Senior Data Engineer

A best-in-class city that attracts best-in-class talent, Philadelphia is an incredible place to build a career. From our thriving arts scene and rich history to our culture of passion and grit, there are countless reasons to love living and working here. With a workforce of over 30,000 people, and more than 1,000 different job categories, the City of Philadelphia offers boundless opportunities to make an impact. 
As an employer, the City of Philadelphia values inclusion, integrity, innovation, empowerment, and hard work above all else. We offer a vibrant work environment, comprehensive health care and benefits, and the experience you need to grow and excel. If you’re interested in working with a passionate team of people who care about the future of Philadelphia, start here.

What We Offer:
•    Impact - The work you do here matters to millions. 
•    Growth - Philadelphia is growing, why not grow with it? 
•    Diversity & Inclusion - Find a career in a place where everyone belongs.
•    Benefits - We care about your well-being.
 

The Office of Innovation & Technology (OIT) is the central IT agency for the City of Philadelphia headed by the Chief Information Officer (CIO). OIT oversees all major information and communications technology initiatives for the City of Philadelphia - increasing the effectiveness of the information technology infrastructure, where the services provided are advanced, optimized, and responsive to the needs of the City of Philadelphia’s businesses, residents, and visitors. OIT responsibilities include: identifying the most effective approach for implementing new information technology directions throughout city government; improving the value of the city’s technology assets and the return on the city’s technology investments; ensuring data security continuity; planning for continuing operations in the event of disruption of information technology or communications services; and supporting accountable, efficient and effective government across every city department, board, commission and agency.

Data Engineering at the City is a unique opportunity for meaningful, exciting work and professional development using state-of-the art technologies and software development best practices. The data engineer will develop an intimate understanding of the City’s diverse data and contribute to improving the City’s data engineering infrastructure, pipelines, models, and accessibility for the public. 

The data engineer will be part of the GIS and Business Intelligence (GIS/BI) team working on behalf of the Department of Licenses and Inspections (L&I).  The GIS/BI team are responsible for all data extraction and analysis coming out of L&I whether it be visual, spatial, or tabular data.  The candidate responsible for developing and maintaining data integrations between L&I’s externally managed data warehouse, various departmental data visualization tools, and external departments and agencies through OIT’s central data warehouse (DataBridge) and managing the underlying infrastructure. 

Primary tools used include Python, Oracle, Postgres, Jenkins, Git/GitHub, Bash, PowerShell, Metabase, and SAS API providers, such as ArcGIS Online and Carto.  

Essential Functions:

• Work with business partners of varying technical ability to understand how their data is produced, stored, and updated, designing enhancements when needed
• Manage automated extract, transform, and load (ETL) workflows, including standardization and enriching of datasets that pass through DataBridge and L&I’s departmental database
• Write descriptive and accurate technical documentation of systems and applications
• Design, develop, and refine data pipelines using Jenkins, custom Python-based software, and other tools to connect diverse systems of record, centralized databases, and SaaS environments
• Other duties as assigned

Competencies:

• Clear and concise writing and communication skills.
• Creative problem-solving and critical thinking.
• Ability to work with data from diverse domains.
• Efficient time management and the ability to manage multiple workflows simultaneously.
• Ability to seek innovative opportunities and continuous improvement.

Knowledge and Skills:

• Intermediate to advanced SQL (Oracle and/or Postgres)
• Experience building and maintaining data pipelines/ETLs
• Proficient with Python
• Understanding of Git/GitHub for version control
• Experience with cloud services, including Jenkins
• Experience with command line interfaces, including PowerShell
• Experience managing spatial data in a data pipeline

Abilities:

• Reason about and work with complex datasets.
• Maintain clean and secure data environments.
• Work effectively to manage on-premises and cloud data environments.
• Apply creative problem-solving when considering how to best address technical challenges.
• Communicate technical nuances in understandable terms.
• Manage time effectively between various projects and responsibilities.
• Learn new technologies and concepts.

At least 3 years’ experience in any of the following areas preferred:

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science-related field. Equivalent work experience may be considered.
• Demonstrated experience in data engineering.
• Experience with Python, SQL, and database management.
• Experience establishing ETL workflows, processes, and documentation
• Previous work in the public sector or a large organization is a plus.

Salary Range: $80,000- $100,000

Important: To apply, candidates must provide a cover letter and resume.

All applications should include the following: 
•    A one-page cover letter clarifying your interest and qualifications for the role. It really helps us understand why you’re interested in this position. We read every single one!
•    Your resume or curriculum vitae. 
•    Optionally, an online professional portfolio or public GitHub account.

We won’t accept or review incomplete applications.
 

Work Setting: in-person (onsite)

Discover the Perks of Being a City of Philadelphia Employee:
•    We offer Comprehensive health coverage for employees and their eligible dependents
•    Our wellness program offers eligibility into the discounted medical plan
•    Employees receive paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays
•    Generous retirement savings options are available
•    Pay off your student loans faster - As a qualifying employer, City of Philadelphia employees are eligible to participate in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. Join the ranks of hundreds of employees who have already benefited from this program and achieved student loan forgiveness.
•    Enjoy a Free Commute on SEPTA - Starting September 1, 2023, eligible City employees will no longer have to worry about paying for SEPTA public transportation. Whether you're a full-time, part-time, or provisional employee, you can seize the opportunity to sign up for the SEPTA Key Advantage Program and receive free Key cards for free rides on SEPTA buses, trains, trolleys, and regional rails.
•    Unlock Tuition Discounts and Scholarships - The City of Philadelphia has forged partnerships with over a dozen esteemed colleges and universities in the area, ensuring that our employees have access to a wide range of tuition discounts and scholarships. Experience savings of 10% to 40% on your educational expenses, extending not only to City employees but in some cases, spouse and dependents too!
Join the City of Philadelphia team today and seize these incredible benefits designed to enhance your financial well-being and personal growth!

*The successful candidate must be a city of Philadelphia resident within six months of hire

Effective May 22, 2023, vaccinations are no longer required for new employees that work in non-medical, non-emergency or patient facing positions with the City of Philadelphia. As a result, only employees in positions providing services that are patient-facing medical care (ex: Nurses, doctors, emergency medical personnel), must be fully vaccinated.

The City of Philadelphia is an Equal Opportunity employer and does not permit discrimination based on race, ethnicity, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, marital status, source of income, familial status, genetic information or domestic or sexual violence victim status. If you believe you were discriminated against, call the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations at 215-686-4670 or send an email to [email protected].