Data Engineer Associate

AIR’s Tek Office is seeking a motivated Data Engineer Associate to join our collaborative data and analytics team. The Data Engineer Associate will support the design, development, and maintenance of scalable data pipelines and contribute to building modern data platforms that enable business intelligence, analytics, and reporting. This role is ideal for an early-career professional with a foundational understanding of data engineering principles and hands-on experience (academic or professional) with Microsoft Azure and Microsoft Fabric tools. The position offers opportunities for mentorship, technical skill development, and exposure to modern cloud-based data solutions in a collaborative environment. This position reports into the Technology Office.

This position offers hybrid work flexibility, requiring three days per week in AIR’s Virginia office, with occasional travel for meetings, training sessions, and conferences.

About AIR:

Founded in 1946 and headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, the American Institutes for Research (AIR) is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization that conducts behavioral and social science research and delivers technical assistance to address some of the most pressing challenges in the United States and globally. We generate evidence and apply data-driven solutions that expand opportunities and improve lives for all.

Responsibilities:

The responsibilities for the position include:

• Assist in the development and maintenance of data pipelines and ETL/ELT processes using Azure and Fabric tools.
• Support ingestion, integration, and transformation of data from multiple internal and external sources.
• Work with Azure Data Factory, Azure Synapse, and Microsoft Fabric (Data Factory, Lakehouse, Dataflows, etc.).
• Help design and maintain data models, data lakes, and data warehouses.
• Write and optimize SQL queries for data transformation and validation.
• Collaborate with data analysts, business stakeholders, and senior engineers to align on shared team objectives and drive successful outcomes.
• Monitor and troubleshoot data workflows to ensure reliability and performance.
• Participate in data quality, governance, and documentation efforts.
• Contribute to process automation and continuous improvement.
• Duties and responsibilities may change based on business needs.

Qualifications:

Education, Knowledge, and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Data Science, Engineering, related field or at least 2 years of relevant professional experience.
• 1-2 years of experience in data engineering, data analysis, or related roles.
• Foundational understanding of data engineering concepts, including ETL/ELT processes, data modeling, and data warehousing.
• Hands-on experience with SQL and relational databases, along with familiarity in Python, PySpark, or similar programming languages.
• Exposure to Microsoft Azure data services, including Azure Data Factory, Azure Synapse Analytics, and Azure Data Lake Storage, supporting scalable and cloud-based data solutions.
• Hands-on experience with Microsoft Fabric (Lakehouse, Data Factory, Dataflows Gen2, OneLake), along with familiarity with Power BI, APIs, and modern data integration techniques.
• Understanding of CI/CD pipelines, version control (Git), data governance, security, and compliance practices, with exposure to big data or distributed computing frameworks; relevant Microsoft and industry certifications preferred.

Skills

• Strong communicator who can convey complex technical concepts clearly to diverse audiences while fostering collaboration across cross functional and virtual teams.
• Demonstrated ability to exercise independence and initiative while partnering collaboratively to achieve shared team objectives.
• Highly adaptable in fast paced environments, with the ability to prioritize and manage multiple concurrent workstreams while delivering timely, high-quality results.
• Advanced analytical and problem-solving skills, demonstrating strong critical thinking, data accuracy, and disciplined attention to detail.
• Strong eagerness to learn and integrate new technologies, particularly within the Microsoft ecosystem, to enhance effectiveness and efficiency.

Disclosures: Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the U.S. on a full-time basis. Employment-based visa sponsorship (including H-1B sponsorship) is not available for this position. Depending on project work, qualified candidates may need to meet certain residency requirements.

American Institutes for Research is an equal employment opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without discrimination on the basis of any characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local law, including, but not limited to, actual or perceived race (including traits historically associated with race, such as hair texture, hair type, and protective hairstyles such as braid, locks, and twists), creed, color, religion, alienage or national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, physical or mental disability, medical condition (e.g., cancer), sex, gender, gender identity or expression (including transgender status), sexual orientation, marital status, civil union status, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, genetic information, or military or veteran status. AIR adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo reference and background checks. AIR maintains a drug-free work environment.

ACCESSIBILITY NOTICE: If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process due to a physical or mental disability, please send an email to Taliba Boone at tboone@air.org or call 202.403.5000.

Fraudulent Job Scams Warning & Disclaimer: AIR is aware of individuals falsely presenting themselves as AIR representatives. Fraudulent job scams seek to extract sensitive information or money from victims. To protect yourself, please be aware that AIR recruitment will only email you from an “@air.org” domain. Please take extra caution while examining the email address, for example jdoe@air.org is correct and jdoe@aircareers.org is not a legitimate AIR email address. If you are unsure of the legitimacy of a communication you have received, please reach out to recruitment@air.org. If you see a job scam, or lose money to one, report it to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. You can also report it to your state attorney general. Find out more about how to avoid scams atftc.gov/scams.

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