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Data Curator Jobs in Virginia (NOW HIRING)

Data Curation Lead

Arlington, VA ยท On-site

$160K - $210K/yr

Data Curation Lead Location: National Capital Region Category: Contingent Schedule (FT/PT): FT Travel Required: NA Shift: Day Remote Type: Remote Clearance required: Active Secret Clearance required ...

New

Chenega Military, Intelligence & Operations Support (MIOS) is seeking a Data Manager / Curator to support data governance, data lifecycle management, and data quality initiatives. The role involves ...

Req ID: 40891 Summary Data Manager / Curator Arlington, VA Are you ready to enhance your skills and build your career in a rapidly evolving business climate? Are you looking for a career where ...

Data Scientist

Herndon, VA ยท On-site +1

Working within a cross-functional team and reporting to a technical lead, you will operate across the machine learning development lifecycle, from data curation and synthetic data generation to model ...

Data Scientist

Herndon, VA ยท On-site

$106K - $180K/yr

Hands-on experience with data curation techniques for overhead imagery (optical or SAR) and computer vision model development * Experience building and maintaining ETL or data processing pipelines

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Data Curator information

See Virginia salary details

$25.3K

$72K

$118.5K

How much do data curator jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 29, 2026, the average yearly pay for data curator in Virginia is $72,004.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $49,600.00 and $93,200.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a Data Curator do?

A Data Curator is responsible for collecting, organizing, and maintaining datasets to ensure they are accurate, accessible, and usable for analysis. They work with data scientists, analysts, and other stakeholders to standardize metadata, establish data governance policies, and improve data quality. Data Curators often clean and enrich datasets, manage data repositories, and ensure compliance with regulatory standards. Their role is essential in making data more discoverable and valuable for decision-making and research.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in the Data Curator position, and why are they important?

Success as a Data Curator requires strong analytical abilities, attention to detail, and a background in information management, data science, or a related field. Familiarity with data management tools, metadata standards (such as Dublin Core), and systems like relational databases and data repositories is highly advantageous, and certifications in data governance or data management can be beneficial. Excellent organizational skills, effective communication, and a collaborative mindset are key soft skills for this role. Mastery of these skills ensures data assets are accurately cataloged, accessible, and usable for stakeholders, supporting effective decision-making and research outcomes.

How to become a data curator?

To become a data curator, you typically need a bachelor's degree in information science, library science, computer science, or a related field. Developing skills in data management, metadata standards, and data curation tools such as Excel, SQL, or specialized software is essential, along with experience in data organization and quality control. Certifications in data management or related areas can enhance job prospects.

How much does a data curator make?

The average salary for a data curator typically ranges from $50,000 to $85,000 per year, depending on experience, education, and industry. Entry-level roles may start around $45,000, while experienced professionals with specialized skills in data management and metadata standards can earn higher salaries.

What qualifications do I need to be a curator?

A data curator typically needs a bachelor's degree in information science, library science, computer science, or a related field. Strong skills in data management, metadata standards, and familiarity with data curation tools are important, along with attention to detail and organizational abilities.

What does a data curator do?

A data curator is responsible for collecting, organizing, and maintaining data to ensure its quality, accuracy, and accessibility. They often use data management tools and follow standards to prepare data for analysis or sharing within organizations.

What does a typical day look like for a Data Curator, and who do they usually collaborate with?

A typical day for a Data Curator involves collecting, organizing, and annotating datasets, maintaining data integrity, and updating records to comply with quality standards. Data Curators frequently work alongside data analysts, researchers, and IT professionals to ensure data is properly structured and easily accessible for various projects. You may also interact with data stewards or subject matter experts to validate metadata or resolve inconsistencies. Collaboration and communication are integral to the role, as you help bridge technical teams and end users, ensuring that data systems meet the evolving needs of the organization.

What are the most commonly searched types of Data Curator jobs in Virginia? The most popular types of Data Curator jobs in Virginia are:
What job categories do people searching Data Curator jobs in Virginia look for? The top searched job categories for Data Curator jobs in Virginia are:
What cities in Virginia are hiring for Data Curator jobs? Cities in Virginia with the most Data Curator job openings:
Infographic showing various Data Curator job openings in Virginia as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 100% Full Time. Highlights an 60% In-person, and 40% Hybrid job distribution, with an average salary of $72,004 per year, or $34.6 per hour.

Data Curation Lead

ACT1 Federal

Arlington, VA โ€ข On-site

$160K - $210K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 3 days ago

New


Job description

Position Title: Data Curation Lead
Location: National Capital Region
Category: Contingent
Schedule (FT/PT): FT
Travel Required: NA
Shift: Day
Remote Type: Remote
Clearance required: Active Secret Clearance required
Division: Aviation
Salary: $160,000-$210,000
***THIS POSITION IS CONTINGENT UPON CONTRACT AWARD***
Who is ACT1 Federal? ACT1 Federal LLC is a 100% employee-owned company. We've served the Department of Defense (DoD) for nearly thirty years. Our core missions include weapon systems engineering, logistics, space domain expertise, global defense and security, business and financial management for security assistance and major defense articles, as well as military training and arctic security. Join us!
Description: Perform data curation, metadata tagging, and data quality preparation activities on CSDR submission data in support of the CSDR data ingestion environment maintained by the Government. The objective is to ensure that CSDR submissions - the Cost Data Report (Flexfile and 1921 series), the Quantity Data Report, the Technical Data Report, the SRDR, and the M&R, and the CBDR - are properly tagged, normalized, and quality-checked as they move from the submission state into the downstream cost estimating analytical environment. This task is performed as recurring data stewardship in support of the CSDR mission and is not pipeline development.
Responsibilities:
  • Review CSDR submissions for data quality issues including missing values, internal inconsistencies, mis-aligned WBS elements, inflation/escalation treatment, and other issues that would impede downstream analytical use.
  • Apply normalization treatments as directed by the AFCAA technical lead, including WBS alignment to the CADE Standard WBS, Cost Element Structure (CES) standardization, and inflation/price-escalation adjustments.
  • Document each cleansing and normalization action taken on each submission such that the original-submitted data and the curated data remain distinguishable and traceable.
  • Apply metadata tags to CSDR submissions consistent with the AFCAA-approved metadata schema, including programmatic identifiers (program, contract, contractor, contract line item, reporting period, submission type, ACAT level, commodity area, and other approved tags).
  • Where new tags are required to support emerging cost estimating analytical needs, the contractor shall recommend additions or modifications to the metadata schema to the AFCAA technical lead for Government concurrence prior to implementation. The contractor shall not unilaterally modify the approved schema.
  • Apply technical parameter tagging to Technical Data Report submissions to support discoverability and traceability of form, fit, and function parameters across the program portfolio.
  • Perform focused curation of Quantity Data Report submissions, including standardization of quantity-time phasing representations, reconciliation of quantity reporting against contract and program quantities, and tagging of quantity data to support downstream cost-per-unit and learning-curve analysis.
  • Perform focused curation of Technical Data Report submissions, including extraction and structured tagging of form, fit, and function parameters; mapping to the approved CSDR Plan technical parameter list; and identification of parameter gaps relative to the cost estimating community's known analytical needs.
  • Provide recommendations to the AFCAA technical lead on improvements to the Quantity Data Report and Technical Data Report planning templates and tagging conventions based on patterns observed during curation.
  • Perform upstream data preparation activities required for CSDR submissions to be ingested by Government-maintained data infrastructure. These activities are limited to data preparation, tagging, normalization, and quality-check actions performed on the CSDR submission data itself. Configuration, modification, or development of Government data infrastructure is not in scope for this PWS.
  • Coordinate with Government data engineers on data format, tagging, and quality issues that affect downstream ingestion.
  • Maintain documentation of curation rules, tagging conventions applied, normalization procedures, and data quality findings sufficient for Government personnel to understand, audit, and reproduce the curation work performed.
  • Deliver curation and tagging documentation

Key Skills and Experience:
  • Data Curation and Stewardship: Demonstrated experience curating large, structured datasets, including data quality assessment, normalization, and traceable documentation of curation actions.
  • Metadata and Tagging: Demonstrated experience designing and applying metadata schemas and programmatic tags to structured data, with familiarity with cost-data tagging conventions (program identifier, contract identifier, WBS, CES, ACAT level, commodity).
  • CSDR Submission Familiarity: Working familiarity with the CSDR submission set, including the Cost Data Report (FlexFile and 1921-series), the Quantity Data Report, the Technical Data Report, the SRDR, and the M&R.
  • Programming and Data Manipulation: Proficiency in Python and SQL, with practical experience using data-manipulation libraries (Pandas, NumPy, or equivalent) for cleansing and transformation of structured data.
  • Data Pipeline Familiarity: Familiarity with data pipeline concepts (ETL/ELT, staging, quality checks) sufficient to support upstream data preparation work. The Key Personnel is not expected to design or develop Government pipelines under this PWS but shall coordinate effectively with the Government pipeline owners.
  • Tools Proficiency: Working knowledge of CADE, DACIMS, cPet, PPM, and CSDR-SR submission systems; working familiarity with DAF Data Fabric platforms including VAULT and Envision.
  • Documentation and Communication: Strong written documentation skills; ability to communicate data curation findings and tagging recommendations clearly to both cost analyst and data engineering audiences.

Requirements:
  • Bachelor's degree.
  • Must have at least ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience in data engineering, data curation, or data science with substantial experience working with DoW cost data, CSDR submissions, or comparable structured technical/financial reporting data.
  • CSDR experience is mandatory.
  • Expertise shall include a strong understanding of CSDR policy, planning, validation, compliance, and the CADE application.
  • Active Secret Clearance required.

Benefits:
  • Medical/Dental/Vision Insurance
  • ACT1 Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)
  • Company Paid Life and AD&D Insurance
  • Company Paid Short-Term Disability
  • Voluntary Long-Term Disability
  • Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
  • Health Savings Account (HSA)
  • 401K with employer match
  • Paid Time Off
  • Paid Holidays
  • Parental Leave
  • Military Leave
  • Education, Training & Professional Development
  • Voluntary Accidental Injury/Critical Illness/Hospital Care
  • Voluntary Pet Insurance, Legal Resources, and Identity Protection

Our people-first culture prioritizes the benefits of flexibility and collaboration, whether that happens in person or remotely.
  • If this position is listed as remote or hybrid, you'll periodically work from a ACT1 Federal or client site facility.
  • If this position is listed as onsite, you'll work with colleagues and clients in person, as needed for the specific role.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to disability, status as a protected veteran or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, local or international law.