Local to Portland, OR: Data Engineer

No C2C or Sponsorship Data Engineer: Want to work within a local government school system and really make a difference? Our client is looking for an experience Data Engineer who can design, develop, and support complex data integrations, pipelines, models, and cloud-based data systems within the district’s enterprise data environment. You will serve as a technical expert in Snowflake engineering, ELT/ETL orchestration, and data quality automation. Does this sound like you, then please apply! We value diversity in the workplace and encourage women, minorities, and veterans to apply. Thank you! Location: Portland, OR Type: 6 month contract Position details: A candidate for this position is expected to engineer, maintain, and optimize data systems and integrations that support equity-centered, data-informed decision-making. Develop, manage, and enhance secure, reliable, and scalable data pipelines and Snowflake-based data platforms that empower educators, central office staff, and school leaders. Ensure high-quality data availability, improve data accuracy, and apply modern data engineering practices that strengthen instructional and operational outcomes. Knowledge of: • Advanced principles of data engineering, Snowflake architecture, data warehousing, and • cloud-based data systems. • SQL, dbt, ELT/ETL concepts, data modeling techniques, and API-driven integrations. • Cloud environments (AWS/Azure) and data tools (Python, Workato, Airflow, Git). • Data governance, metadata management, role-based access control, and FERPA • requirements. • Technical documentation, and Agile development practices. • Equity-centered data practices and culturally responsive communication. Ability to: • Design, build, and maintain efficient, reliable data pipelines and Snowflake workloads. • Analyze complex data structures, identify system issues, and implement solutions. • Collaborate with cross-functional teams and communicate technical concepts to nontechnical audiences. • Ensure data accuracy, security, and compliance with district and legal requirements. • Support the District’s Racial Educational Equity Policy and contribute to an inclusive work environment. • Use programming languages and tools (Python, SQL, dbt, Git, etc.) to develop data solutions. • Work independently, maintain confidentiality, and deliver high-quality customer service. Education: • Bachelor’s degree in computer science, information science, data engineering, or a closely related field. A master’s degree in a related discipline is desirable. Experience: • Three (3) or more years of professional experience in data engineering, data warehousing, database development, or cloud data platform operations, including experience with Snowflake or a closely related enterprise data warehouse technology. • Experience with public-sector or K–12 education environments is preferred. • Any combination of education and experience that provides the required knowledge and abilities may be considered. Representative duties: • Design, build, and maintain scalable ELT/ETL pipelines into Snowflake, sourcing data from SIS, HR, Finance, transportation, assessment, vendor platforms, and other enterprise systems hosted on Microsoft SQL Servers. • Develop and maintain Snowflake data models, schemas, tasks, streams, stored procedures, and transformation logic to support analytics, reporting, and regulatory needs. • Implement and monitor data quality frameworks, validation rules, automated tests, and observability tools to ensure accuracy, completeness, and reliability of district data. • Collaborate with data architects, analysts, software developers, and cross-departmental stakeholders to translate business requirements into scalable data engineering solutions. • Optimize Snowflake performance, including warehouse sizing, query tuning, clustering, and cost management to ensure efficient and cost-effective operations. • Manage integrations using tools such as dbt, Workato, SQL, Python scripts, APIs, and cloud-native services; monitor workflows and resolve data pipeline issues. • Ensure adherence to data governance policies, privacy requirements, and security standards including FERPA, role-based access, and metadata documentation. • Support the development and implementation of districtwide data strategies, standards, and best practices. • Analyze complex data issues, troubleshoot system errors, and perform root-cause analysis to identify long-term solutions. • Demonstrate a commitment to the Racial Equity and Social Justice Commitment. • Framework in daily practices and data governance decisions. • Maintain current knowledge of Snowflake capabilities, cloud data engineering trends, emerging technologies, and industry best practices; participate in professional development