Description

Position Overview

Analytics, Institutional Research, & Effectiveness (AIRE) at the University of Kansas brings together analytical and technical staff to support KU's data strategy and data-informed decision making. The Data Engineer plays a critical role in designing, building, and maintaining complex data systems, including data pipelines, data warehouses, and data lakes. This role is integral to enabling advanced analytics, business intelligence, and AI/ML-powered insights across the institution. The Data Engineer will work closely with cross-functional teams to ensure scalable, secure, and reliable data infrastructure and contribute to KU's mission of fostering self-service analytics and data governance.

KU is not able to provide immigration sponsorship for this position.

Due to complex state employment laws, the University of Kansas may be unable to hire fully remote workers for this position outside of Kansas. Specifically, we cannot currently offer employment to candidates residing in the following states: California, Delaware, Idaho, and Minnesota. We appreciate your understanding and invite interested individuals from eligible states to apply.

Job Description

Development (50%)

• Design, develop, and maintain scalable ETL/ELT pipelines integrating data from diverse internal and external sources.
• Develop and optimize SQL-based processes to support data loading, transformation, and validation tasks.
• Maintain and enhance KU's Data Warehouse and Data Lake environments to support analytics, dashboards, and operational reports.
• Support AI/ML model integration pipelines and prepare data for model training, scoring, and inferencing.
• Collaborate with BI Analysts, Data Scientists, and business stakeholders to translate requirements into performant data engineering solutions.
• Maintain and document data workflows, source-to-target mappings, and architecture diagrams in accordance with data governance policies.
• Ensure metadata capture and compliance with KU's data catalog and dictionary.

Application/Integration Support (25%)

• Provide production support for ETL/ELT jobs, data pipelines, and cloud-based infrastructure.
• Troubleshoot issues related to data ingestion, transformation, and availability.
• Monitor job performance and system health, coordinating with IT operations as needed.
• Participate in upgrade cycles for ETL tools, cloud platforms, and database systems.

Testing and Validation (20%)

• Execute data validation strategies for all data pipelines and models.
• Implement audit controls, data quality checks, and reconciliation procedures.
• Collaborate with QA teams and business users for UAT and production validation.

Other Projects (5%)

• Participate in campus-wide data initiatives, pilot projects, and tool evaluations.
• Contribute to continuous improvement and innovation in KU's data engineering practices.

Required Qualifications

1. Bachelor's degree in computer science, Information Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, Statistics or a related field.
2. Three (3) years of demonstrated experience using Python for scripting, automation, and data manipulation across academic, professional, or project-based environments.
3. Two (2) years of hands-on experience with at least one major cloud platform, such as AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud Platform.
4. Exposure to integrating AI/ML workflows or components into data pipelines, through coursework, projects, or professional experience.
5. Working knowledge of SQL and relational database systems (e.g., Oracle, PostgreSQL, MySQL) as evidenced by application materials.
6. Excellent communication, documentation, and collaboration skills as evidenced by application materials.

This position requires a formal degree in the cited discipline area(s) to ensure that candidates have advanced knowledge, analytical skills and professional competencies necessary to perform the duties of the position. The level of degree is commonly recognized as the standard qualification for similar roles in the public and private sector, ensuring that the university remains competitive with industry aligned practices, enhances collaboration with external partners, and supports the delivery of services and programs that meet professional and market-driven expectations.

Additional Candidate Instruction

In addition to the online application, the following documents are required to be considered for this position:

• Cover letter describing how you meet the required and preferred qualifications.
• Resume/CV.
• List of three (3) professional references.

Only complete applications will be considered.
Application review begins Tuesday, February 3rd. For consideration, please apply no later than Monday, February 2nd.

Disclaimer

The University of Kansas prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, national origin, age, ancestry, disability, status as a veteran, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, gender identity, gender expression, and genetic information in the university's programs and activities. Retaliation is also prohibited by university policy. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policies and procedures and is the Title IX Coordinator for all KU and KUMC campuses: Associate Vice Chancellor for the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX, civilrights@ku.edu, Room 1082, Dole Human Development Center, 1000 Sunnyside Avenue, Lawrence, KS 66045, 785-864-6414, 711 TTY. Reports can be submitted by contacting the Title IX Coordinator as provided herein or using the Title IX online report form and complaints can be submitted with the Title IX Coordinator or using the Title IX online complaint form.