If you’ve spent the last few years sharpening your skills in SQL, Java, and mission‑driven engineering, and you’re ready for work that actually moves the needle, this is the opportunity cleared engineers look for when they’re ready for real impact. If you take pride in writing your own résumé, owning your craft, and delivering results that senior leaders actually see, you’ll thrive here.
We’re hiring a SQL Engineer to support a highly visible, data‑driven application that powers analytics and reporting across the organization. In this role, you’ll write complex queries, shape data for dashboards, optimize performance at scale, and deliver high‑quality datasets that stakeholders rely on every day. Our primary development team operates out of Gaithersburg, MD, but innovation doesn’t stop there. We’re able to support onsite engineers in Alexandria, VA; Chantilly, VA; Aurora, CO; St. Louis, MO; and Tucson, AZ, giving top talent multiple paths to join the mission.
And while the requisition requirements may seem standard fair, the position is not; as it will join a high performing team that is changing the way digital engineering and mission operations intelligence is enabled for our customer.
Why This Role Stands Out
High Impact: Your work directly supports a widely used application that drives real-time decision-making
High Visibility: Partner with engineering teams and key stakeholders across programs
Career Growth: Expand your expertise in large-scale data systems, performance optimization, and advanced SQL engineering
Challenging Work: Tackle complex data problems, not routine queries
Key Responsibilities
Develop advanced, high-performance SQL queries across large, complex datasets (multi-table joins, window functions, aggregations)
Optimize query performance using execution plans, indexing strategies, and query refactoring
Ensure data accuracy and integrity across reporting datasets
Troubleshoot and resolve data issues across database and application layers
Shape and structure data for efficient and intuitive dashboard visualization
Collaborate with ETL engineers and dashboard developers to ensure reliable, end-to-end data delivery
Basic Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree with 8–12 years of experience, or Master’s with 6–10 years of experience
U.S. Citizenship
Active TS/SCI with the ability to successfully pass a Polygraph
Expert-level SQL skills, including:
Complex joins across large datasets
Query optimization and execution plan analysis
Aggregations, subqueries, and window functions
Strong experience with relational databases (PostgreSQL, MySQL, Oracle, or similar)
Experience working with large-scale data supporting analytics/reporting
Proficiency in Linux environments
Ability to work independently and solve complex data challenges
Preferred Qualifications
Experience with Grafana or similar visualization tools
Python for data manipulation (pandas, scripting, automation)
Experience with materialized views, caching strategies, or query acceleration techniques
#MARU
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.
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.
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.