Forward Deployed Integrations Engineer

Coursedog; Washington (District of Columbia); Remote; USD 90,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Remote‑first culture

Travel to client sites

Job summary

Coursedog is seeking a Forward Deployed Integrations Engineer to embed with strategic customers and own their SIS integration from start to finish. You will work with client IT, registrar teams, and the CoE to ensure live data flows are correct, scalable, and well documented.

This role requires hands‑on provisioning, connectivity setup, data mapping, and troubleshooting across Banner, Colleague/Ethos, Workday, and PeopleSoft. Expect remote work with travel to customer sites as needed.

Qualifications

• 4+ years of experience in data or integration engineering, solutions engineering, or a forward‑deployed technical role
• Experience building integrations against complex SIS systems such as Banner, Colleague/Ethos, Workday, or PeopleSoft
• Expertise in SIS data structures, data mapping, and ETL concepts
• Strong scripting in Python or JavaScript with REST APIs and JSON/CSV
• Production change control experience including backups and staging
• Ability to work independently in a remote, fast‑moving environment

Responsibilities

• Embed with customer accounts as the hands‑on technical owner and builder, working directly with client IT, registrars, and functional leads
• Own end‑to‑end environment provisioning for staging and production, ensuring infrastructure is optimized and ready for integration before data flows begin
• Coordinate SIS connectivity setup with the customer's technical team, managing the handshake process where the customer initiates their side and Coursedog establishes bidirectional data flow
• Configure, test, and validate SIS integrations across SIS variants: attribute mappings, field wiring (GET/POST), data transformation logic, effective dating, cross‑listing, merge thresholds, and conflict handling
• Validate data accuracy throughout the integration setup using test harnesses and sample data, identifying and documenting any mapping issues before production load
• Migrate institutional data at scale, planning for volume, merge performance, and client‑side data readiness
• Root‑cause merge and integration failures from merge reports and resolve the underlying cause — not just the ticket
• Treat write‑back with production‑grade care: backups, controlled merges, staging/production parity, and rollback discipline
• Build API‑based solutions and automations (REST, JSON, scripting) that unblock adoption and eliminate recurring friction at the configuration layer before it becomes an engineering escalation
• Identify and build out custom or non‑standard SIS fields that don't fit standard Coursedog mappings, solving customer‑specific data architecture needs directly rather than routing to engineering
• Conduct technical sessions with customer IT and integration teams to understand their SIS data structures, data quality issues, and integration constraints, then design solutions that align with best practices
• Feed the CoE. Document runbooks and reusable playbooks; partner with Product and Engineering (INT / Integrations Pipeline) to turn recurring fixes into product — validation rules, self‑serve health checks, merge explainers
• Create clear handoff documentation for the Implementation PM and broader team, including integration architecture, validation results, known constraints, and any custom configurations
• Drive adoption and referenceability. Forward‑deployed accounts carry an explicit reference and product‑feedback mandate

Skills

REST APIs

JSON

SQL

Python or JavaScript

Data integration

SIS data structures

Data mapping

Troubleshooting

Documentation

Communication

Job description

The Opportunity

As a Forward Deployed Integrations Engineer at Coursedog, you'll embed directly with our most strategic customers to own their SIS integration from start to finish, working closely with Engineering, Technical Services, our new Integrations Center of Excellence, and each customer's IT and registrar teams. You'll be responsible for getting integrations live correctly and on plan, protecting the live data they depend on, and turning what you learn in the field into repeatable playbooks and product improvements. The work balances hands‑on execution with long‑term thinking, and customer‑by‑customer problem solving with building solutions that scale. This role is well‑suited for someone who takes ownership of hard technical problems, enjoys being the trusted technical voice in high‑stakes deployments, and is motivated by helping institutions get more from Coursedog while making the platform better for every customer that follows.

If you're excited by complex SIS integration challenges across Banner, Colleague/Ethos, Workday, PeopleSoft, Jenzabar, and Anthology, and want to help strengthen the integrated data foundation that powers every Coursedog product, this is a chance to do meaningful work at real scale.

Competitive base salary between $90,000 - $110,000, based on experience and qualifications. The role also includes a performance‑based variable compensation component, bringing total on‑target earnings (OTE) to $110,000–$120,000 when performance objectives are achieved.

What You'll Do

• Embed with customer accounts as the hands‑on technical owner and builder, working directly with client IT, registrars, and functional leads
• Own end‑to‑end environment provisioning for staging and production, ensuring infrastructure is optimized and ready for integration before data flows begin
• Coordinate SIS connectivity setup with the customer's technical team, managing the handshake process where the customer initiates their side and Coursedog establishes bidirectional data flow
• Configure, test, and validate SIS integrations across SIS variants: attribute mappings, field wiring (GET/POST), data transformation logic, effective dating, cross‑listing, merge thresholds, and conflict handling
• Validate data accuracy throughout the integration setup using test harnesses and sample data, identifying and documenting any mapping issues before production load
• Migrate institutional data at scale, planning for volume, merge performance, and client‑side data readiness
• Root‑cause merge and integration failures from merge reports and resolve the underlying cause — not just the ticket
• Treat write‑back with production‑grade care: backups, controlled merges, staging/production parity, and rollback discipline (our writes can change live registration data)
• Build API‑based solutions and automations (REST, JSON, scripting) that unblock adoption and eliminate recurring friction at the configuration layer before it becomes an engineering escalation
• Identify and build out custom or non‑standard SIS fields that don't fit standard Coursedog mappings, solving customer‑specific data architecture needs directly rather than routing to engineering
• Conduct technical sessions with customer IT and integration teams to understand their SIS data structures, data quality issues, and integration constraints, then design solutions that align with best practices
• Feed the CoE. Document runbooks and reusable playbooks; partner with Product and Engineering (INT / Integrations Pipeline) to turn recurring fixes into product — validation rules, self‑serve health checks, merge explainers
• Create clear handoff documentation for the Implementation PM and broader team, including integration architecture, validation results, known constraints, and any custom configurations
• Drive adoption and referenceability. Forward‑deployed accounts carry an explicit reference and product‑feedback mandate

What Success Looks Like (first 12 Months)

• Your accounts go live correctly and on plan, with fewer post‑go‑live merge failures
• Zero write‑back incidents on your accounts
• Measurably fewer issues from your accounts reach the engineering escalation queue
• A growing library of runbooks and productized fixes contributed back to the CoE
• Your accounts become referenceable

Requirements

What You'll Bring

• 4+ years of experience in data or integration engineering, solutions engineering, or a forward‑deployed technical role
• Experience building integrations against complex third‑party systems of record, ideally SIS platforms such as Banner, Colleague/Ethos, Workday, or PeopleSoft
• Expertise in SIS data structures, data mapping, and ETL concepts, with the ability to troubleshoot data flow issues on your own
• Strong technical skills with REST APIs, JSON and CSV, SQL, and scripting in Python or JavaScript
• Demonstrated rigor with production change control, including taking backups, testing in staging first, and treating live data with care
• Ability to design integration solutions in complex institutional environments, balancing best practices with each customer's constraints
• Strong communication skills across technical and non‑technical audiences, from running a working session with client IT to explaining timelines and roadblocks to functional leaders
• Ability to work independently in a remote, fast‑moving environment and travel to customer sites as needed
• Knowledge of higher education operations, such as registrar, academic scheduling, or curriculum workflows, is a plus
• Experience turning repeated manual services work into tooling or product is a plus
• A collaborative, customer‑first mindset and sound judgment

Nice to Have

• Higher education domain experience (registrar, academic scheduling, curriculum workflows) and familiarity with how registration data flows through institutions
• Experience at a company running a forward‑deployed engineering model
• Experience productizing services work (turning repeated manual fixes into tooling)

Not sure if you should apply?

Research shows that women and people from underrepresented backgrounds are less likely to apply unless they meet every qualification listed. At Coursedog, we're focused on finding the best person for the role, and that person may come from a non‑traditional background. We encourage you to apply even if you don't meet every requirement — our evaluation focuses on your ability to thrive in this role and make an impact.

Benefits

About Coursedog

At Coursedog, our mission is simple but ambitious: to break down barriers to student success.

Founded by former college students who were frustrated by outdated academic systems, Coursedog was built to empower higher ed administrators to deliver exceptional educational experiences and make it easier for students to achieve their goals. Since then, we’ve grown into a platform trusted by institutions across the country.

Coursedog is the Intelligent Academic Operations Platform, empowering 400+ colleges and universities to better serve over 3.3 million students. Our platform brings together academic scheduling, curriculum and catalog management, assessment, and workflow automation — all designed to adapt to each institution’s unique needs and remove administrative roadblocks so educators can focus on helping students succeed.

We’re a remote‑first, fast‑growing company and a Forbes Top 500 U.S. Startup Employer, with a culture that prioritizes engagement, ownership, and impact. If you’re excited about solving meaningful problems, working with thoughtful teammates, and improving education at scale, you’ll feel right at home at Coursedog.

Working at Coursedog

Healthcare, Dental & Vision

We follow a fixed contribution model to promote equity and transparency. Every employee receives the same annual dollar amount to apply toward medical, dental, and vision coverage. This approach gives you the flexibility to choose the plan that best fits your needs, whether that is a base‑level option or more comprehensive coverage.

Depending On The Selected Coverage Level, The Company Covers

• Employee‑only coverage: 99% to 65% of monthly premiums
• Employee plus dependents: 77% to 50% of monthly premiums

We partner with Aetna and Guardian, and offer access to best‑in‑class wellness and support programs, including:

• Spring Health (mental health support)
• XP Health (vision benefits)
• Carrot Fertility (family planning support)
• One Medical (primary care)

We also support pre‑tax savings through Health Savings Accounts (HSA) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA).

Retirement Planning

To support long‑term financial health, we offer a Safe Harbor 401(k) plan from day one of employment. Coursedog provides a 4% employer match on your total compensation (subject to federal limits) each pay period for employees contributing to a tax‑advantaged retirement account.

Paid Time Off

We trust our employees to manage their time responsibly. That’s why we offer an unlimited Paid Time Off policy — because flexibility and balance are critical for sustained excellence and personal well‑being.

Remote‑First Since Inception

We were built for distributed work. Our culture emphasizes flexibility over rigidity, outcomes over hours, and transparency over gatekeeping. We are committed to being a remote‑first organization indefinitely, empowering you to work where and how you thrive best.

Equity

As a valued contributor to our collective success, you’ll participate in the upside. All employees are granted equity in the company aligned to your role and tenure. Equity grants are reviewed and adjusted with promotions to reflect your evolving impact.

Paid Parental Leave

Coursedog supports all parents regardless of gender, family structure, or how you became a parent. All parents receive up to 6 weeks of Paid Bonding Leave at 100% of base pay following the birth, adoption, or foster placement of a child. Birthing parents receive an additional 6 weeks of Paid Medical Recovery Leave at 100% of base pay to support physical recovery following childbirth — for a total of up to 12 weeks of fully paid leave.