DevOps Data Engineer

Department: Information Systems
Reports to: Manager, DevOps Data
FLSA Status:  Exempt
 
The anticipated salary for this position starts at $60,600+ for the Engineer role and ranges up to $88,700+ for the Principal role. The final pay will be determined based on several factors, including qualifications, experience, education, and years within the job or industry, with a strong emphasis on maintaining internal equity.
 
Who we are and what we’re about:
KU Endowment is an independent, nonprofit organization and the official fundraising foundation for the University of Kansas.  We partner with donors in providing philanthropic support to build a greater KU.

As an employee of KU Endowment, you’ll witness firsthand the power of our donors’ generosity.  You will join a talented and fun group of people who are inspired to help KU through the support of loyal alumni and friends.  This support fuels excellence, enabling students and faculty to develop innovative programs and research that distinguish the university.  We connect the philanthropic passions of donors with the needs of students, faculty and programs – and everyone benefits.

People are engaged. Purpose is ignited.  Lives are changed.
 
Our commitment to Culture and Belonging:
At KU Endowment, we recognize that we best achieve our mission of building a greater University of Kansas by embracing diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. We are committed to cultivating a people-centered environment that is welcoming to the spectrum of differences among us in an atmosphere of respect and fairness. Accordingly, our staff, Board of Trustees, volunteers and donors will work together to create a more representative, equitable and inclusive KU Endowment.
 
What we are looking for:
As a DevOps Data Engineer at KU Endowment, you will play a critical role in our new data product team, helping to shape and build our data infrastructure. We are a data-driven organization where the availability, security, and reliability of information are paramount to supporting Advancement Services and business intelligence functions. This is a unique opportunity to contribute to the development and management of a robust data warehouse, ensuring that our data services are seamless, scalable, and secure. 
 
Additionally, KU Endowment is currently undergoing a CRM conversion to Salesforce, and this position will be pivotal in supporting the integration of data between our existing systems and Salesforce, ensuring smooth data flows and optimized performance. You will work closely with other teams to help ensure that our data infrastructure aligns with this strategic transformation. 
 
You will work as part of the information systems DevOps Data product team to drive the implementation, development, and ongoing support of our data services. Collaborating with stakeholders across all levels of the organization, your contributions will directly impact the way KU Endowment leverages data to advance its mission. The ideal candidate will be a proactive solutions engineer with a passion for optimizing data processes and providing actionable insights to support our organizational goals. 
 
Hybrid Work Environment: 
This position offers a hybrid work schedule, with the flexibility to work remotely for part of the week. However, the role requires multiple days per week on-site at our Lawrence, KS office to ensure effective collaboration, team engagement, and alignment with organizational goals. 
 
The individual in this position is expected to embrace KU Endowment’s stated core values – passion for KU, partnership with donors, perpetual support for KU, and a people-centered approach – and demonstrate support for them through professional interactions and activities.
 
What’s a typical day look like?

• Collaborates with Business Intelligence, Advancement Services Data Analytics team 
• Working on a collaborative project team with consultants and business partners to select and build data warehouse. 
• Data Management – design, build and maintain data pipelines 
• Database optimization – Optimize databases for efficient storage and retrieval. 
• Data integration from multiple sources for unified views.  
• Data Quality Assurance to validate and cleansing of a variety of datasets 
• Monitoring and logging for optimal data performance. 
• Automates data pipelines and ETL (extract, transform, load) processes  
• Utilizing AI to enable actionable data for our Advancement Services and frontline fundraising. 
• Putting procedures in place to guarantee high availability and dependability of data services 
• Regular and reliable attendance is essential for this position.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

• Proven ability to collaborate effectively with business side stakeholders
• Demonstrates excellent communication with team members of varying experience levels and technical skills
• Bachelor’s Degree or three years’ experience working as a data engineer
• 3 years’ experience in database management in a SQL environment 
• 1 year working with data storage solutions in cloud platforms
• Experience with data governance
• Experience in data warehouse selection and implementation 
• Familiarity with warehousing solutions such as Data Cloud, Snowflake, Redshift, or Big Query 

• Knowledge of Salesforce data structures 

• Oracle Database SQL Certified Associate  

• Working knowledge of big data technologies such as Hadoop or Spark 

• Demonstrated knowledge programming languages such as Python, SQL, Bash, Ruby, Chef  

• AI data experience building data models 

• Working knowledge of non-profit fundraising 

• Experience in PaaS (Products as a Service) 

• A valid driver’s license.  
• Must have access to reliable transportation to travel between multiple locations for training, donor meetings, networking, events and/or work-related activities. 
• Must be able to respond quickly and effectively to directions and safety hazards. 
• This job operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office productivity machinery such as computers, keyboards and a mouse, laptops, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines.  
• This is largely a sedentary role; however, some filing is required. This would require the ability to move files, open filing cabinets and bend or stand as necessary. 
• The ability to observe details at close range (within a few feet of the observer). 
• The person in this position frequently communicates with donors, colleagues, students, and general public. Must be able to communicate with others effectively. 
• Physical effort/lifting: light-up to 20 pounds 
• Rare travel requirements can include the following, evenings, weekends, and out of town overnights as a regular part of the job.  

• 100% employer-paid pension plan
• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) and Roth 401(k) matching program
• Section 125 flexible benefits
• Generous paid leave including holidays, personal and sick leave
• Volunteer and community engagement opportunities
• Paid Parental Leave
• Life, AD&D, short- and long-term disability insurance
• Legal & ID Theft protection
• Critical Illness
• Accident and Hospital Indemnity insurance
• KU education assistance
• Free parking