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Principal Data Engineer Jobs in Washington (NOW HIRING)

Leidos

Principal Data Engineer

Bethesda, MD · On-site

Leidos has an exciting opportunity for a Data Engineer in our Intel Sector's Analysis Solutions Business Area . Our talented team is at the forefront in Security Engineering, Computer Network ...

Leidos

Principal Data Engineer

Bethesda, MD · On-site

Leidos has an exciting opportunity for a Data Engineer in our Intel Sector's Analysis Solutions Business Area . Our talented team is at the forefront in Security Engineering, Computer Network ...

IC-CAP LLC

Senior Principal Data Engineer 114-005

Herndon, VA · On-site

$129K - $177K/yr

Senior Principal DATA ENGINEER : The selected candidate will perform data engineering associated with synchronizing new and existing systems for DIA as part of the Five Eyes partner alliance. The ...

MasterCard

Senior Principal, Data Engineering

Arlington, VA · On-site

$144K - $199K/yr

Mastercard Services Technology is seeking a Senior Principal Data Engineer to help drive our mission of unlocking the full potential of our data assets through innovation, automation, and engineering ...

eSimplicity

Principal Data Lead

Columbia, MD · On-site

$188K - $200K/yr

Our engineers, designers, and strategists cut through complexity to create intuitive products and ... Position overview The Principal Data Lead will lead data strategy execution, data supply chain ...

eSimplicity

Principal Data Lead

Columbia, MD · On-site

$188K - $200K/yr

Our engineers, designers, and strategists cut through complexity to create intuitive products and ... Position overview The Principal Data Lead will lead data strategy execution, data supply chain ...

eSimplicity

Principal Data Lead

Columbia, MD · On-site

$188K - $200K/yr

Our engineers, designers, and strategists cut through complexity to create intuitive products and ... Position overview The Principal Data Lead will lead data strategy execution, data supply chain ...

Leidos

Principal Data Flow Engineer

Columbia, MD · On-site

$154K - $278K/yr

The Principal Data Flow Engineer is a senior technical leader responsible for designing, integrating, and sustaining enterprise-scale dataflow architectures that support mission-critical analytics ...

Leidos

Principal Data Flow Engineer

Columbia, MD

$154K - $278K/yr

The Principal Data Flow Engineer is a senior technical leader responsible for designing, integrating, and sustaining enterprise-scale dataflow architectures that support mission-critical analytics ...

Leonardo DRS

Principal Data Scientist

Germantown, MD · On-site

$134K - $181K/yr

Join our radar defense team as a Principal Data Scientist and take a leading role in how we ensure ... Mentor data engineers and scientists; document assumptions, methods, and limitations; and champion ...

Leonardo DRS

Principal Data Scientist

Germantown, MD

$134K - $181K/yr

Join our radar defense team as a Principal Data Scientist and take a leading role in how we ensure ... Mentor data engineers and scientists; document assumptions, methods, and limitations; and champion ...

Leonardo DRS

Principal Data Scientist

Germantown, MD · On-site

$134.33 - $181.35/hr

Job Summary DRS RADA Technologies is hiring a Principal Data Scientist on-site in Germantown, MD ... Mentor data engineers and scientists, document assumptions, methods, and limitations, and champion ...

Capital One

Principal Data Analyst

Mclean, VA · On-site

Principal Data Analyst At Capital One, data is at the center of everything we do. When we launched ... Degree specialized in a Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics discipline * Scripting ...

Capital One

Principal Data Analyst

Mclean, VA · On-site

Principal Data Analyst At Capital One, data is at the center of everything we do. When we launched ... Degree specialized in a Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics discipline * Scripting ...

Steampunk

Lead Data Architect

Mclean, VA · Remote

This role operates at the intersection of architecture, engineering, analytics, AI, and mission strategy. The Principal Data Solution Architect shapes the vision for how data is collected, governed ...

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Showing results 1-20

All JobsPrincipal Data Engineer JobsPrincipal Data Engineer Jobs in Washington

Principal Data Engineer information

See Washington salary details

$83.8K

$166.7K

$240.7K

How much do principal data engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 26, 2026, the average yearly pay for principal data engineer in Washington is $166,741.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $134,200.00 and $195,900.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

Can I make 200K as a Data Engineer?

Principal Data Engineers with extensive experience, advanced skills in cloud platforms, and expertise in big data tools can earn salaries around or above $200,000 annually, especially in high-cost-of-living areas or senior roles. Compensation varies based on location, industry, company size, and individual qualifications, with some senior data engineers earning close to or exceeding this figure.

What are the typical daily responsibilities of a Principal Data Engineer?

As a Principal Data Engineer, your day-to-day responsibilities generally include designing and optimizing large-scale data pipelines, developing architectural strategies, and overseeing the implementation of robust data solutions. You'll collaborate closely with data scientists, analysts, and software engineers to ensure the organization's data infrastructure is efficient, scalable, and secure. You may also mentor junior team members, review code, and set data engineering best practices. This role frequently requires balancing hands-on technical work with strategic planning and stakeholder communication to align data initiatives with business goals.

What is a Principal Data Engineer job?

A Principal Data Engineer is a senior-level technical role responsible for designing, building, and maintaining large-scale data infrastructure. They lead data engineering teams, establish best practices, and ensure efficient data pipelines to support analytics and machine learning. This role involves working with cloud platforms, big data technologies, and distributed systems to optimize data processing. Principal Data Engineers collaborate with data scientists, analysts, and business stakeholders to drive data-driven decision-making. Their work is critical in enabling organizations to leverage data effectively for insights and innovation.

What engineers make 300,000 a year?

Principal Data Engineers and senior engineering roles in fields like software, cloud, and machine learning often have salaries reaching or exceeding $300,000 annually, especially with extensive experience, advanced skills, and in high-demand industries. Compensation can include base salary, bonuses, and stock options, particularly at large tech companies or startups with significant funding.

What does a principal Data Engineer do?

A principal Data Engineer designs, develops, and maintains large-scale data systems and pipelines to support data analysis and business decision-making. They often lead data architecture initiatives, ensure data quality and security, and collaborate with data scientists and engineers using tools like SQL, Spark, and cloud platforms. This role typically requires extensive experience in data engineering and strong problem-solving skills.

What engineer makes $500,000 a year?

Principal Data Engineers or senior engineering roles in high-demand industries can earn $500,000 or more annually, especially with extensive experience, advanced skills in data architecture, and leadership responsibilities. Compensation at this level often includes base salary, bonuses, and stock options, typically found in large tech companies or organizations with significant data infrastructure needs.

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

To thrive as a Principal Data Engineer, you need a deep understanding of data architecture, data modeling, ETL development, and distributed computing, often supported by a degree in computer science or a related field. Proficiency with technologies such as Hadoop, Spark, Python, SQL, and cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud), as well as certifications in relevant tools or data engineering, is highly valuable. Strong leadership, problem-solving skills, and effective cross-functional communication are essential soft skills for this role. These combined abilities enable Principal Data Engineers to design scalable data solutions, drive engineering best practices, and lead complex projects to successful completion.

What are the most commonly searched types of Principal Data Engineer jobs in Washington? The most popular types of Principal Data Engineer jobs in Washington are:
What are popular job titles related to Principal Data Engineer jobs in Washington? For Principal Data Engineer jobs in Washington, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Principal Data Engineer jobs in Washington look for? The top searched job categories for Principal Data Engineer jobs in Washington are:
What cities in Washington are hiring for Principal Data Engineer jobs? Cities in Washington with the most Principal Data Engineer job openings:
Principal Data Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Principal Data Engineer job openings in Washington as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 100% Full Time. Highlights an 67% In-person, and 33% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $166,741 per year, or $80.2 per hour.
Principal Data Engineer

Principal Data Engineer

Leidos

Bethesda, MD • On-site

Full-time

Retirement, PTO

Posted 27 days ago

Leidos rating

8.4

Company rating: 8.4 out of 10

Based on 149 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

67th of 487 rated business services

Job description

Leidos has an exciting opportunity for a Data Engineer in our Intel Sector's Analysis Solutions Business Area. Our talented team is at the forefront in Security Engineering, Computer Network Operations (CNO), Mission Software, Analytical Methods and Modeling, Signals Intelligence (SIGINT), and Cryptographic Key Management. At Leidos, we offer competitive benefits, including Paid Time Off, 11 paid Holidays, 401K with a 6% company match and immediate vesting, Flexible Schedules, Discounted Stock Purchase Plans, Technical Upskilling, Education and Training Support, Parental Paid Leave, and much more. Join us and make a difference in National Security!
Job Summary
We are seeking an experienced Data Engineer to execute the design, development and administration of an enterprise-scale Next Generation Correlation/Entity Resolution platform. This position supports a mission-critical system that serves as a foundational data exploitation capability servicing multiple applications/use cases. The ideal candidate will possess deep expertise in master data management, probabilistic matching algorithms and entity resolution, with the technical architecture skills required to optimize match performance at scale. This role supports technical planning, design, development, integration, and verification and validation. This role refines customer roadmaps, enterprise epics, and strategic requirements into detailed requirements and actionable user stories. This role coordinates with the team leadership to prioritize user stories that realize customer requirements.
Primary Responsibilities:
  • Platform Development & Administration: Design, develop, and maintain probabilistic matching configurations, algorithms, and scoring models to ensure accurate entity resolution across multi-domain data sources.
  • Entity Relationship Management: Analyze and connect records to determine relationships across datasets, creating accurate master data views that improve data quality and compliance readiness.
  • Full Lifecycle Management: Oversee data model design, implementation, testing, deployment, and environment administration to ensure high availability and performance.
  • Matching & Resolution Expertise: Configure and optimize standardization, bucketing, and comparison algorithms; design custom rules, weights, and thresholds; and apply advanced techniques to consolidate records across disparate sources.
  • Quality & Effectiveness Monitoring: Perform match tuning, false positive/negative analysis, threshold optimization, and maintain data quality scorecards and effectiveness metrics.
  • Performance & Scalability: Optimize database performance through indexing, partitioning, and query tuning; monitor systems; and conduct capacity planning and performance testing.
  • Collaboration & Leadership: Partner with stakeholders to translate requirements into solutions, document architecture and procedures, and participate in incident response and root cause analysis.

Basic Qualifications:
  • Hands-on experience with probabilistic matching and entity resolution solutions, including translating business requirements into technical configurations
  • Strong knowledge of entity resolution concepts, data linkage theory, and matching algorithms (Fellegi-Sunter, distance metrics, phonetic approaches)
  • Expertise in data quality dimensions, tokenization, standardization, and normalization techniques to improve matching effectiveness
  • Advanced analytical and problem-solving skills with proven experience in data analysis and pattern recognition
  • Proficiency in SQL and enterprise relational databases (Oracle) within large-scale environments, including performance tuning for high-volume transactional systems
  • Experience with enterprise ETL platforms, data integration tools, and maintaining large-scale, cloud-based Linux information systems
  • Familiarity with Agile development methodologies and collaborative software delivery practices
  • BS degree with 12 or more years of relevant experience; or Masters degree with 10 or more years of relevant experience. Will consider additional relevant work experience in lieu of a degree.
  • Must have an active TS/SCI with polygraph security clearance

Preferred Qualifications:
  • Background in statistics, data science, or computational linguistics with hands-on experience with enterprise Master Data Management (MDM) platforms (e.g., IBM InfoSphere MDM)
  • Experience with IBM InfoSphere MDM administrative tools, workbench, and configuration utilities
  • Knowledge of probabilistic matching engines including standardization algorithms, bucketing strategies, comparison functions, and scoring models and familiarity with identity resolution in multi-domain environments and machine learning approaches to entity resolution and record linkage
  • Experience in healthcare, financial services, or other industries with complex entity matching requirements
  • Professional certification in Master Data Management, Data Quality or Database Administration
  • Experience with development in Commercial Cloud Platforms (e.g., AWS, Oracle, Azure) and leveraging cloud data services (e.g., S3, RDS, SQS)
  • Familiarity with Java or similar programming languages for custom extensions and matching algorithm development

At Leidos, the opportunities are boundless. We challenge our staff with interesting assignments that allow them to thrive professionally and personally. For us, helping you grow your career is good business. We look forward to learning more about you - apply today.
CABARESTON
If you're looking for comfort, keep scrolling. At Leidos, we outthink, outbuild, and outpace the status quo - because the mission demands it. We're not hiring followers. We're recruiting the ones who disrupt, provoke, and refuse to fail. Step 10 is ancient history. We're already at step 30 - and moving faster than anyone else dares.
Original Posting:
January 29, 2026
For U.S. Positions: While subject to change based on business needs, Leidos reasonably anticipates that this job requisition will remain open for at least 3 days with an anticipated close date of no earlier than 3 days after the original posting date as listed above.
Pay Range:
Pay Range $131,300.00 - $237,350.00
The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline only and not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.

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About Leidos

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

At Leidos, we deliver innovative solutions through the efforts of our diverse and talented people who are dedicated to our customers' success. We empower our teams, contribute to our communities, and operate sustainable practices. Everything we do is built on a commitment to do the right thing for our customers, our people, and our community.

Industry

It services

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

Reston, VA, US

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