Lead Information Governance Specialist

Vantor is forging the new frontier of spatial intelligence, helping decision makers and operators navigate what's happening now and shape what's coming next.  Vantor is a place for problem solvers, changemakers, and go-getters-where people are working together to help our customers see the world differently, and in doing so, be seen differently. Come be part of a mission, not just a job, where you can : Shape your own future, build the next big thing, and change the world.

To be eligible for this position, you must be a U.S. Person , defined as a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, Asylee, or Refugee.

Note on Cleared Roles : If this position requires an active U.S. Government security clearance, applicants who do not currently hold the required clearance will not be eligible for consideration. Employment for cleared roles is contingent upon verification of clearance status.

Export Control / ITAR : Certain roles may be subject to U.S. export control laws, requiring U.S. person status as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3).

Please review the job details below.

This position requires an active U.S. Government Security Clearance at the TS / SCI level with CI polygraph.

Vantor is seeking a versatile and forward-thinking Information Governance Lead to establish end-to-end data governance efforts in support of a secure, mission-critical knowledge management and AI solution for a government customer. This role will ensure that data is secure, compliant, usable, and ethically applied across its entire lifecycle - from ingestion and ontology development, through data pipelines and platform integration, to training and deploying AI models. The ideal candidate will bring a strong foundation in DoD / IC data governance, a deep understanding of AI / ML policy constraints in classified environments, and experience guiding technical teams through the nuances of managing and using sensitive data in support of advanced analytics and automation.

This project supports a hard and deeply buried target mission set, providing critical analytic insights to government stakeholders. Success depends on embedding compliant and ethical data governance into every layer of the solution - from raw data to intelligent output - while enabling secure, efficient development and delivery of mission-relevant AI capabilities. The work directly impacts national security objectives to develop actionable intelligence in a highly specialized and sensitive domain.

Responsibilities :

This position is full time onsite in Reston, VA.

Establish and oversee governance policies that span data ingestion, labeling, storage, transformation, AI model training, and secure access controls

Serve as the team's authoritative voice on what data can and cannot be used, especially in AI / ML workflows and within classified environments

Guide ontology and metadata model development to ensure semantic accuracy, data discoverability, and alignment with mission standards

Collaborate with engineers and architects to integrate governance controls into data pipelines and platform requirements

Lead development of compliant, secure, and audit-ready data management processes, including version control, provenance tracking, and retention

Monitor and interpret evolving AI governance policies from DoD, IC, and federal authorities, and translate them into actionable guidance for the team

Ensure governance extends across the full data lifecycle, including data destruction and archival in accordance with federal and agency policies

Conduct or support audits, assessments, and briefings to demonstrate compliance and data handling discipline

Work closely with Information System Security Officers (ISSOs), AI / ML engineers, DevSecOps teams, and mission owners to operationalize data governance

Develop and deliver documentation, training, and briefings to instill a culture of responsible data stewardship

Minimum Qualifications : 3-6 bullets

Current / active TS / SCI security clearance and be willing and able to obtain CI polygraph.

6 years of experience in data governance, information management, or compliance, including at least 2 years supporting AI / ML, data engineering, or ontology / metadata projects

Bachelor's degree in Data Governance, Computer Science, Information Systems, or a related technical field. 4 years of relevant work experience may be substituted for a degree.

Experience in DoD, IC, or other cleared environments, with a strong grasp of security and data classification standards

Understanding of AI governance frameworks, including DoD AI Ethical Principles, NIST AI RMF, and relevant Executive Orders or OMB memos

Experience with data lifecycle management, data lineage, and compliance requirements (e.g., FISMA, DoDI 5015.02, NARA, CUI, etc.)

Familiarity with controlled vocabularies, metadata modeling, and ontological frameworks in support of semantic search and knowledge graph development

Ability to engage with both technical teams and mission stakeholders to enforce compliance while enabling innovation

Strong communication, policy interpretation, and documentation skills

Preferred Qualifications : 3-6 bullets

Experience supporting AI / ML development in a classified environment

Background in semantic technologies, data catalogs, or knowledge management platforms

Familiarity with tools such as Collibra, Informatica, Neo4j, or custom metadata / ontology solutions

Understanding of data engineering workflows (ETL / ELT, pipelines, APIs) in secure environments

Experience with secure cloud platforms (AWS GovCloud, C2S, Azure Government, etc.)

Certifications such as CDMP, CIPP / G, CGEIT, or related data governance credentials

Master's degree in Data Governance, Computer Science, Information Systems, or a related technical field

Pay Transparency : In support of pay transparency at Vantor, we disclose salary ranges on all U.S. job postings.  The successful candidate's starting pay will fall within the salary range provided below and is determined based on job-related factors, including, but not limited to, the experience, qualifications, knowledge, skills, geographic work location, and market conditions. Candidates with the minimum necessary experience, qualifications, knowledge, and skillsets for the position should not expect to receive the upper end of the pay range.

The base pay for this position within the Washington, DC metropolitan area is : $99,000.00 - $165,000.00 annually.

For all other states, we use geographic cost of labor as an input to develop market-driven ranges for our roles, and as such, each location where we hire may have a different range.

Benefits : Vantor offers a competitive total rewards package that goes beyond the standard, including a robust 401(k) with company match, mental health resources, and unique perks like student loan repayment assistance, adoption reimbursement and pet insurance to support all aspects of your life. You can find more information on our benefits at :

The application window is three days from the date the job is posted and will remain posted until a qualified candidate has been identified for hire.  If the job is reposted regardless of reason, it will remain posted three days from the date the job is reposted and will remain reposted until a qualified candidate has been identified for hire.

The date of posting can be found on Vantor's Career page at the top of each job posting.

To apply, submit your application via Vantor's Career page.

EEO Policy : Vantor is an equal opportunity employer committed to an inclusive workplace. We believe in fostering an environment where all team members feel respected, valued, and encouraged to share their ideas. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, protected veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.