Principal Data Engineer Jobs in Virginia (NOW HIRING)

Iridium is an award-winning and innovative satellite communications company with bragging rights to the only network that offers voice and data connectivity anywhere in the world.   For over 20 years, Iridium's unique network and services have supported critical communications needs for individuals, businesses, and the evolving Internet of Things.

At Iridium, we understand the importance of staying connected and the limitations of traditional communications networks. People across the globe, including first responders, humanitarians, global militaries, scientific researchers, and lone workers, as well as ships, aircraft and remote operations all rely on Iridium to stay connected. We take our responsibility for providing these essential communications very seriously and pride ourselves on offering a reliable lifeline when needed.  Likewise, Iridium is committed to providing an exciting and innovative workplace, where employees are challenged to think outside the box and collaborate on new, bold ideas and solutions.  Our talented teams are passionate about their work and the impact our company makes around the world.  Iridium fosters an empowering and inclusive culture that allows employees to genuinely be their best selves.   We are looking for others who want to join this truly unique company that celebrates our employees and provides the opportunity to truly make a difference in the world.

Iridium is seeking a Principal Data Engineer with 10+ years of experience to serve as the technical leader for our modern data platform, driving the architecture, engineering standards, and evolution of our enterprise data ecosystem. As a Principal Data Engineer, you will bridge the disciplines of data engineering and analytics engineering, transforming raw enterprise data into scalable, trusted, and business-ready data products while establishing the technical standards that underpin our modern data platform- this role bridges the gap between raw data and business-facing analytics. You will be responsible for building robust data pipelines, architecting our data warehouse layers, and creating clean, documented data/semantic models that empower the entire organization. In this role, you will also act as a technical leader, establishing standards and mentoring engineers.

• Use your data modeling and transformation skills to transform raw data into business ready dimensional models/star schemas, data marts and semantic models that support robust self-service Business Intelligence and AI
• Design, build, and optimize scalable end-to-end ELT/ETL pipelines to ingest structured and unstructured data from diverse sources
• Develop automated scheduling, monitoring, and orchestration to guarantee data freshness and pipeline reliability
• Partner with data owners and governance stakeholders to establish data governance policies / procedures to ensure data quality and compliance, and implement robust data security measures to protect sensitive data 
• Work closely with business stakeholders and the IT analytics team to understand data requirements, translate them into technical specifications, and collaborate with data engineers to implement data solutions
• Communicate data platform architecture and capabilities to technical and non-technical teams
• Assist in the development and delivery of training for data & analytic platform capabilities and content
• Exercise technical authority over projects and provide technical leadership and mentoring to the team
• Mentor and guide junior data engineers, fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Information Systems or a related field of study
• 10+ years related experience in leading complex technical projects, DataOps, and data engineering
• Expertise in designing data models for different data types and use cases 
• Deep experience with relational databases, including advanced SQL skills
• Experience with modern cloud data platforms and tools such as Snowflake, Databricks, dbt, etc.
• Familiarity with data warehouse concepts, data lake architecture, and data analytics tools 
• Proficiency in cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) for data storage and processing 
• Understanding of data governance principles, data privacy regulations and best practices for data security
• Knowledge of programming languages like Python, Java, or Scala for data processing and automation 
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to convey products, deliverables, analyses, and/or issues clearly and confidently, and recognize and adapt to different communication techniques
• Familiarity with agile development processes and tools (JIRA, GIT, Confluence, etc.)
• The ability to build meaningful relationships with others, including senior leadership outside of your own department, and comfort in providing constructive feedback to your team members and management
• Be able to analyze a situation or problem, generate effective solutions, and see those solutions through to completion 
• Can thrive in a dynamic environment by handling multiple tasks and managing shifting priorities 
• Be proactive in sharing knowledge you've learned with others 

• Advanced degree in Engineering, Information Systems or a related field of study
• Experience in telecommunications, ground networks, and/or satellite communications industry
• Familiarity with agile development tools (JIRA, GIT, Confluence, etc.)
• Strong knowledge of data engineering methodologies, DevOps/DataOps & Agile processes

• Be able to travel occasionally (quarterly)
• Be able to work a hybrid schedule that includes at least 60% of your time (3 days per week) in-office and 2 days from home 
• Be a US Citizen

This position primarily works in an office setting and is largely sedentary with the majority of the position working with a computer. The role typically requires the use of basic office equipment such as a phone, video, computer, keyboard, mouse, and printer. 

We believe in-person connection drives innovation, strengthens mentorship, and builds culture, while flexibility enables employees to do their best work. Under Iridium's Hybrid Work Policy, employees are expected to work at least three days per week (approximately 60%) in an Iridium office to support collaboration, relationship-building, and professional growth.

Additional Information

This job description outlines the general nature and level of work for this role and is not a comprehensive list of duties, responsibilities, or qualifications. Employees may be assigned additional responsibilities as needed.

Base Pay Range: $140,000 - $192,000 USD

Actual compensation will be determined based on a variety of factors and this range represents an estimate of compensation at the time of posting. Base salary is only one part of our compensation package for this role. You may also be eligible for company stock and annual bonus. Employee benefits also include medical, dental, and vision insurance coverage; 401(k) retirement plan options; paid time off and paid holidays; paid parental leave; and other discounts and perks.  

Iridium is an Equal Opportunity Employer, including individuals with disabilities and protected veterans.