Intermediate Strategic Data Specialist with Security Clearance

For more than a decade, Karthik Consulting has been a reliable and trusted advisor to our Government customers, providing independent and unbiased recommendations and solutions to mitigate risk and help solve IT issues. We bring the innovation, passion, and agility of the commercial sector to meet the unique challenges of this competitive space. Karthik Consulting is seeking Intermediate Strategic Data Specialists with the below skillset. Intermediate Strategic Data Specialist
Fulltime with Karthik Consulting
Location: National Capital Region Clearance: TS/SCI required Job Description:
Intermediate Strategic Data Specialist Position Description Purpose: The Air Force ISR Digital Infrastructure Transformation paves the way for intelligence analysts to harness the latest technological advancements securely. It is orchestrated through Data and Analytics, Sense Making/Automation, Augmentation and AI (AAA), Networks, Hybrid and Multi-Cloud, Enterprise Services, and cybersecurity capabilities. This structure allows integration, synchronization, and coordination with the Intelligence IC, Department of Defense (DoD), and commercial partners. The AF IC's ability to advance its digital infrastructure transformation and deliver intelligence at the speed of relevance hinges on people, processes, and technology. Proactively informing and developing our digitally savvy Airmen on capability portfolio advancements will accelerate culture change and strengthen our warfighting capabilities across all domains. Technology evolution across all capability portfolios, partnered with an implementation framework, determines how our innovative analysts can outpace adversaries through maintaining the decision advantage. This transformation specifically focuses on the foundational technology and will feed the larger ISR Digital Transformation Strategy, encompassing all aspects of the ISR enterprise. Scope: A qualified candidate will deliver professional management, system analysis, and technical assistance support services for daily Strategic Data Initiatives at Headquarters, Air Force (HAF). This includes, but is not limited to, activities related to governance, strategic planning, enterprise architecture, capability portfolio management, solutions analysis, solution implementation planning, performance and risk management, IT service management, systems engineering, innovative project management, data and analytics, training, program analysis, policy analysis, information technology analysis, and administrative technical support. Additionally, the candidate will offer Data Architecture expertise to support existing, ongoing, and expanding programs, projects, technologies, processes, and workforce innovations throughout the Air Force Intelligence Community (AF IC) Information Environment. This work will be in alignment with the desired strategic and operational outcomes. Education:

• A bachelor's degree in a STEM-related field required
• A master's Degree in a STEM-related field is a plus. Experience Level:
• 4-8+ Years of Experience Clearance Level:

• TS/SCI Clearance Location:

• National Capital Region (2 days in the office) Travel:
• TDY travel is required as requested by the government.
• Soft Skills:

• Speaking and presenting

• Planning and project management

• Analytical thinking and problem-solving skills

• Cooperation and unity of purpose

• Flexibility and ongoing education

• Task management

• Leadership and management skills
• Adaptability
• Data assessment and management What will you do:
Data Strategy Development

• Objective: Develop and publish a formal Data Strategy aligned with existing ISR, IC Data Strategy, and CDAO publications. Data Catalog Implementation

• Objective: Establish a Data Catalog capability to improve data discovery and access.
Data Governance Council Establishment

• Objective: Establish a Data Governance Council to oversee data management and governance activities.
Object-Based Intelligence (OBI) Policy Development

• Objective: Develop an OBI policy to guide implementing and adopting OBI principles and practices. Zero Trust Data Pillar Coordination

• Objective: Ensure data governance activities align with Zero Trust principles and requirements. General Experience:
• Technical Writing: Demonstrated ability to create clear, concise, and effective documentation, including strategies, policies, charters, and proposals. Experience tailoring writing style and tone for diverse audiences (technical and non-technical). Experience writing in official Air Force style and/or TMT taskers is highly desirable. Will be able to translate complex technical information into an easily understandable language.

• Meeting Facilitation and Coordination: Proven ability to lead productive meetings, fostering collaboration and driving stakeholder consensus. Skilled in documenting meeting decisions, action items, and following up to ensure completion. Experience coordinating across multiple organizations and teams to achieve common objectives.

• Analytical Skills: Capacity to analyze complex information from various sources, identify key trends and patterns, and draw data-driven conclusions to inform recommendations and decision-making. Experience using analytical tools and techniques to solve complex problems.

• Problem-Solving: Proactive approach to identifying potential roadblocks and challenges, developing creative and effective solutions, and mitigating risks. Ability to think critically and strategically to address complex issues.

• Policy Analysis and Development: Strong understanding of policy development processes, principles, and best practices. Experience researching, drafting, and implementing policy documents. Familiarity with DoD and IC policy frameworks is a plus.

• Project Management: Demonstrated experience managing multiple projects simultaneously, from initiation to completion, within scope, budget, and timeline constraints. Proficient in project planning, execution, monitoring, and reporting, using project management methodologies and tools. Key Data Technical Skills:

• Data Management/Governance: Comprehensive knowledge of data management principles, data governance frameworks (e.g., DAMA-DMBOK), and best practices. Experience implementing or supporting data governance programs, including defining data policies, standards, and procedures.

• Data Architecture: Familiarity with different data architectures (e.g., data warehousing, data lakes, data mesh), data modeling techniques, and metadata management. Experience working with or contributing to the design and implementation of data architectures.

• Cloud Computing: Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) and their data services, including storage, compute, analytics, and security offerings. Familiarity with cloud-based data warehousing, data lake solutions, and cloud migration strategies.

• Understanding of the Intelligence Community (IC): Knowledge of IC data standards, policies, and practices would be highly valuable.

• Data Integration/ELT: Familiarity with the concepts and principles of building and scaling Extract, Load, Transform (ELT) pipelines. Experience overseeing or managing projects involving data pipeline orchestration, data quality management, and performance optimization. Knowledge of common ELT tools like Apache Airflow, Informatica PowerCenter, or cloud-native data integration services is a plus.

• Data Science/AI & Data Standards: Understanding of how data standards impact data science and AI/ML initiatives. Experience contributing to or managing projects that apply data standards in data preparation, feature engineering, model training, and validation. Familiarity with data governance tools and processes relevant to AI/ML workflows.

• Database Management (SQL & NoSQL): Practical understanding of SQL and NoSQL database technologies, including relational (e.g., PostgreSQL, MySQL, Oracle) and NoSQL databases (e.g., MongoDB, Cassandra, Neo4j). Experience with projects involving data modeling, query optimization, and database administration. Familiarity with graph databases (e.g., Neo4j) and search/analytics platforms like the ELK stack is desirable.