Principal Engineer, GIS

NiyamIT•Fairfax, VA

4d•Remote

About The Position

Niyam is seeking a Principal Engineer, GIS / Geospatial Solutions to serve as the company's senior-most hands-on technical authority for geospatial engineering. This individual will define technical strategy and reference architecture for our GIS solution accelerators (GeoCube, SPHERE, RisQ), serve as lead Solution Architect on GIS-focused proposals and captures, and represent Niyam externally as a recognized geospatial thought leader through technical publications and conference speaking. The role combines deep hands-on delivery across active federal contracts with enterprise-level influence on Niyam's geospatial technical direction and growth strategy, and requires the ability to obtain a Top Secret clearance to support Niyam's continued expansion into DoD and Intelligence Community work.

Requirements

Must be a U.S. citizen and able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret (TS) security clearance.
Bachelor's degree in GIS, Geography, Computer Science, Geospatial Engineering, or a related field (equivalent experience considered in lieu of degree).
12+ years of progressive experience in GIS/geospatial engineering, including architecture-level design of geospatial platforms and analytics solutions.
Deep hands-on expertise with the Esri ArcGIS platform (ArcGIS Enterprise, ArcGIS Online, ArcGIS Pro), geodatabase design, and geoprocessing model development.
Demonstrated experience architecting cloud-native, scalable geospatial data platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud) including data pipelines and API-enabled analytics.
Proficiency in Python and/or other languages used for geospatial data engineering, automation, and analytics.
Proven track record leading technical proposal content, solution architecture, and capture support for federal government contracts.
Demonstrated experience mentoring engineers and driving technical standards across teams or programs.
One or more industry-recognized certifications of considerable difficulty in a relevant technical discipline (e.g., Esri Technical Certification, AWS/Azure Solutions Architect, GISP).
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including experience authoring technical publications and presenting to technical and executive audiences.

Nice To Haves

Active Top Secret clearance or prior DoD/Intelligence Community clearance eligibility.
Experience with hazard risk modeling, emergency management, or disaster response platforms (e.g., FEMA, DHS, or similar mission areas).
Familiarity with AI/ML-enabled geospatial analytics, predictive modeling, or the Medallion (Bronze/Silver/Gold) data architecture pattern.
Prior publication of technical white papers, blog content, or peer-reviewed papers, and experience speaking at industry conferences (e.g., Esri UC, GEOINT Symposium, FedGeoDay).
Experience supporting GSA MAS, OASIS+, or other federal contract vehicle proposal efforts.

Responsibilities

Serve as the company-wide expert and recognized thought leader in GIS/geospatial engineering, setting technical direction for GeoCube, SPHERE, RisQ, and related capabilities.
Define technical strategy, reference architectures, and engineering standards for geospatial data ingestion, the Medallion (Bronze/Silver/Gold) data architecture, and the Model Lifecycle Management Framework.
Solve the organization's most complex or ambiguous geospatial and spatial-analytics challenges, from data fusion and geoprocessing to real-time situational awareness dashboards.
Collaborate closely with Niyam's Technical Directors (GIS, Solutions Engineering, Data Analytics) to align geospatial strategy with enterprise technical direction.
Drive innovation, such as AI/ML-enabled geospatial analytics and predictive risk modeling, that materially improves platform capability, performance, or revenue.
Serve as the primary Solution Architect on GIS-related engagements, providing hands-on architecture and delivery leadership across multiple active contracts/projects concurrently.
Design and oversee geodatabase architecture, geoprocessing models, and cloud-native geospatial pipelines that meet performance, security, and scalability requirements.
Resolve high-impact technical risks and escalations across GIS programs, ensuring solutions align with client mission needs and Niyam engineering standards.
Directly influence revenue and CPAR/customer-satisfaction performance by shaping technical strategy and solution quality across multiple projects.
Act as lead Solution Architect and technical author on GIS-focused proposals and capture efforts, defining win themes, technical differentiators, and solution strategy.
Advise capture leadership and executives on technical feasibility, innovation opportunities, and competitive positioning for geospatial pursuits.
Support orals preparation, client technical due diligence, and solution demonstrations as the geospatial subject matter expert.
Partner with the GIS Technical Director and capture teams to protect and grow revenue through differentiated, credible geospatial solution offerings.
Author and publish technical blog posts, white papers, and case studies that position Niyam IT as an innovator in geospatial intelligence and disaster/risk analytics.
Speak at industry conferences, client forums, and technical webinars as a recognized geospatial subject matter expert, building Niyam's brand and pipeline visibility.
Represent Niyam in professional GIS/geospatial communities (e.g., Esri User Conferences, GEOINT, FedGeoDay) to strengthen market positioning and teaming relationships.
Mentor engineers at all levels (Associate Engineer through Staff Engineer/Lead Architect) on geospatial engineering practices and career growth.
Make substantial contributions to the GIS/Geospatial Center of Competency (CoC), including standards, training materials, and reusable technical assets.
Support hiring and technical interviews for geospatial roles across the organization.