PME Data Engineer

King County, WA; Seattle (WA); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work model

County-issued laptop

Benefits package

Job summary

King County's Department of Community and Human Services is seeking a Data Engineer to design and optimize data infrastructure, pipelines, and cross-functional data flows. You will collaborate with partners to translate requirements into scalable technical solutions and to document data models, dictionaries, and architecture diagrams.

You will build analytical tools and dashboards (Tableau/Power BI) to deliver actionable insights on program performance, ensure data quality, and support

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years in data analytics or related field.
• Minimum 3 years building and optimizing complex data pipelines.
• Experience extracting, manipulating, matching, cleaning, and validating large data sets.
• Strong understanding of business processes reflected in administrative data.
• Expert SQL knowledge and relational DB familiarity.
• Experience with Tableau and Power BI.

Responsibilities

• Design and optimize data infrastructure and pipelines.
• Build large, complex data sets meeting business requirements.
• Create documentation: data models, dictionaries, and diagrams.
• Develop dashboards and reports to visualize key findings.

Skills

SQL proficiency

Data pipelines

Relational databases

Data cleaning

Tableau & Power BI

Cross-functional teamwork

Documentation

Strong communication

Equity awareness

Tools

SQL

R

Tableau

Power BI

Job description

Summary

King County's Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS) provides equitable opportunities for people to be healthy, happy, and connected to community.

Are you a technical whiz who excels at creating efficient and beautiful scripts, packages, data pipelines and database solutions for use by other data professionals? Do you love helping others understand data systems and how to optimize their design? Are you excited about being the subject matter expert for large and complex data systems, and creating processes and documentation for others to build their knowledge? The Performance Measurement and Evaluation (PME) Unit within the Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS) is seeking a savvy Data Engineer to join our team of analytic experts! DCHS is committed to leveraging data to inform program and investment decisions. We are investing heavily in data systems to collect robust client-level outcome data as well as in data infrastructure to support workflows that combine data across historically siloed service systems. This opens opportunities for more impactful analytics as well as introducing more complex requirements for data management. We are seeking a skilled and collaborative Data Engineer who is interested in working with a wide range of internal partners to expand and optimize our data and data pipeline architecture, as well as optimize data flow and collection for cross functional teams. This position supports department-wide systems within DCHS.

Job Duties

To be considered minimally qualified applicant must demonstrate a background that provides the knowledge, skills and ability to:

• Consult with partners to define the requirements for collecting, structuring, and organizing data; translate into technical specifications to meet business needs and communicate effectively.
• Build the infrastructure required for optimal extraction, transformation, and loading of data from a wide variety of data sources using SQL and R.
• Lead data cleaning, management, and validation efforts to ensure the completeness and accuracy of data used to support measurement and evaluation.
• Identify, design, and implement internal process improvements: automating manual processes, optimizing data delivery, re-designing infrastructure for greater scalability, etc.
• Design and build large, complex data sets that meet business requirements.
• Create and maintain architecture diagrams, system documentation, data models, mapping documents, data dictionaries, business rules, data flow diagrams, and other related artifacts.

Build Analytical Tools that Utilize the Data Pipeline

• Build tools that utilize data pipelines to streamline review and validation processes and provide actionable insights into key performance indicators.
• Develop various metrics and routine reports to support evaluation and measurement, for example those that monitor data submissions. Where relevant, coordinate and align products across different reporting streams.
• Develop dashboards, charts, reports, and presentations that visually represent key findings for non-technical audiences and communicate results in a way that is actionable.
• Respond to other data requests and perform other related duties as assigned.

Provide Support and Subject Matter Expertise on Data Systems

• Provide consultation to internal partners to assist with technical issues and ensure data obtained through system transactions and other means meets the needs of data analysts and evaluators.
• Provide technical subject matter expertise about data structures, concepts, and interpretation via orientation to data systems, code review, participation in data standards discussions, and counseling on considerations for analytic use and interpretation.
• Monitor and communicate relevant data system changes and implications to technical staff.
• Manage team processes and tools for shared learning, improvement, and documentation of data systems.
• Review data use proposals for technical feasibility and compliance in support of cross-divisional or cross-departmental data collaborations.
• As needed, participate in team, work group, division, department, and cross-department meetings.

Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills

WE ARE LOOKING FOR CANDIDATES WHO HAVE:

• A minimum of five (5) years of work experience, or an equivalent combination of education and work experience in data analytics, computer science, engineering, applied math, statistics, or a related field.
• A minimum of three (3) years of working experience building and optimizing complex administrative data pipelines, architectures and data sets, including experience extracting, manipulating, matching, cleaning, and validating data from large, disconnected data sets.
• Ability to develop a strong understanding of the key business processes and programmatic features reflected in the administrative data.
• Expert SQL knowledge and experience working with large relational databases, query authoring (SQL) as well as working familiarity with a variety of databases.
• Intermediate experience with data management, version control, and analysis.
• Intermediate experience with visualization tools, such as Tableau and Power BI.
• Strong knowledge management and organizational skills, with experience creating documentation and processes for team-wide management and awareness of data systems.
• Strong oral and written communication skills, including the ability to communicate well about technical topics with non-technical audiences.
• Experience supporting and working with cross-functional teams in a dynamic environment.
• Knowledge of equity and social justice principles and practices and/or lived experience or understanding of the effect of place, race, and policy & systems inequities on communities and populations.

Desired Qualifications

• Expert skills in SQL and R, including experience authoring and maintaining R functions and packages and SQL stored procedures.
• Understanding of health and behavioral health measurement and management processes, indicators, and tools.

Additional Position Information

• This position has been designated Non-Mission Critical. Unless otherwise directed by the County Executive, department director or agency head, all employees, regardless of designation, are expected to report to work or request leave during an emergency or inclement weather. For more detailed information, please visit HR Policy County Operations During Emergency Situations and the King County Guidelines for Workforce Management in an Emergency.
• The PME team works in a hybrid model, with days in the office as well as telecommuting. The ratio of remote to onsite work will be dependent on business needs and is subject to change. The primary onsite location is Chinook, 401 5th Ave, Seattle, WA 98104. Employees must reside in Washington state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements.

King County has a robust collection of tools and resources to support working remotely. The individual selected for this opportunity will join an innovative and progressive team that is redefining how we work as we transition to the department's hybrid environment. Employees will be provided with a County-issued laptop and must maintain a home workspace with an internet connection where they can reliably perform work and remain available and responsive during scheduled work hours.

• This position is exempt from the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act and is not eligible for overtime. Typical hours are Monday - Friday, 8am - 5pm.
• This position is represented by PROTEC17 (C23).
• Classification: Data Engineer

Who May Apply

This position is open to all qualified candidates that meet the minimum qualifications. Interviews for this selection process will take place on or around September 29, 2026. Applicants selected for an interview will be asked to complete a live coding exercise as part of the interview process. Candidates who wish to be considered for this position must submit an online King County application and respond to the supplemental questions. Your application may be rejected as incomplete if you do not include the requested and relevant information in the online application and supplemental questionnaire. Applications and/or supplemental questionnaires that state, "see my resume" are considered incomplete and will not be considered to be competitive. If you have any questions, please contact Phitsamai Xaxouthep, [e-mail].

King County's Vision, Mission, and ACTIVATE Values unite us. King County serves residents with a relentless sense of urgency, delivering on commitments with transparency and accountability. We are action-oriented, creative problem solvers who collaborate across roles, engage directly with communities, and challenge the status quo to achieve meaningful impact. As a unified team, we uphold high ethical and stewardship standards, embrace change, stay curious, and continuously improve. Across all interactions, we listen first, act quickly, and stay aligned as a team to earn and sustain public trust. Learn more about our Vision, Mission, and ACTIVATE Values here and visit our Why work at King County page here.

King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer

No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on sex, race, color, national origin, ethnicity, religious affiliation, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age except by minimum age and retirement provisions, pregnancy, status as a family caregiver, parental status, marital status, military status or status as a veteran who was honorably discharged or who was discharged solely as a result of the person's sexual orientation or gender identity or expression, citizenship or immigration status, genetic information, or other protected class. However, to the extent that distinction or differential treatment on the basis of citizenship or immigration status is authorized by either federal or state law, regulation, or government contract, it is not an unfair practice. Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.

Benefits

• Excellent medical, dental, and vision coverage options: King County provides eligible employees with options, so they can decide what’s best for themselves and their eligible dependents
• Life and disability insurance: employees are provided basic coverage and given the opportunity to purchase additional insurance for both the employee and eligible dependents
• Retirement: eligible King County employees may participate in a pension plan through the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems and a 457(b) deferred-compensation plan
• Transportation program and ORCA transit pass
• 12 paid holidays each year plus two personal holidays
• Generous vacation and paid sick leave
• Paid parental, family and medical, and volunteer leaves
• Flexible Spending Account
• Wellness programs
• Onsite activity centers
• Employee Giving Program
• Employee assistance programs
• Flexible schedules and telecommuting options, depending on position
• Training and career development programs

For additional information about employee benefits, visit our Benefits, Payroll, and Retirement Page.

This is a general description of the benefits offered to eligible King County employees, and every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy. If any information on this document conflicts with the provisions of a collective bargaining agreement (CBA), the CBA prevails.

NOTE: Benefits for Term Limited Temporary (TLT) or Short Term Temporary (STT) positions, including leave eligibility and/or participation in the pension plan through the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems, will vary based upon the terms and details of the position. Short Term Temporary positions are not eligible for an ORCA transit pass.

For inquiries about the specifics of this position, please contact the recruiter identified on this job posting.