Data Engineer

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Job Summary

Mission: The Office of University Development maximizes private support for the University of Michigan.

Reports to: Director of Data Science and Decision Support

Direct reports: N/A

What You Will Do

We are a small team of data lovers using data for the common good, helping the University of Michigan improve our world through data-informed philanthropy. We not only transform data into action, we do so mindfully, maintaining a holistic commitment to inclusion in all that we do.

As our new data engineer, you will wrangle messy and complicated data. You will also pull data from APIs, take advantage of AI tools, and build structured data products, used in machine learning and artificial intelligence-based tools for university fundraising. Because we operate in a highly collaborative, mission-driven environment, success in this role requires strong relationship-building skills and the ability to communicate complex technical concepts clearly to a variety of audiences - from fellow data practitioners to non-technical partners. You will work closely with stakeholders to understand needs, translate business challenges into scalable technical solutions, and adapt your communication style to meet people where they are.

A typical work week will include a large amount of programming and data pipeline development, along with meaningful collaboration, data management, requirements gathering, documentation, outreach, brainstorming sessions, and data visualization. You will play an active role in strengthening cross-functional partnerships and amplifying the impact of our work across the university community.

For the full job description with a detailed list of responsibilities and requirements, please click here.

Required Qualifications*

• Bachelor's degree in information systems, computer science/engineering or data science field.
• The ability to do serious data munging and data wrangling is important. Demonstrated experience with SQL plus knowledge of Python. Using these tools to merge large datasets, locate and clean messy records, recode missing values, convert between data formats, and construct standardized datasets for wider use.
• Demonstrated ability to build strong working relationships and communicate complex technical concepts clearly to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• 3+ years of experience with "big data" data storage formats and query tools (e.g., Hadoop, Hive, Parquet, Delta Lake, NoSQL databases).
• 2+ years of experience with each of the following:
  • Amazon AWS and Databricks
  • Modern data engineering workflows and frameworks, including gathering requirements and translating business needs into scalable data solutions
  • Software development best practices (e.g., Agile methods and unit testing) and version control tools
  • Integrate AI tools into data engineering workflow
  • Develop interactive, reusable and self-service online analytics tools
  • Machine learning and data mining concepts and techniques
  • Cloud-based analytics tools

Ready to use your data engineering expertise and adaptable communication skills to advance the Office of University Development's mission? Apply today!

Why Work at Michigan?

In addition to a career filled with purpose and opportunity, the University of Michigan offers a comprehensive benefits package to help you stay well, protect yourself and your family, and plan for a secure future.

Benefits Include

• Generous paid time off for vacations, holidays, sick time, season days, and paid parental leave
• A retirement plan that provides two-for-one matching contributions with immediate vesting
• Many choices for comprehensive health insurance
• Dental & vision insurance
• Life insurance
• Long-term disability coverage
• Flexible spending accounts for healthcare and dependent care expenses

Modes of Work

Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the work modes.

Additional Information

For additional information about this position and to review other current openings in Development, please visit our website at: https://giving.umich.edu/um/careers

Application Deadline

Although the Posting End Date may indicate otherwise, we may fill and close this job any time after a posting duration of seven calendar days.

U-M EEO Statement

The University of Michigan is an equal employment opportunity employer.