Tableau Systems Administrator

Gamma Phi Omega International; Boston, Northern (MA, KY); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

The Tableau Systems Administrator at MBTA manages Tableau Server/Cloud environments, ensuring reliability, performance, and secure access for all users. You will collaborate with cross-functional teams to deploy dashboards, monitor data quality, and lead best practices across the Tableau ecosystem.

This role focuses on end-user satisfaction, data governance, and timely migrations from Tableau Server to Cloud, with a strong emphasis on security and compliance.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or related field; 3+ years BI/ETL experience.
• 2+ years as Tableau environment administrator.
• Experience with Tableau Server to Cloud migration and security.
• Knowledge of data connections, data quality, and governance.

Responsibilities

• Manage Tableau Server/Cloud infrastructure with high availability.
• Implement security, permissions, and access control for data.
• Oversee data connections, refresh schedules, and performance.
• Support users, troubleshoot issues, and provide training.
• Collaborate with IT and governance to enforce policies.

Skills

BI knowledge

ETL concepts

Tableau administration

Scripting

Relational databases

Data governance

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science / Information Systems / Business Administration

Tools

Tableau Server

Tableau Cloud

APIs

SQL

Job description

At the MBTA, we envision a thriving region enabled by a best-in-class transit system. Our mission is to serve the public by providing safe, reliable, and accessible transportation. MBTA’s core values are built around safety, service, equity, sustainability, culture, and accessibility, and each employee that works for the MBTA performs their roles based on our vision, mission, and values. This includes attendance, participation, and contribution in local safety committee meetings as needed.

Job Summary

The Tableau Systems Administrator is responsible for managing and optimizing MBTA's Tableau Server/Cloud environment, ensuring reliability, performance, and scalability. The Tableau Systems Administrator collaborates with cross-functional teams to support data initiatives, data visualization needs, assists in deploying and maintaining Tableau dashboards, and leads efforts in monitoring, troubleshooting, instilling best practices within Tableau Server/Cloud and optimizing the overall Tableau ecosystem. While ensuring superior data quality, the Tableau Systems Administrator is responsible for Tableau Server/Cloud Administration, user support and training, application security and compliance, mapping of data sources, Cloud resource optimization, systems monitoring and troubleshooting, and documentation and Best Practices. This position ensures a positive end-user experience, application availability, and addresses conflicts in an effective and efficient manner. This role ensures a high-level of data quality in analytics and reporting by developing quality control processes in the day-to-day operational objectives as well as the reporting metrics and solutions metrics for the team.

Duties & Responsibilities

Manage and maintain Tableau infrastructure, ensuring high availability, performance, and secure access for all users.

Implement and monitor security protocols, permissions, and user access levels to protect sensitive data.

Oversee data connections within Tableau Server/Cloud, including database integrations, API connections, and data refresh schedules.

Ensure data sources are accurate, consistent, and optimized for efficient performance.

Serve as the primary support point of contact for question and escalations related to Tableau environment: Assist users, help with troubleshooting, access issues, and data source setup.

Provide training sessions to increase user adoption and promote best practices.

Collaborate with internal IT and data governance teams to enforce security standards and data compliance policies on Tableau environment, including row-level security, authentication, and permissions.

Assist with the development of integration process data flows and data mapping analyses.

Take ownership over Prep flow errors, communicating about them and working to resolve them as efficiently as possible.

Support Tableau Server to Tableau Cloud migration activities by assisting with planning, user acceptance testing, environment validation, post migration optimization as well as coordinating with business users, IT Infrastructure and Security teams.

Continuously monitor Tableau Server/Cloud for performance issues, manage server health checks, and troubleshoot any connectivity or performance-related problems.

Resolve application and data-related problems regarding systems integration, compatibility, and multiple-platform integration.

Develop and implement key components as needed to create testing criteria to guarantee the fidelity and performance of application and data architecture.

Establish methods and procedures for tracking data quality, completeness, redundancy, and improvement; Develop and promote data integration methodologies and standards.

Work closely with the data stewards, data analysts, developers, and business stakeholders and other internal stakeholders to deliver functional solutions that meet the needs of the business, support complex visualizations, and ensure consistent data quality and maximize existing data resources to best meet those needs.

Support a diverse data community to develop analytical BI solutions.

Assess the usefulness of new technologies and advocating for their adoption.

Perform all other duties and projects that may be assigned.

Additional responsibilities may include a focus on one or more departments or locations. See applicable addendum for department or location-specific functions.

Supervision

No direct reports.

Minimum Requirements & Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution in Computer Science, Information Systems, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Three (3) years of experience across the following areas:
  • Business Intelligence (BI) knowledge and exposure from an ETL perspective.
  • Application or Database Production support.
  • Scripting and object-oriented programming languages.
  • Relational database management.
  • Data engineering or a related role.
• Two (2) years of experience as the primary administrator of a Tableau environment.
• Proven experience with Tableau Server to Tableau Cloud migration.
• Proven experience in managing user permissions, implementing security best practices, and configuring data connections within Tableau Server/Cloud.
• Demonstrable experience with data management principles (such as ETL/ELT, data warehousing architecture, query design, cloud services, and performance tuning).
• Proven track record of self-starting and growth in related field(s).
• Developing and maintaining formal documentation that describes data and data structures including data modelling.
• Superior attention to detail skills and an ability to think critically and conceptually.
• Team oriented and flexible with proven track record in collaborating with multiple stakeholders.
• Strong verbal and written skills.
• Ability to quickly learn new technologies.
• Customer service disposition.
• Comfortable in a fast-paced setting and able to collaborate in a congenial team environment.

Substitutions

• A High School Diploma or GED with an additional seven (7) years of directly related experience substitutes for the bachelor's degree requirement.
• An associate degree from an accredited institution an additional three (3) years of directly related experience substitutes for the bachelor's degree requirement.
• A master's degree in a related subject substitute for two (2) years of general experience.
• A nationally recognized certification, or statewide/professional certification in a related field substitutes for one year of experience.

Preferred Experience & Skills

• Five (5) years of experience with MBTA's technical and data infrastructure.
• Five (5) years of experience working within an application or Database Production support role.
• Five (5) years of experience with scripting and object-oriented programming languages.
• Five (5) years of Relational Database experience.
• Eight (8) years of BI development experience.
• Eight (8) years of ETL / DWH experience.
• Six (6) years of Cloud-based technological experience.
• Proficiency with interactive reporting platforms (Tableau, Power BI, etc.).
• Proven success with documentation of processes, distributing to end-users and supporting those users.
• Over five (5) years' experience with advanced data management systems (e.g., Python, R, PostgreSQL, etc.).
• Deep expertise in data modeling and structuring.
• Experience in high volume data environments.
• Experience with cloud-based technology.
• Experience with systems migration.
• Experience for predictive analytics and data science methodologies.

Job Conditions:

• Ability to effectively read, comprehend, communicate, and respond to instructions, orders, signs, notices, inquiries, etc. in English.
• Be at least eighteen (18) years of age, except if participating in an approved high school internship / co‑op program.
• Ability to commute to assigned work locations in the Boston, MA metro area, as required by the role.
• Ability to provide internal and external customers with courteous and professional experiences.
• Ability to work effectively, independently, and as part of a diverse workforce team (or supervise, if required).
• Ability to uphold the rights and interests of the MBTA while building and maintaining effective relationships with employees and co‑workers.
• Ability to adhere to rules, regulations, collective bargaining agreements (if applicable), and policies of the MBTA, including the EEO, anti‑discrimination, anti‑harassment, and anti‑retaliation policies.
• Have a satisfactory work record for the two (2) years immediately prior to the closing date of this posting (unless if current student or recent graduate), including overall employment, job performance, discipline, and safety records (infractions and/or offenses occurring after the closing of the posting and before the filling of a vacancy may preclude a candidate from consideration for selection).
• Ability to pass a Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) check, comprehensive background screening, and / or medical clinic screening, potentially including physical examination and drug and alcohol screenings.
• Ability to work all shifts and / or locations assigned, directed, or necessary for this position, including (for some transit / operations roles) up to twenty‑four (24) hours per day, seven (7) days per week as necessary to accommodate severe weather conditions, emergencies, or any other circumstances that may potentially impact service or the safety of service.
• Intern / co‑op staff must be enrolled full or part‑time in an accredited educational program and maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5 for the entire duration of the internship / co‑op.
• Intern / co‑ops must have valid work authorization and U.S. Social Security Number prior to starting pre‑employment screenings / pre‑boarding, working in their positions, and throughout the duration of their program.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion:

The MBTA is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. For terms, descriptions, and definitions related to diversity, equity, inclusion, veteran status, and immediate family members that you may find on the application form, please visit mbta.com/careers-app-definitions.

Intern / Co‑Op Benefits:

Employees taking part in an internship or co‑op at the MBTA are eligible to receive accrued paid sick leave as well as a monthly transportation pass, based the city from which the intern / co‑op commutes to work, at no cost.

Disclaimers and Definitions:

General Disclaimer: The statements contained in this job description are intended to describe a summary, general nature, and complexity of typical job functions and do not represent an exhaustive list of all duties, tasks, and responsibilities required of staff assigned to this position.