services exposure
By applying for a job with SGA, you agree to allow SGA to process your application for this and future opportunities in accordance with our Privacy Policy. Also, to ensure timely processing, you agree to be contacted by our AI recruiter via email, text, or phone. Message frequency varies and data rates may apply, but you can reply STOP to any SMS message to opt-out of texts and may contact SGA at to opt-out of AI communications. The choice not to engage with AI will not adversely impact your consideration for placement. AI is not used to make any hiring determinations.
We are a women-owned business. Our mission: to solve big IT problems with a more personal, boutique approach. You'll join a diverse team built on these core values: customer service, employee development, and quality and integrity in everything we do. SGA is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of Race, Color, Sex, Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, Religion, National Origin, Disability, Veteran Status, Age, Marital Status, Pregnancy, Genetic Information, or Other Legally Protected Status. We are committed to providing access, equal opportunity, and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, and our services, programs, and activities. Please visit our company EEO page to request an accommodation or assistance regarding our policy.
Junior Big Data Engineer (AI-Forward) (Tysons Corner) in tysons corner at Unknown Company
This position is listed as contract and onsite.