Natural Language Processing Engineer

Job Description Can work remote. Likely to be extended past one year. Shortened to a three day release, take note of posting expiration date. See attached. 1. Position Overview Posting Title MIS Senior Application Support Developer # of Positions 1 Desired Career Level Advanced Education Level Bachelors Contract Start Date 11/3/2025 ASAP Contract End Date 11/2/2026 Project Name MDCPS-SR Developer-MIS Requesting Agency MDCPS Work Location 750 North State Street, Jackson, MS 39202 Remote Option Remote work allowed 1. Position Information Shift Start Time 8:00 AM Shift End Time 5:00 PM Schedule Required Mon - Fri Other (Please specify) After Hours and Weekends Sometimes Required Hours per Week 40 Overtime? Overtime Not Required Answer “yes” even if OT will be rare. On-Call Required No On-Call Details Enter text here Expenses Reimbursed No Travel No Travel Frequency Not Required Criminal Background Check/Drug Screen Requirement Waive Background Check/Drug Screen If “other” please explain Enter text here 1. Position Description and Job Skill Set Description of the job functions the contractor will be expected to perform. The Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services (MDCPS) is seeking experienced IT professionals to support the continued modernization and transition of the Mississippi Automated Child Welfare Information System (MACWIS) to a more modern technology platform. This work is a critical component of the Agency’s overall effort to improve service delivery, data accuracy, and system functionality through the replacement of legacy technologies. Ideal candidates will possess in-depth expertise in Natural, Visual Basic 6 (VB6), and .NET programming languages, along with a strong understanding of child welfare systems, business processes, and workflows. Contractors will be responsible for the ongoing maintenance and management of legacy Natural code, including the resolution of issues in the current production environment, while also contributing to the development of new features, processes, and system functionalities that align with the future-state system design. Specific work packages include: -Source data analysis and “cleanup” scripting (SQL, Natural) for data de-duplication for non-licensed resources, court ordered non-licensed resources, persons, and orphaned records in the legacy platform -Source data analysis and “cleanup” scripting (SQL, Natural) to address data integrity issues including undefined genders and persons “self” relationship mismatch in the legacy platform -Source data analysis (SQL, Natural) to plan for data migration for notifications and alerts from the legacy Child Welfare Case Management platform to MDCPS’ modernized CCWIS platform -Support DMT validation of developed scripts and general testing In addition to their technical duties, contractors will serve as senior representatives of MDCPS in project meetings, technical planning sessions, and inter-agency collaborations. They will be expected to act as subject matter experts (SMEs) on both the existing MACWIS environment and the evolving child welfare technology ecosystem, helping to bridge the gap between legacy systems and the new Comprehensive Child Welfare Information System (CCWIS)- compliant solution. Required Skills/Experience Provide the minimum required skills and/or experience the contractor must possess to qualify for this position. These requirements will be transferred to the Score Sheet and candidates without these requirements reflected on their resume will NOT be presented to the manager for consideration. Technical Skills -Ten (10) years of Natural Programming Language experience -Ten (10) years of Visual Basic 6 Programming Language experience -Ten (10) years of SQL Programming Language experience -.NET Framework (C#, ASP.NET) -Proven experience in maintaining, enhancing, and troubleshooting legacy systems in production environments. -Strong understanding of data integration, batch processing, and file-based interface routines. -Experience with code refactoring, modularization, and transition of legacy systems to modern platforms. -Familiarity with data mapping, conversion, and system-to-system migration planning. -Proficiency with source control tools and change management practices (e.g., Git, SVN, TFS). Child Welfare System Experience -Prior experience working with Child Welfare Information Systems (SACWIS, MACWIS, or CCWIS preferred). -Understanding of child welfare business processes, such as case management, intake, service planning, licensing, and reporting. -Ability to translate child welfare program requirements into functional and technical system specifications. Professional Experience -Demonstrated ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced, production support environment. -Experience collaborating with cross-functional teams including business analysts, testers, and project managers. -Skilled in developing technical documentation and contributing to system design sessions. -Capable of representing the Agency in technical meetings as a subject matter expert on system functionality. Soft Skills -Strong problem-solving and analytical skills with a detail-oriented mindset. -Excellent verbal and written communication skills. -Self-motivated with the ability to work independently and as part of a team. -Proven leadership in mentoring junior developers or leading development tasks. Preferred/Not Required Provide any skills/experience that would be helpful for the candidate to possess but not required. Examples: Previous supervisory experience, WebLogic experience helpful, etc. Preferred Qualifications -Experience with child welfare modernization projects or system overhauls. -Knowledge of federal CCWIS compliance standards. -Experience with federal requirements for Child Welfare management systems -Experience with ADABAS 1. Scoring Method Criteria Score Percentage Must equal 100% Resume (Required Skills/Experience) 30 Interview 30 Preferred Skills/Experience (Must meet minimum requirements) 10 Cost 30