Company Description

KIPP Texas Public Schools is a network of 59 public charter, open-enrollment, pre-k-12 schools educating nearly 34,000 students across Austin, Dallas-Ft. Worth, Houston, and San Antonio. Together with families and communities, our mission is to create joyful, academically excellent schools that prepare students with the skills and confidence to pursue the paths they choose -college, career, and beyond-so they can lead fulfilling lives and build a more just world.

Founded in Houston in 1994, and operating as KIPP Texas since 2018, our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and antiracism in our classrooms, in our offices, and in the communities we serve is unwavering. We are looking to hire a diverse team of dynamic, collaborative, and dedicated individuals with an unyielding belief that every child will succeed. Join our Team and Family and champion equity, chase excellence, persist with purpose, bring joy, and help us rise together.

KIPP Texas is part of the national KIPP network of 255 college-preparatory public charter schools in 20 states and the District of Columbia. Nationwide, KIPP students complete four-year college at a rate of 36 percent, comparable to the national average for all students and approximately three times higher than the average of students from low-income communities.

You can see all our job opportunities at https://kipptexas.org/join-our-team/ .

Job Description

The KIPP Texas Analytics, Research & Evaluation Team is seeking a Data Engineer (DE) to support both existing and new systems of reporting and analysis for the state. The DE is primarily responsible for maintaining, improving upon, and building the data systems beginning at and downstream from the data warehouse, systems that are used to operate and scale reporting functions for the organization. The DE will serve as an important voice on data storage and management, providing expert input and troubleshooting support for data personnel that rely on the data warehouse for reporting and analysis.

The Data Engineer will help manage the Analytics team's data warehouse through a) consolidating, archiving, and purging existing data warehouse tables, b) improving performance of existing queries and stored procedures, c) streamlining recurring database jobs and coordinating automations within and downstream from the database (e.g., tables, views, Tableau data source extracts). The DE will work closely with Data Analysts and Research & Evaluation Analysts on the Analytics Team to prepare data sources that will feed into downstream Tableau reports or other end-user reports. The DE will also collaborate with the Data Systems team to improve existing data source connections to the data warehouse and build new ones based on stakeholder and organizational data needs. The DE will report to the Senior Director of Analytics, Research & Evaluation and work closely with a variety of stakeholders across departments.

Note: that this position is based on external grant funding. At the end of the grant period this position may be eliminated unless other sources of funds are secured to maintain this position or a similar position.

Key Responsibilities

SQL & Data Warehouse Improvements

• Design, develop, test, document, and maintain database queries and reports using SQL
• Adjust calculations from Tableau to SQL to improve our overall reporting efficiencies
• Collaborate with Analysts and the Data Systems Team to improve the integration of data within our data warehouse

Data Automation

• Support with automating flat reports including but not limited to our KIPP Public Schools Report Card, Fast Facts, and External Data Agreements, and automating data sources used for live dashboards
• Develop systematic reporting processes and procedures to ensure timely delivery of daily, weekly, monthly, annual and ad hoc reporting
• Transfer data into meaningful, professional and easy to understand formats for various audiences
• Troubleshoot and coordinate resolutions to all system issues affecting customer service

Data Quality

• Clean, load, and verify data necessary for monitoring the health of our network from our schools and regions and to track student achievement
• Develop and maintain scalable, sustainable quality assurance practices to ensure high quality and reliable data
• Forecast potential data quality issues and ensure that these are given adequate consideration during tool development, in documenting our data collection processes, and in working with schools

Data Strategy

• Serve as a thought partner in semi annual data-thon (roadmapping of data projects aligned to org priorities)
• Work with stakeholders to define and document additional requirements to enrich reporting capabilities
• Recommend and implement new or modified reporting methods and procedures to improve report content and completeness of information
• Ensure organization complies with all state and federal data security policies; execute on data security protocols as they relate to system integrations and data access

Performs other related job duties and training as assigned.

Qualifications

• Expertise in at least one data processing tool (e.g., SQL), query development, and at least one scripting language (e.g., R, Python, etc.) required
• Experience with data reporting and dashboarding tools such as Tableau
• Passion for working with analysts and IT professionals to determine the best way to grow our data model to accommodate new features and tools
• Excellent customer service, interpersonal, and communication skills and ability to build meaningful relationships quickly; understanding of user needs
• Team-player capable of working both collaboratively and independently
• Personal qualities of integrity, credibility, and commitment to the mission of KIPP Texas
• Outstanding project management skills with extraordinary attention to detail

Required Education and/or Experience:

• Bachelor's degree required, Master's degree preferred; Information Science, Information Technology, Computer Science, or a related field
• 3-5+ years of professional work experience; 2+ years of experience managing a data warehouse (back-end architecture, front-end interface, tables, views, stored procedures, triggers, etc.), preferably at a school system or non-profit

Additional Information

Compensation and Benefits

In addition to a competitive salary scale, a part of KIPP Texas' competitive benefits options, KIPP offers all employees an $0 HMO plan for the employee only. In addition to our $0 plan, KIPP provides a $600 employer contribution towards a Health Savings Account and a variety of other supplemental benefits such as Dental, Vision, Short and Long-Term Disability, Pet Insurance, Life, etc.