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Lead Data Engineer Jobs in Virginia (NOW HIRING)

Two Six Technologies

Lead Data Engineer

Arlington, VA · On-site

$117K - $155K/yr

Two Six Technologies is seeking an experienced and motivated Lead Data Engineer to work within a cross-functional development team focused on advancing a state of the art in mission tracking ...

Capital One

Lead Data Engineer (Bank Tech)

Mclean, VA · On-site

Lead Data Engineer (Bank Tech) Do you love building and pioneering in the technology space? Do you enjoy solving complex business problems in a fast-paced, collaborative, inclusive, and iterative ...

Capital One

Lead Data Engineer (Bank Tech)

Mclean, VA · On-site

Lead Data Engineer (Bank Tech) Do you love building and pioneering in the technology space? Do you enjoy solving complex business problems in a fast-paced, collaborative, inclusive, and iterative ...

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Showing results 41-60

All JobsLead Data Engineer JobsLead Data Engineer Jobs in Virginia

Lead Data Engineer information

See Virginia salary details

$42.1K

$122.7K

$179K

How much do lead data engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 8, 2026, the average yearly pay for lead data engineer in Virginia is $122,723.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $101,600.00 and $133,800.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

How does a lead data engineer typically collaborate with data scientists and other engineering teams?

As a Lead Data Engineer, you play a central role in bridging the gap between raw data and actionable insights. You’ll collaborate closely with data scientists to understand their requirements, ensuring data pipelines deliver clean, reliable datasets for modeling and analysis. Additionally, you’ll work with software engineers and DevOps teams to integrate data solutions into production systems, maintain data infrastructure, and uphold best practices for data governance and security. Effective communication and cross-functional teamwork are key aspects of this role.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a lead data engineer?

To thrive as a Lead Data Engineer, you need advanced expertise in data architecture, database design, and programming languages like Python or Scala, typically supported by a degree in computer science or a related field. Familiarity with big data technologies (e.g., Hadoop, Spark), cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP), and relevant certifications such as Google Professional Data Engineer are highly valued. Strong leadership, problem-solving abilities, and effective communication help drive team performance and translate business needs into technical solutions. These skills ensure robust, scalable data pipelines and successful collaboration across technical and business stakeholders.

What is the difference between Lead Data Engineer vs Data Engineer?

AspectLead Data EngineerData Engineer
CredentialsBachelor's/Master's in CS, Data Science, or related; often certifications in cloud platforms or data toolsBachelor's in CS, Data Science, or related; similar certifications
Work EnvironmentLeads data projects, mentors teams, designs architectureBuilds data pipelines, maintains databases, implements data solutions
Industry UsageUsed in organizations with complex data needs, overseeing data teamsCommon in companies handling large-scale data processing

The main difference is that Lead Data Engineers oversee data projects and teams, focusing on architecture and strategy, while Data Engineers focus on building and maintaining data pipelines. Both roles require similar skills and certifications, but the Lead Data Engineer has additional leadership responsibilities.

What is a lead data engineer?

Lead Data Engineers are senior professionals responsible for designing, building, and managing large-scale data systems and architectures within an organization. They oversee data engineering teams, set technical standards, and ensure efficient data flow and storage. Their role involves collaborating with data scientists, analysts, and other stakeholders to deliver reliable data solutions that support business goals. Lead Data Engineers also mentor junior engineers and help define best practices and strategies for data management.
What are popular job titles related to Lead Data Engineer jobs in Virginia? For Lead Data Engineer jobs in Virginia, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Lead Data Engineer jobs in Virginia look for? The top searched job categories for Lead Data Engineer jobs in Virginia are:
Lead Data Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Lead Data Engineer job openings in Virginia as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 100% Contract. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $122,723 per year, or $59 per hour.

Lead Data Engineer

Two Six Technologies

Arlington, VA • On-site

$117K - $155K/yr

Full-time

Posted 10 days ago

Job description

Overview of Opportunity:
Two Six Technologies is seeking an experienced and motivated Lead Data Engineer to work within a cross-functional development team focused on advancing a state of the art in mission tracking technology enhanced by artificial intelligence and machine learning.  The work will be located in our Arlington, Virginia office 

Responsibilities:

  • Partner across teams to design and support the implementation of a seamless, decentralized, and secure data sharing framework that ensures consistent data exchange across different platform instances.
  • Work closely with backend and database teams to align storage strategies across relational, indexing, and specialized time-series engines, balancing fast retrieval with long-term persistence.
  • Maintain and align complex, multi-domain data models utilized across dozens of microservices, ensuring data integrity, strict contract management, and system-wide consistency.
  • Collaborate with infrastructure and platform teams to adapt and scale data systems as computational needs evolve, ensuring seamless performance across both bare-metal and cloud environments.
  • Collaborate on the design and implementation of resilient data patterns (such as CQRS and secure store-and-forward pipelines) to guarantee data security, integrity, and strict access controls in a distributed microservices environment.

Requirements:

  • Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field or comparable experience 
  • Languages: 6+ years of professional software development experience, with deep expertise in Python and/or Go (Golang) within highly distributed environments.
  • Databases: 4+ years of hands-on experience designing and optimizing relational schemas in PostgreSQL, alongside experience utilizing Elasticsearch for high-performance indexing and retrieval.
  • Streaming & Caching: 3+ years of experience implementing and scaling event-driven architectures with distributed message brokers like Kafka, and leveraging Redis (or similar key-value stores) for high-speed caching.
  • Eligibility to obtain and maintain a TS security clearance.

Nice to have:

  • Exposure to DevSecOps and Agile environments and processes
  • Proficient understanding of code versioning tools, such as Git
  • A self-driven work ethic and a willingness to jump in and solve hard problems
  • Adept at simplifying and communicating complex ideas
  • Experience with Kubernetes, AWS, Docker, a plus
  • DoD 8570 Level II or Level III Certification, for example, Comptia Security + or CISSP

Security Clearance:

  • Eligibility to obtain a government clearance if required/needed. 

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