Data Engineer

The Free Library of Philadelphia is looking for an experienced Data Engineer to join the Research & Data Analytics group. The Data Engineer will be responsible for designing, developing, and maintaining data architecture and infrastructure that enable efficient collection, storage, and analysis of data to support Performance Management objectives.
The Data Engineer will work closely with data scientists, analysts, and other team members to ensure that data is available, reliable, and ready for analysis. Expertise in data pipelines, ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) processes, and data warehousing will be essential in this role.
Beyond being a key asset to enterprise integration and open data initiatives, the Data Engineer will help develop and support the creation of Open Data initiatives for the Free Library’s data sharing objectives by integrating appropriate City, state, and federal datasets.

Essential Functions
• Design, build, and maintain data pipelines to automate extraction, transformation, and loading of data from diverse sources.
• Develop and maintain data models that support Performance Management objectives, including designing schema structures, data dictionaries, and defining relationships.
• Integrate data from multiple sources, such as databases, APIs, logs, and third-party data providers, into a unified and accessible format.
• Develop and optimize ETL processes to ensure data quality, consistency, and availability. Handle data cleansing, enrichment, and transformation as needed.
• Maintain and optimize data warehousing solutions (e.g., SQL databases, NoSQL databases) to ensure efficient data storage and availability.
• Monitor and fine-tune data pipelines and database systems for optimal performance, scalability, and reliability.
• Implement data security and privacy measures to protect sensitive information, ensure compliance with appropriate data safety regulations, and establish access controls.
• Create and maintain documentation for data engineering processes, data models, and data flow diagrams to facilitate understanding and collaboration.
• Collaborate with data analysts, software engineers, and FLP Leadership to understand data requirements and provide support for data-driven decision making.
• Implement data governance practices, including data lineage, metadata management, and data cataloging.

Competencies, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Required:
• Proficiency in programming languages (R, Python) and database query languages (SQL).
• Knowledge of ETL tools and data integration techniques.
• Experience with data warehousing solutions.
• Familiarity with big data technologies (Hadoop, Spark) is a plus.
• Experience with Linux server administration.
• Strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills.
Preferred:
• Experience with cloud platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure, Google Cloud).
• Experience handling regulatory requirements related to PII.
• Knowledge of containerization and orchestration tools (e.g., Docker, Kubernetes).
• Understanding of data streaming technologies (e.g., Kafka, Apache Flink).
• Familiarity with data governance and data cataloging tools.

Requirements

• Bachelor's or higher degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Information Science, or a related field.
• 3 years experience as a Data Engineer or similar role.