Joint Staff J5 Data & AI Enablement Specialist

Forge Group•Arlington, VA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Forge Group, LLC is seeking a proactive, organized, and detail-oriented Data Steward & AI Enablement Specialist to support the Joint Staff J5 Digital Transformation team in a secure, cloud-based modernization environment at the Pentagon. The role focuses on curating and preparing strategic and force-readiness data so it is ready for AI applications, supporting implementation of the J5 Digital Modernization Framework. It is intended for a junior-to-mid-career information professional, former military information management specialist, or data analyst with experience structuring, cataloging, and preparing data. The specialist will locate and move legacy files—including documents, PDFs, briefings, and spreadsheets—from shared drives and email archives into modern, structured environments such as SharePoint and the War Data Platform (WDP/Advana). The work centers on operational data curation and enablement rather than complex software development. Duties include applying metadata, maintaining data dictionaries, configuring SharePoint, and setting up prompt workflows in classified and unclassified AI tools. The specialist will work with Joint Staff Action Officers, military analysts, and software development teams, translating technical workflows and user needs for both technical and non-technical audiences. This is a full-time position located at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia. Forge describes its culture as people-first, collaborative, and supportive of employee well-being and professional growth. The position requires U.S. citizenship and an active Top Secret clearance with SCI eligibility on day one.

Requirements

U.S. citizenship.
Active Top Secret security clearance with SCI eligibility required on the first day.
Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in Information Systems, Data Science, Library Science, Computer Science, or a related quantitative field; relevant professional or military information-management experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.
Two to four years of professional experience in data management, data stewardship, technical database administration, or information systems support.
Proven SharePoint Power User experience, including building custom lists, managing document libraries, configuring metadata columns, and enforcing user permission controls.
Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to explain technical concepts and AI prompt workflows to non-technical stakeholders or senior military leaders.
Ability to read, analyze, and interpret business and technical materials, procedures, and governmental regulations; write reports, proposals, correspondence, and procedure manuals; and present information effectively.
Ability to apply practical mathematical concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios, and proportions.
Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, draw valid conclusions, and make sound decisions based on data.
Ability to perform the essential duties satisfactorily, with reasonable accommodations where applicable.

Nice To Haves

Direct, hands-on familiarity with the War Data Platform (WDP) or Advana.
Basic conceptual understanding of database structures, data schemas, simple SQL queries, or advanced Excel formulas.
Basic conceptual understanding of how large language models ingest, index, and retrieve data, including Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG).
Prior experience at the Pentagon, with the Joint Staff—particularly J5—or in a Combatant Command information-management environment.

Responsibilities

Locate, retrieve, and consolidate legacy files, including PDFs, briefings, spreadsheets, and Word documents, from NIPR, SIPR, and JWICS shared drives.
Restructure file systems, standardize naming conventions, and enrich files with metadata to support discoverability and automated pipeline ingestion.
Build and maintain SharePoint lists, document libraries, folder structures, and metadata columns.
Configure and enforce folder- and document-level SharePoint permissions for classified, proprietary, and Controlled Unclassified Information.
Curate, tag, and publish validated datasets as discoverable assets in the Joint Staff Data Catalog using WDP/Advana.
Build and maintain data dictionaries so metadata is standardized, traceable, and integrable into the centralized repository.
Document data lineage and curation details so analysts can trace the sources of AI-generated answers and visualizations.
Configure, refine, and test prompt workflows in Ask Sage, Donovan, Compass AI, and GenAI.mil.
Guide military analysts in drafting effective prompts and using built-in analysis, drafting, visualization, and citation tools.
Translate user feedback, bugs, and data-pipeline bottlenecks into technical requirements for software engineering and development teams.
Support the J5 Digital Transformation Lead in implementing the J5 Digital Modernization Roadmap, including tracking milestones under Pillar 2: Data Advantage.
Report data migration metrics, SharePoint site usage, catalog completeness, and user feedback to senior J5 leadership.
Provide related data management, coordination, and analytical support as directed by command representatives within the scope of the PWS.

Benefits

Flexible work hours (complete flextime).
401(k) with employer matching.
Medical, dental, and vision healthcare.
Health Savings Account and pre-tax premium options.
Supplementary healthcare and family support.
Extended short-term and long-term disability.
Healthcare insurance deductible paydown.
Health and wellness programs.
Tuition reimbursement, student loan repayment, and education and training stipends.
Cell phone and internet stipends.
College savings plans with employer contributions.
Alternative work locations and telecommuting.
Employee referral awards.
Retention, signing, and performance bonuses.
Commuter benefits.
Paid sabbatical.